Bryan ISD formally announced Ashley Lopez as the new principal of Mary Branch Elementary, a leadership transition the district posted publicly on its official website at bryanisd.org. Lopez's email, ashley.lopez@bryanisd.org, is listed on the HAR school profile, and she leads a teaching team of 42 educators who average 7 years at the campus. Mary Branch participates in Bryan ISD's school year programming including the Stopfinder app for transportation updates and the district's parent engagement calendar. The school offers AlphaBEST after-school care and a GATE program, and its campus identity as a community school in west Bryan remains a consistent part of how the school presents itself to families each semester.

Q1. Who is Mary Branch, and why is the school named after her?

Ans. Mary Branch Elementary honors Mary Elizabeth Branch, a pioneering Texas educator. She was the first African American woman to become a college president in the South, a position she held at Tillotson College in Austin. Bryan ISD's decision to name the school after her acknowledges her importance in Texas education and the values the community associates with her.

Q2. Does Mary Branch Elementary offer a GATE program?

Ans. Mary Branch Elementary does offer a Gifted and Talented program through Bryan ISD. Families who think their child might qualify should start with the classroom teacher, who initiates the referral process. The fall assessment cycle has a specific opening window each year, so reaching out early to the front office at (979) 209-2900 is worth doing before the semester gets underway.

Q3. What after-school programs run at Mary Branch Elementary?

Ans. Mary Branch Elementary is one of the Bryan ISD campuses served by AlphaBEST after-school programming, which covers coding, robotics, art, drama, Spanish, and homework support. Families should contact the school at (979) 209-2900 to confirm current enrollment availability, as seats at AlphaBEST campuses can fill quickly.

Q4. What does the school's 42-teacher team bring to families at Mary Branch?

Ans. Mary Branch Elementary has 42 full-time teachers who average 10 years of teaching experience and 7 years at the school specifically. That level of campus tenure means the staff knows the community, the neighborhood, and the families it serves. Long-tenured teachers tend to create more predictable and stable classroom environments, which matters especially for students who benefit from consistency.

Q5. What middle school do Mary Branch Elementary students attend?

Ans. Mary Branch Elementary students typically feed into Jane Long Intermediate and then on to Stephen F. Austin High School or Travis B Bryan High School within Bryan ISD. The district's connected feeder system keeps students moving through familiar Bryan ISD pathways from PK through graduation.