The Arlington ISD’s Board of Trustees meeting on May 7, 2026, is in the books, and here are a few of the highlights.
Ditto Elementary sixth grader Timothy Lusk started the meeting by leading everyone in the pledges of allegiance. Timothy did a great job.
After the pledge, everyone in attendance enjoyed an outstanding performance by more than 80 members of the Young Junior High Varsity Mixed Choir, under the direction of Christi Jones and Keith Daniel. They were great!
After the music, the board honored the student of the month, Venture High School senior Monica Barajas. She will soon be a distinguished graduate from Venture and is nearing completion of the cosmetology program as well. Monica has served her school through Student Council, Hope Squad, and the Chick-Fil-A Leadership Program, and she’s an incredible example of what determination and hard work can accomplish. Congratulations, Monica!
Then the school board honored Arlington ISD’s wrestling regional and state qualifiers. There were a lot of them, with wrestlers from Arlington High, Lamar, Martin, Sam Houston, and Seguin. Congratulations to our wrestlers!
The board also honored the district’s Risk Management team for earning the prestigious TASB Fund Excellence Award for their innovative approach to workplace safety. The team’s efforts have reduced injuries and strengthened a culture of safety across the district. Everyone is grateful for their outstanding work.
After the Board Honors, the board heard several update reports from district staff. Chief Communications Officer Taina Northington and Assistant Superintendent of Research and Accountability Dr. Natalie Lopez presented and discussed key project measures related to marketing and engagement. One KPM was to raise the parent net promoter score taken from the annual parent survey from 41 to 42. They achieved that and more by hitting 44.8. They also talked about the impact of a campaign to re-engage and collect feedback from families who have chosen charter school options.
Dr. Lopez presented the next report as well – this one about key progress measures related to student experience. District staff sought feedback from students, families and staff on what every student should feel, experience, and be prepared for. Clear themes emerged in their findings:
- For what students should feel: They should feel safe, valued, and included.
- For what students should experience: high quality, engaging learning.
- And for what students should be prepared for – life skills for multiple pathways.
Now, the input they collected will be helpful in establishing a framework and guidelines to ensure we deliver those expectations to students.
While the community passed a new bond program this past weekend, the district is still working on the final projects in the 2019 Bond. Tonight, the board approved the general contractor, BBL Building Company, to construct concession buildings at Arlington ISD junior high schools’ tracks and fields. These buildings will also include much-needed restrooms.
Those are just a few of the highlights from the meeting tonight. If you would like more details on any of these, or any of the items not covered in this Board Brief, you can watch the entire meeting.