Katy ISD Announces Proposed Names for New Elementary Schools Opening Next Year

KATY MAGAZINE NEWS

November 19, 2024

(Updated: December 10, 2024)

By Natalie Cook Clark

The Naming Advisory committees for Katy ISD’s newest elementary schools recommended school names at last night’s school meeting. The district names schools uniquely after individuals or families that have made a lasting impact on the district and community.

UPDATE: New Katy ISD schools namesakes approved.

Left to right: James and Mitzi Cross, Alfred (Al) and Ann Boudny. Photo credits: Katy ISD

Katy ISD to Open Two New Schools Next Year

The northwest quadrant continues to be the fastest growing area of Katy. The proof is in Katy ISD’s building and planning of new schools to meet the demand. This academic year, Nelson Junior High and Freeman High School opened off of Katy Hockley and Logenbaugh Road. This fall, the district will open two new elementary schools.

Elementary #47 will be located at 7402 Katy Hockley Cut Off Road and will continue to help relieve the growing Elyson area that continues to add enrollment pressures at Youngblood Elementary.

Meanwhile, Elementary #48, is being built for the Sunterra South area. It is located at 900 Sunterra Shores Drive and provide enrollment relief to Faldyn and Robertson elementary schools. Both schools will open in the 2025-26 school year.

At tonight’s regular School Board Meeting, committee chairs shared the name recommendations for Elementary #47 and #48. They join a most distinguished list that will continue to grow as the Katy community continues to do so.

Alfred and Ann Boudny Elementary

Alfred (Al) and Ann Boudny Elementary is the recommended name for Elementary #47. Both Boudny’s always aspire to teach and both started their careers in the 1970s. Later Al Boudny joined Katy ISD at West Memorial Elementary. In 1981, he opened Nottingham Country Elementary with Richard Bruce as the 5th grade team lead, and in 1982, he and Ann helped open Memorial Parkway Junior High. In 1991, he helped open McDonald Junior High, where he was social studies department chair for 15 years and was named Teacher of the Year in 2000. Al retired with 39 years of teaching, 34 of them in Katy ISD. In retirement, he tutors at Katy Elementary, serves as a KEYS mentor, and volunteers at several schools.

In 1982, Ann joined Katy ISD with the opening of Memorial Parkway Junior High, where she served as department chair for 30 years, retiring in 2015 after 33 at the school. Both Al and Ann are active in the Katy Area Retired Educators (KARE) organization

James and Mitzi Cross Elementary

Elementary #48 is recommended to be named James and Mitzi Cross Elementary. Both Cross’ have extensive careers in education, contributing to their communities and inspiring future generations of students and educators. James began his teaching career in Levelland, Texas, where he taught English and U.S. History while also serving as assistant varsity, and then varsity tennis coach, at Levelland Junior High until 1998. James moved to Katy ISD’s Beck Junior High in 2002, where he served as assistant principal, and later as principal until 2009. His leadership journey culminated in his role as principal of Cinco Ranch High School in Katy ISD, where he served until 2022.

Mitzi Cross also had a long and fulfilling career in education. Her career began as a 7th grade English Language Arts teacher at Brownfield ISD from 1983 to 1986. She then taught 5th grade social studies and ELA at Roosevelt ISD before moving to Levelland ISD, where she taught 5th grade ELA. Mitzi then shifted to the role of librarian in Levelland before becoming a 5th grade ELA teacher at Alexander Elementary in Katy ISD in 2002. She later served as the librarian at Diane Winborn Elementary and Michael Griffin Elementary in the district. Mitzi retired after a 40-year career in education, having made a lasting impact on countless students.

Earlier in Katy ISD’s growth, school boards named schools based on locations such as Cinco Ranch High School, Nottingham Elementary School, etc. As the Katy area continued to grow rapidly, this became difficult to do because families who move to a neighborhood like Cinco Ranch, for example, don’t attend the school that has its neighborhood name or are rezoned to a different school.

The district developed a way for communities impacted by new schools to maintain a connection through the recommendation of names that will continue to inspire just as the namesakes have and continue to do.

Public Forum Information

The community has had time to submit names for consideration and a committee made up of parents, staff, administration and community leaders met to discuss and vote. The district will host Public Forums on the named recommendations, and community members are invited to share their thoughts.

The Public Forum will take place of December 4, 2024 at the Katy ISD Education Support complex- Board Room (6301 S. Stadium Lane.) The forum for #47 will begin at 5 p.m., and the forum for #48 will begin at 6 p.m.

Visit the School and Facility Naming webpage to learn more about the recommended namesakes.

Earlier this month, the principals for both of these new schools was announced as plans are well underway ahead of the schools welcoming students in the fall.

UPDATE: The namesakes were officially approved by the Katy ISD Board of Trustees at the December 9, 2024 regular meeting.

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