District News

After eight years leading South Texas Independent School District (STISD) and a career spanning over 30 years in education, Superintendent Dr. Marco Antonio Lara, Jr. has announced his retirement, effective May 31.

Registration is now open for the STISD Summer Fine Arts Academy's production of Rock of Ages: Youth Edition, hitting the stage this August!

We’re looking for talented students interested in singing, acting, dancing, and art. Rising 7th through 12th-grade students currently enrolled with STISD are eligible to register.

Building on a shared commitment to student success, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and South Texas ISD announced on Tuesday an enhanced partnership to explore the development of a new Collegiate High School.

This collaboration expands on what began four years ago between UTRGV and South Texas ISD – the Expanded Collegiate Partnership, a dual-credit program developed to increase college accessibility for students across South Texas. 

Welcome to Volume IV of South Texas ISD’s Career and Postsecondary Readiness Newsletter for 2025–2026!

We’re excited to keep the momentum going with fresh updates, useful resources, and new opportunities to help every student stay on track toward college, career, and beyond.

The South Texas Independent School District (STISD) Board of Trustees, at its April 7 meeting, named Dr. Sandra Garza Ochoa, from Edcouch Elsa ISD, as finalist for superintendent. By law, the Board must now wait 21 days before voting to hire Ochoa to be the new superintendent for South Texas ISD. Ochoa is slated to be the successor to superintendent Dr. Marco Antonio Lara, Jr., who is retiring on May 31 of this year.

STISD families are invited to attend “Growing Together,” a parent conference on autism taking place April 25, 2026, in Mercedes. The event will offer practical strategies, community resources, and opportunities to connect with other families and support organizations.

Student registration is required each year for all new and returning students. This year’s process will be completed electronically through Skyward, our student information system. The packets are now available, and parents are asked to complete those at their earliest convenience. 

STISD is pleased to announce five of its campuses have been recognized as Apple Distinguished Schools for the 2026-2029 program term. Schools apply and are selected for this distinction based on their commitment to continuous innovation in education and using Apple products to inspire, imagine, and impact teaching and learning.

The campuses designated for this program term include South Texas ISD Health Professions in Mercedes, South Texas ISD Medical Professions in Olmito, South Texas ISD Rising Scholars Academy in San Benito, South Texas ISD Science Academy in Mercedes, and South Texas ISD World Scholars in Edinburg.

Our middle school students from STISD Preparatory Academy in Edinburg and high school students from STISD Health Professions and STISD Science Academy, both in Mercedes competed at the Texas Chess Association Super State Championship in Austin, March 7-8. 

From Champion and Co-Champion titles to multiple Top 20 individual finishes, our students represented our district with excellence with all teams qualifying for Nationals. Both high school teams will compete this March in Chicago, with our middle school teams set to compete in May in Round Rock. 

South Texas Independent School District (STISD) is proud to announce its selection as a CTE District of Distinction by the Career and Technical Association of Texas (CTAT). This esteemed recognition celebrates districts across Texas that demonstrate exemplary leadership, innovation, and commitment to student success through high-quality Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.

College Board has recognized three STISD high schools for outstanding achievement in Advanced Placement coursework, naming them to the 2025 Advanced Placement® (AP®) School Honor Roll.

The honored campuses are STISD Science Academy in Mercedes, STISD Health Professions in Mercedes, and STISD Medical Professions in Olmito—each recognized for delivering strong academic results while expanding access to rigorous college-level coursework.

Educational Results Partnership (ERP) has released its 2025 Texas Honor Roll, recognizing the state’s highest-performing schools and districts. STISD earned a place on the Honor Roll Districts list, while four STISD campuses were named to the Honor Roll Schools list.

You're invited to join STISD for a Parent Wellness Seminar/Lunch & Learn on Wednesday, March 11, where PALMS Behavioral Health will share valuable information about adolescent mental health resources in our community.

Welcome to Volume III of South Texas ISD’s Career and Postsecondary Readiness Newsletter for 2025–2026!

We’re excited to keep the momentum going with fresh updates, useful resources, and new opportunities to help every student stay on track toward college, career, and beyond.