In the heart of Texas, Aubrey ISD is experiencing rapid growth and embracing innovative ways to connect with its diverse community. With student enrollment nearly doubling from 2,500 in 2021 to over 4,500 in 2025, and 53 languages spoken across the district, strong communication is more vital than ever.
During a recent interview with Possip’s Customer Relationship Manager, Bonnie Marschner, and Report Reviewer, Adrienne Rhoads, Aubrey ISD shared how they are leveraging Possip’s Pulse Checks® to gather real-time feedback, drive improvements, and strengthen relationships between the district and its community.
Key Points:
From Summative to Formative: A Shift in Feedback
Prior to partnering with Possip, Aubrey ISD relied on end-of-year surveys. While they took the feedback seriously, the data was summative and did not allow immediate action for the following year. Recognizing the need for more immediate insights, Aubrey ISD turned to Possip for quicker feedback.
"That's what was really exciting about looking at POSSIP was that it was formative information. It was month-by-month information and it was something that would be real time and actionable for us immediately."
The shift to Pulse Checks rather than an annual survey has allowed Aubrey ISD to be more responsive to the needs of their community. Instead of waiting for an annual survey, they now receive feedback on a monthly basis and can take action immediately.
"There's something about getting that real-time information and seeing that feedback and then acting on it right then and there. I think that really develops trust with parents."
Engaging a Growing and Diverse Community
Aubrey ISD serves four different cities: Aubrey, Crossroads, Kruegerville, and Providence Village. With such rapid growth, the district was looking for a way to engage new families and ensure they felt included in the community. According to McNabb,
"We've always prided ourselves on having a small town feel and we and being a family, you know, we're very family oriented and what we wanted to make sure is that we engaged new families so that they felt like they were a part of things."
Possip has helped the district bridge that gap and make families feel that their voices are heard and valued. Eva D. Coleman also shared the importance of “making sure that our families know that we’re accessible,” and that Possip offers the opportunity to provide feedback consistently. They also use multiple channels to make sure that families know about Pulse Checks such as social media, email, and in-person communications.
Key Features and Strategies
Aubrey ISD has leveraged several key features of Possip to maximize community engagement and improve communication:
- Real-Time Feedback: The district emphasizes the importance of receiving and acting on feedback immediately. “The fact that we can see the concerns and address them immediately, that’s a win,” McNabb shared.
- Follow-Up: The district’s principals make personal phone calls to parents who have provided feedback, fostering a sense of connection and trust. McNabb added, “And I think just following up with phone calls and a personal phone call from the principals is huge because word spreads“.
- Bonus Questions: The district utilizes bonus questions to gather specific, timely information. McNabb noted, “I really like the fact that we can add our own bonus questions and, you know, create a question that’s a little bit more timely.” These custom questions have included ideas to gather feedback on the beginning of the school year, the school calendar, and shout-outs for staff.
- Shout-Outs: The shout-out feature was particularly impactful. The Superintendent even includes shout-outs in their newsletters! According to McNabb,
"I think sometimes when it comes to surveys it's really easy for the naysayers to get on and type information out, but sometimes if people are really happy and satisfied; they're like, “good good, I'm moving on, I'm not going to give any anecdotal feedback,” and so asking for that anecdotal feedback is really powerful and it made our teachers feel so great".
- User-Friendly Platform: Both Terrie and Eva emphasized how easy the Possip platform is to navigate.
"When you have some data that is concise, and easy to navigate, things are compartmentalized in a way to where it's just easy to comprehend and understand ; it's just very user friendly."
- Closing the Feedback Loop: They use the “follow-up list” feature to ensure that all feedback is addressed by the campus principals.
A True Partnership with Aubrey ISD
Aubrey ISD’s experience with Possip has been overwhelmingly positive. They appreciate the customer support they have received and the strong relationship they have built.
Special note: A Legacy of Service – In a special moment of recognition, Aubrey ISD recently renamed their middle school in honor of Terrie McNabb, Deputy Superintendent, for her 35 years of dedicated service to the district. This renaming demonstrates the commitment and impact that McNabb has had on the Aubrey ISD community.
Looking Ahead
As Aubrey ISD continues to grow, they plan to increase the frequency of staff Pulse Checks. “Don’t don’t go light because you’re going to love the information that you get. You’re going to love all of the data and anecdotal feedback and it’s going to help you improve your school!” McNabb advised.
Aubrey ISD’s journey is a testament to the power of real-time feedback and community engagement in driving school improvement.
