David E. Smith Elementary first opened its doors in 1954 and quickly outgrew its original building, which led to the opening of the neighboring W.T. Francisco Elementary in 1959. In 2023, the schools officially merged to form the David E. Smith Lions, uniting students and staff into one family in preparation for a new state-of-the-art campus.
The new David E. Smith Elementary, which opened in August 2025, was constructed on the original Smith property and was funded through the 2022 BISD Bond Referendum. The new 100,000 SF campus features a two-story classroom wing, cafeteria and kitchen, gymnasium, library, administrative offices, and outdoor playgrounds, and places a high priority on technology and media services. The library boasts a collection of 6,000 current items, equipped with the latest technology, including projectors, document cameras, and smartboards. The larger site eliminated 16 portable classrooms and is expected to save the district up to $1 million annually in operating costs.
With the opening of the new campus, one community that began with two schools in the 1950s will once again be together—this time in a modern facility designed to serve future generations of Smith Lions.
"This is a great day for me," Mr. Smith said. "What other 99-year-old World War II veteran have you ever known that has gotten to participate in the opening of a new building that will bear his name? This is an important day for the children in the Haltom City area of Birdville ISD. We are opening a brand new, state-of-the-art school that is functional, safe and will provide a place for our children to receive the best education possible."
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