The Leander ISD Board of Trustees voted March 12 to name the district’s first early childhood center the Ada Mae Faubion School for Early Childhood, honoring a lifelong educator whose influence has shaped generations of students and families in Leander and Cedar Park.
The new campus, currently under construction at the southeast corner of Halsey Road and San Gabriel Parkway, will serve the district’s youngest learners while carrying forward the legacy of Faubion Elementary School. The Board recently decided to consolidate the elementary campus at the end of the 2025-2026 school year.
In a letter to the committee studying Faubion Elementary’s legacy, Faubion’s granddaughter Kara Fulkes shared how meaningful the decision would be to her family.
“We attended the 50th anniversary of Faubion Elementary in November and we felt that was potentially going to be our goodbye to her legacy in the district,” Fulkes said. “Of course, we held out hope something would come up to continue it, but for it to be something first of its kind, that’s absolutely beautiful!”
The location of the new school holds special meaning for the Faubion family, too. The campus sits less than a half mile from the family’s historic ranch, originally known as Oak Grove Farm, which once spanned more than 500 acres.
“That proposed site sits right where one of our large fields once was — where we grew hay for cattle and planted corn,” Faubion’s grandson Kern Faubion said. “Seeing the district’s plans and realizing where this land once stood is quite remarkable. It feels like the past and present are coming together in a meaningful way.”
Ada Mae Faubion was a beloved teacher and member of one of the founding families of the Leander and Cedar Park areas. Known for her gracious spirit and dedication to children, she taught multiple generations of students – including members of her own family.
Fulkes shared how her teachings reached far beyond the school.
“She was a classy lady who taught so much to us as her grandchildren. She was an eternal, gracious, loving teacher in her life,” Fulkes said. “I find it such a wonderful honor that her name would be continued in this way.”
In many ways, the Ada Mae Faubion School for Early Childhood represents a full-circle moment, bringing a legacy of education back to the very ground where the Faubion family’s story first began.
The Ada Mae Faubion School for Early Childhood opens in Fall 2026. The school will serve 3- and 4-year-old students in prekindergarten and early childhood special education currently zoned to Bagdad, Larkspur, North, Plain and Tarvin elementary schools.
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