The elementary school rising on FM 2931, identified on its construction signs only as Elementary School No. 5, now has a name: Marilyn Hampton Elementary School.
Aubrey ISD revealed the choice at its school board meeting Wednesday, Oct. 21, and Hampton did not know it was coming, WFAA reported. She spent 39 years cleaning Aubrey ISD buildings before retiring in 2022, and she has kept working for the district since, looking after babies and toddlers at its Early Bird Learning Center.
A red carpet with her name
Hampton had been asked to come to the meeting to say a few words on a different topic, according to the station. When she reached the podium, Superintendent Shannon Saylor gave her one more cleaning-related job: unroll a small red carpet. It took her a moment to see that the carpet carried the new school's name.
"Oh, my goodness," Hampton said, crying, before going down the row to hug each trustee. Trustees also handed her a T-shirt printed with the school's name, something to wear until the building itself carries it.
Saylor told WFAA that Hampton has been a mentor and an example for students and employees. Over the years, she said, Hampton bought and dropped off school supplies, helped students who were struggling get ready for tests, and sold tickets at football games. "She is truly Aubrey ISD," Saylor said.
When she first started, the station reported, she was "the" Aubrey ISD custodian.
