Katy ISD Names New School in Cross Creek Ranch

Our new, on-site elementary school will no longer be called Elementary School #41, instead, it will be named Campbell Elementary after a living legacy — retired educator Amy Campbell.

Campbell has dedicated 33 years of her education career to the students at Katy Independent School District. She joined the district in 1982 as a Katy High School adaptive behavior teacher.

Her impact on the school district has been far-reaching. In 1987, Campbell piloted the LIFE skills (Living in Functional Environments) program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  At the same time, she and a fellow teacher began the Occupational Lab, a place where students completed jobs for local businesses.

Eventually, they persuaded the school district into letting them get their bus driver's licenses so they could take their students into the community and teach them job-related skills in real life, hands-on situations by partnering with local businesses. Today, this program exists in every Katy ISD high school and is called the Work Based Learning Program. 

Other highlights of her career include helping to start a swim program for students with special needs and founding the second Texas high school chapter of Best Buddies, a global program dedicated to creating one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). 

The Katy Independent School District Board of Trustees unanimously approved the name and Campbell received a standing ovation after the announcement.

We are proud of the fact that our new school will bear the name of this extraordinary individual when it opens in August.