The Van Alstyne ISD Board of Trustees held its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, Oct. 15. The session included recognition of student leadership, a review of district enrollment figures, and action on facility improvements.
Students from Sanford Elementary’s production crew opened the meeting by leading pledges. The group is responsible for delivering campus announcements at the elementary school.
The board focused on Van Alstyne Middle School (VAMS) during its Premier Spotlight segment. Administrators reported receiving more than 650 club participation forms as the campus expands extracurricular options. Highlighted clubs include Art Club, Chess Club, Writing Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Crochet Club, and a Spider-Man Comic Book Club.
Harrison Bausell, a student who developed the idea for the comic book club, worked with teacher Rebecca Rhodes to bring it to campus.
VAMS also launched its Student Council this year. Nearly 90 students applied for positions, with 22 selected to serve on the council and provide input on school culture and leadership.
District officials reported current enrollment at approximately 3,024 students, noting continued growth at the junior high and high school levels. The board also discussed 11 students who receive specialized services but are not fully enrolled for standard state funding. Administrators noted that while federal funding is limited, the district continues to serve eligible students.
An annual Bilingual/ESL report indicated that approximately 150 Emergent Bilingual students make up about 5% of enrollment. Linguistic diversity has increased significantly over the past decade, with students now representing 28 different home languages compared to primarily English and Spanish ten years ago. Spanish speakers account for roughly two-thirds of this population. During the 2025-26 school year, 15 students were reclassified out of the program.
During public comment, a community member addressed the board regarding procedures for public participation, asking trustees to consider revising rules on agenda-related comments and information requests.
The board approved two contracts allowing the district to proceed with the design and planning process for Elementary School No. 4.
