Board Briefs: Oct. 1, 2026

During its Oct. 1 meeting, the Board of Trustees agenda included:

• Facility Updates: New Hope HS, Early College HS and Elementary Schools #31 & #32
• Spotlight on Learning: Hisle Elementary
• Board Reviews New Family Engagement Framework

The Board will meet next for a meeting Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026.

Facility Updates: New Hope HS, Early College HS and Elementary Schools #31 & #32

Trustees received updates on several major facility projects, including continued design work for the New Hope High School repurposing project, a new direction for Early College High School and updated paths for two elementary schools included in the 2023 Bond.

New Hope High School

🎬 7.C.1. New Hope High School (NHHS) Design Update

Design work continues to transform the former Faubion Elementary campus into a learning environment tailored to New Hope’s nontraditional model. Schematic Plans feature flexible learning “neighborhoods,” that provide a ranging scale of spaces where students can work independently, meet with staff, collaborate with others, or shift between different learning settings as they need them.

The first phase of renovations will focus on completing academic spaces, with the district working toward moving New Hope into the building for the 2027–28 school year. Additional phases would incorporate supporting spaces and allow for potential future expansion on the site.

New Hope High School is a specialty high school serving eligible students from across Leander ISD. Its smaller, self-paced learning environment provides individualized support for students who may need to recover credits or who want to accelerate their path toward graduation.

Early College High School

🎬 7.C.2. Discussion of Early College High School (ECHS) Location

Administration confirmed that planning is now focused on co-locating Early College High School and New Hope at the former Faubion site, a shift from an earlier concept of building a standalone ECHS facility at Austin Community College’s San Gabriel campus. While co-located, both programs will retain individual identities and academic program spaces. The project is entering the design and feasibility stage, but administration clarified during the meeting that the former Faubion site represents the most practical and sustainable path available to explore for the program.

The next phase will include a campus design committee and continued work with ACC to preserve the experiences students have identified as most important; including a small-school environment, a distinct ECHS identity and access to college courses, faculty and resources. The former Faubion site’s proximity to ACC’s Cypress Creek campus also creates opportunities for continued collaboration, shared resources and college-campus experiences.

If the project advances on the current timeline, ECHS could open at the site in August 2029. The design process is being kept separate from New Hope’s initial renovation so the ECHS work does not delay the progress of New Hope’s project.

Elementary School #31

 🎬 7.C.3. Discussion of Elementary Schools #31 and #32

Administration presented plans to continue advancing Elementary #31, a voter-approved 2023 Bond project intended to add capacity and flexibility in the Tarvin, Parkside and Akin area.

While enrollment patterns continue to evolve, district projections show continued development and future capacity pressures across the northern portion of Leander ISD. The additional campus would give the district more flexibility to respond as that growth occurs and as future attendance boundaries are considered. In order to meet the current target opening of August 2028, construction activities would begin early in the spring of 2027.

Elementary School #32

🎬 7.C.3. Discussion of Elementary Schools #31 and #32

For Elementary #32, administration presented a significant change in approach: after evaluating the enrollment patterns, the geography of where Mason students actually live, the existing Mason community, and the district’s longer-term facility needs, there is an opportunity to do something different than simply open another elementary school. The district is planning to relocate the Mason Elementary community together — students, staff, culture and relationships — to the new ES #32 campus.

The already planned, voter-approved facility provides an opportunity to place the school closer to where more of its students live. About 76% of students in the current Mason attendance area live in the Travisso area and surrounding developments closer to the ES #32 site.

The approach also provides an opportunity to improve the educational environment from a facility standpoint. In the district’s ongoing educational adequacy study, the existing Mason facility model scored significantly lower than the district’s current elementary prototype. District leaders said the difference reflects features such as classroom size, collaboration areas and other spaces designed around today’s instructional and operational expectations that have been improved in the current elementary prototype.

The existing Mason campus would remain a district asset, with its future use considered through the Leander ISD 2037 planning process. Like ES #31, ES #32 is currently being advanced toward a targeted August 2028 opening, with construction activities beginning early in the spring of 2027.

More detailed updates on Early College High School and Elementary Schools #31 and #32, including additional context and next steps, will be shared with impacted school communities as planning continues.

Spotlight on Learning: Hisle Elementary

🎬 3.A. Spotlight on Learning: Hisle Elementary School

Hisle Elementary shared how small moments and student-led experiences are helping families feel more connected to their child’s school and learning.

Through Hounds in the Hall, families are invited to walk their child to class on Friday mornings, see student work and experience part of the school’s daily routine. 

Hisle also reimagined a traditional curriculum night through Walk in the Paws of a Hound, putting students in the lead as they shared their work, explained their thinking and showed families how they are growing as learners.

In those moments, staff saw something bigger than a successful event: hope for what’s possible when students, families and teachers come together around learning.

Board Reviews New Family Engagement Framework

🎬 7.A.1. Discussion of Board Goal Report – Guardrail 4 Impactful Family Engagement

Building on the Hisle Spotlight, Trustees received the district’s first report on a new Families as Partners framework designed to create a more consistent approach to family engagement across campuses and departments.

The framework centers on four ideas: 

• Know Me.
• Support Me. 
• Grow With Me. 
• Stay Connected. 

It also distinguishes simply participating in an event from engagement that leaves families better informed, more connected or better equipped to support their student. 

Another focus is differential reach, adjusting how the district connects with families based on their needs and potential barriers. Outreach could range from information shared with all families to tailored communication or individual follow-up and support. 

During the first year, the district will establish baseline measures, pilot strategies with several campuses and evaluate what should be continued, adjusted or expanded. Those measures are expected to look beyond attendance at events to consider who is being reached, families’ experiences, follow-through and whether engagement leads to meaningful learning or action. 

Trustees also discussed how that work will eventually translate into Board-level progress monitoring. District leaders noted that those measures are still being developed as the district establishes its first-year baseline.