Farewell Message graphic with photo of outgoing superintendent Dr. David Belding

Sept. 22, 2023

Dear Aubrey ISD Families and Community,

Today is my last day in the office as your Superintendent. It has been my honor to serve the children, teachers, staff, and families of this outstanding school district. Your belief and support of me and our schools has been something I have and will cherish. To be a Chaparral is something truly special.

When I reflect back on the seven years I have been the Superintendent in Aubrey ISD, I am amazed at all we accomplished TOGETHER. As a community we have built new and renovated facilities to ensure we have the capacity for growth. Fuller ES, the new Agriculture Science Center, additions to AMS, BES, MES, and the AHS new band hall and auditorium were made possible because our community invested in our kids. Now, we are in the process of building two new campuses and adding on to the high school to accommodate even more growth. We updated the field surface at Chaparral stadium and installed turf for softball and baseball out of the District savings account thus avoiding debt for those projects. We added many new programs and classes including: choir, soccer, health science technology, Spanish at middle school, new Ag classes and teachers, bass fishing teams, and more. Our enrollment has grown 65% from 2,420 at the end of the first six weeks during the 2016-2017 school year to 3,960 on 9/20/2023. Our salary structure for teachers has increased 25% from a starting salary of $43,500 for the 2016-2017 school year to a starting salary of $54,500.

In addition, our programs have experienced amazing success. Academically, our students perform at high levels. Our Academic Decathlon and UIL Academic teams continue to succeed. In addition, all the extracurricular activities are achieving great things. Athletics, fine arts, agriculture, Beta, Jr. Beta, and fishing teams all have experienced huge success. Our teams made and had deep runs in those playoffs. This is particularly evident with the #6 place finish in the Class 4A Lone Star Cup during the 2022-2023 school year.

None of this is possible without a community that supports our schools, teachers, staff, and most importantly, our kids. This is what makes Aubrey ISD, City of Aubrey, Providence Village, Krugerville, Cross Roads, and Denton County so very special. You make the difference.

I will miss you all and will always have a special place in my heart for Aubrey ISD. Thank you for your incredible support and trust in me as a leader. The future is bright for Aubrey ISD because of the strong Board of Trustees and district leadership in place. I have no doubt that even greater success is in store.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Belding