Aubrey ISD’s total enrollment is just over 4,900 students, Superintendent Dr. Shannon Saylor said at the Jan. 21 school board meeting.
The district has grown from 4,037 students two years ago to 4,912, averaging 450 new students per year.
“As the housing market slows or moves, it seems like people still want to come to Aubrey ISD,” Saylor said. “And I think they're purposeful in buying a house in Aubrey.”
Assistant Superintendent Eric Hough discussed Aubrey’s December expenditure report and the steady increase in salaries and benefi ts from last year.
“When you have more staff, you pay more in salaries,” he said.
Hough stated a similar response when explaining the increase in cost in supplies and materials.
“We have more students, so you're going to use more in supplies,” he said. “We have more teachers, who use more in supplies.”
As the school year continues and new campuses are built, more supplies are purchased to meet the facilities' growing needs.
The school’s auditor, Shawn Nesmith, proceeded after Hough’s financial report to deliver a positive review of the school’s audit report, providing what he called “reasonable assurance” about the materiality of the financial reports.
“Our opinion is, of course, that the financial statements represent, fairly in all material respects, the financial position of the district at August 31, 2025,” Nesmith said.
He went over the report in greater detail, discussing the district’s assets minus liabilities, stating that the net position “increased by $1.9 million this year.”
The board unanimously approved the 2024-25 audit.
Dr. Scott Niven of Friends Consulting Group updated the board on current renovations throughout Aubrey ISD and noted that small issues with contractors and “finger-pointing” nearly affected the Dec. 31 timeline for students to use the new indoor facility and field house.
Niven added that there is still a lot of repair and cleanup needed before the project is officially marked as completed, but, despite the hiccups, Niven remains optimistic about keeping track with the timeline.
The next anticipated milestone is to complete the indoor facility and field house punch list in three months with a March 31 final deadline.
“It may end up being a little bit of a battle to get it done, but we will, we will complete it,” said Niven.
Aubrey Elementary School No. 5 is still underway with plans to begin construction in April of 2026 and complete construction by July 2027, before the new school year starts in August.
There were hearts full of gratitude and a table full of gifts as each Aubrey campus expressed their thanks to the school board for School Board Appreciation Month at the Jan. 21 meeting.
Aubrey’s theme for 2026 was the same as Texas’ theme: “Our future is public,” and Director of Guidance and Counseling Mari Harrison talked about how good leadership starts at the top and ‘trickles down’.
“While we are in all different departments, we're all interconnected in some way,” she said. “And in some way, it's going to impact student mental and emotional health, student attendance [and] student testing.”
Harrison added that she was appreciative of the board's consideration for that.
From gifts of notebooks to plants, coffee and many school pride shirts, the school board was thanked by staff for the support they showed to each school.
“I just wanted to say thanks for being seen,” McNabb Middle School Principal Dr. Heather Vandiver said. “I know you're going to hear that a lot from a lot of people tonight, but you really are seen at games and seen at places and seen in the schools, so we really appreciate that.”
Director of Communications Eva Coleman emceed the recognition portion of the meeting and, having worked closely with the school board, concluded the portion by expressing gratitude to the board members and to Aubrey ISD as a whole.
“Several of us have worked in a variety of districts, and this district is very special,” she said. “And there is a difference that is very noticeable. And we really, really appreciate you and your longevity on the board speaks volumes about you wanting to be in the seats that you actually hold.” The school board members got a first-hand look inside the schools through their campus visits.
Jane Temple and Benton Bland described their positive experiences visiting the Disciplinary Alternative Education Program facility.
Bland took note of the self-reflective activities he saw the students doing.
“It’s very impressive,” Bland said. “Honestly, we probably should try to have every kid do some of these things, every kid in our district.”
When Temple visited both Monaco and Fuller Elementary schools, she was surprised by the emotions she felt.
“Fuller is a family; you can feel it when you walk in the door,” Temple said.
Temple, whose own children went to Brockett Elementary, described feeling a similar way at their school.
“I did not think that would happen anywhere else,” Temple said.
