Located at 900 Sunterra Shores Drive, the new school is named in honor of two Katy ISD educators, James and Mitzi Cross, who retired after serving more than 30 years, district officials said. James Cross was also elected to the district’s board of trustees in May over incumbent Victor Perez, Community Impact reported.
“It’s a small sorority, fraternity of people who get the opportunity to open up a new school, and so I’m grateful for the opportunity,” Principal Tamika Holdman said. “I’m grateful that I will be able to create traditions, create the culture and climate of what Cross will feel like.”
Digging in
Funded by the 2023 voter-approved $806.56 million bond, Cross Elementary aims to serve the northwest quadrant of KISD, currently the district's fastest-growing area, according to district documents.
The nearly $58.4 million campus, which can host up to 1,386 students, will feed into Haskett Junior High and Freeman High School, officials said. The school is set to welcome 1,100 students this week, Holdman said.
The details
The 157,000-square-foot campus, which will feature Charlie the King Charles Cavalier Spaniel as mascot, is centered around a library, Holdman said.
“The library has an extra special importance because our namesake, Mitzi Cross, is a former librarian,” she said. “We are super excited to have her here to do many read-alouds.”
Additional campus features include:
- Activity centers where classrooms can come together to collaborate
- A large group instruction room to deliver professional development
- Teacher planning rooms
- Hallway learning bars
- A gymnasium
- A volunteers room
- An upstairs administrative suite
Another note
Holdman said the school’s mission is to “ignite a love of learning and empower all students to reach their full potential,” with fifth-grade students getting opportunities to be leaders on campus.
Some opportunities include safety patrol, senior choir and ambassador service for new students.
What else?
The district will also open its 47th elementary school, Boudny Elementary, this fall, Community Impact reported.
The $58.3 million campus, located at 7402 Katy Hockley Cut Off Road, was named after veteran educators Alfred and Ann Boudny, who collectively dedicated over six decades to the district, officials said.
