KATY, TX– The excitement of the first day of the 2025-26 school year had Katy ISD families and students alike grinning with eager anticipation of the year ahead.
Welcoming more than 97,000 students back with 14,000 educators and staff at over 100 campuses and facilities, the District’s two newest campuses — Boudny Elementary and Cross Elementary — opened their doors to students for the first time this morning.
Superintendent Dr. Ken Gregorski and Boudny Elementary
namesakes greet students on the first day of school.
“The first day of school is always special, but welcoming students to two brand-new campuses this year marks an exciting milestone for our community,” said Katy ISD Superintendent Dr. Ken Gregorski. “As our district continues to grow, we remain focused on delivering safe, innovative and high-quality learning environments that prepare every student for success, in school and beyond.”
New programs on deck for this year include robust career and technical education offerings, such as a the new Water Operations Licensing Program, Real Estate Program and innovative virtual learning programming expansion upcoming in Fall 2026.
The District is also enhancing security measures beyond state-mandated requirements, including specialized door security devices that allow teachers and students to quickly secure classrooms. New perimeter fencing is also being installed at elementary campuses to further improve safety. The district employs a comprehensive, multilayered safety approach, with fully trained and armed security guards at every elementary school, and both armed police officers and security guards stationed at every junior high and high school — ensuring a highly visible and responsive presence across all campuses.
Dr. Gregorski greeted and welcomed families to the first day of school with enthusiastic high fives, smiles and handshakes at Boudny Elementary, along with principal Felicia Ashabranner. Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones also made a special appearance to read to the school’s kindergarten students. Briones, a former classroom teacher, expressed enthusiastic support for public education and the value of high-quality learning.
Nestled in the Elyson and Sunterra communities respectively, Boudny Elementary and Cross Elementary are both built with capacities of 1,368 students, providing unparalleled learning and opportunities for students in the fast-growing northwest quadrant of the District. Cross Elementary is the only elementary school with a solar farm, which feeds environmentally friendly electricity directly to the campus, offsets energy costs and offers long-term utility savings for the Katy ISD as part of the 2023 Bond.