December 2025 BoardBits

Medical Professions Grillin' Angels Cook-Off team recognized for winning first place overall for third consecutive year

Medical Professions Grillin' Angels cook-off team members and teacher pose with superintendent and board president in front of backdrop during board meeting

The STISD Board of Directors and administration recognized the STISD Medical Professions 'Grillin' Angels' Cook-off team, who competed in and won first place overall for the third year in a row in the high school division in the Los Fresnos Rodeo Cowboy Cook-off.

The team includes Medical Professions students Lilliann Olvera, Aniel Rojas, Frida Gomez, Alexandra Ocanas, Jerry Espinoza, Eduardo Gonzalez, Karina Gracia, Hailey Perez, Giselle Reyes, and Medical Professions Culinary Arts instructor Chef Maria Garza.

Board and Administration recognize Cross Country State Champions + competitors

Cross Country State Champion team from Preparatory Academy poses with coaches in front of STISD backdrop during board meeting recognition

Cross Country State Champion and competitors from Preparatory Academy pose with coaches in front of STISD backdrop during board meeting recognition

STISD Veteran Spotlight: Jayson Rivera, STISD Police Officer

Veteran and current STISD police officer leads the audience in the pledges of allegiance during the board meeting — *Jayson Rivera, STISD Police Officer, leads the audience in the pledges of allegiance during the Dec. 2 board meeting.*

At the Dec. 2 regular Board meeting (rescheduled from Nov. 18), STISD continued its practice of honoring the district's Veterans at the monthly board meetings by inviting them to lead the pledges of allegiance. At this meeting we recognized STISD Police Officer Jayson Rivera.

Jayson Rivera enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2008 and served four years in personnel administration roles at Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, where he supported senior leadership as an Administration Chief. His honors include the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, and Expert Rifle Badge, along with Global War on Terrorism and National Defense Service medals.

Thank you for your service, Officer Rivera!

Other Board actions

Marla Knaub, STISD Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations, conducted a public hearing on STISD's 2023-2024 Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) Report. The district earned a score of 94 out of 100 points, and for the 19th year in a row, was awarded a Superior rating on this report.
The STISD Board of Directors approved the 2025-2026 Gifted/Talented Manual. This manual will be posted on the district website.
The board approved administration's request to use funds from the MacKenzie Scott donation for Fine Arts for all campuses.

STISD Participates in McAllen Holiday Parade + Christmas at the Park for Second Year

This month, STISD participated in the City of McAllen's Christmas in the Park + Holiday Parade for the second consecutive year.

Students and staff had a blast meeting new families, celebrating the season and spreading that holiday cheer! See below for event photos!

Holiday Magic Comes Alive at the Inaugural STISD Fine Arts Night

Earlier this month, STISD hosted a two-night run of the inaugural STISD Fine Arts Night. The event brought together choir students from every campus to perform holiday favorites, featured a visual arts display for attendees to enjoy, and showcased the Winter Fine Arts Academy’s production of The Trial of Santa by Don Zolidis (presented by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc.).

Kudos to our talented cast, hardworking crew, dedicated teachers, and everyone behind the scenes who helped make the holiday magic happen!

Pictures of students part of the Winter Fine Arts Academy during a performance

Photo of a student in a reindeer costume

Pictures of students part of the Winter Fine Arts Academy and the choir singing

STISD Chess Teams Bring Home State Champion Titles

Our STISD chess teams returned from the Texas Charter School Academic & Athletic League (TCSAAL) State Chess Tournament with two State Team Champions + one Individual State Champion!

🏆 High School Team State Champions: South Texas ISD Science Academy 🏆

🏆 Middle School Team State Champions: South Texas ISD Rising Scholars Academy 🏆

🏆 Middle School Individual State Champion: Onur Karabulut, Rising Scholars

Congratulations to our state champions and our other incredible finishes:
High School Team Standings:
♟️ Health Professions (HP) Team 1 — 4th place
♟️ Health Professions Team 2 + Science Academy (SA) Team 2 — Tied for 5th out of 21 teams

High School Individual Standings:
🥈 - Danish Bhatti (SA)
🥉 - Samuel Qin (SA)
4th - Marcelo Mendoza (HP)
5th - Timothy Qin (SA)

Middle School Individual Standings:
🥇- Onur Karabulut (RSA)
🥉 - Osaiah Garcia (RSA)
6th - Victor Lozano (RSA)

Thank you to our sponsors, administrators and families for your support and encouragement of this program!

A group of students, standing together and holding various awards or trophies.

Four young individuals, dressed in similar gray shirts, are standing together and holding a trophy earned at the State Chess Meet.

Two young individuals, one with blond hair and the other with dark curly hair, are standing on a stage holding certificates in their hands. The background appears to be a plain wall, suggesting this is likely an academic or award ceremony setting.

Four young individuals, dressed in similar green uniforms, are holding a trophy and posing for a photograph.

A group of six individuals, all holding certificates, stand in front of a sign for the Godfrey Performing Arts Center.

Science Academy Esports Team Ranked #1 in the Nation

The Science Academy Esports team has been ranked No. 1 in the nation in the Final USA TODAY Sports/PlayVS Super 25 Esports Rankings.

Congratulations to our Esports athletes, coaches and programs!

Event Recap: Inaugural STISD High School Expo

Huge shoutout to our high schools for showing up big and bringing the energy for our STISD High School Expo on Dec. 11! Our 8th-grade families got an up-close look at what makes each campus shine as they gear up for high school decisions this January.

STISD 8th Graders + Families: Join us for our High School Open Houses in Jan. 2026!

Get prepared for the High School Selection process to take place Jan. 12-22.

Decorative image showing dates for upcoming High School Open Houses available to STISD 8th-graders

STISD 8th-graders + Families:

The STISD High School Selection process for the 2026–2027 school year opens for current STISD 8th-graders on Monday, Jan. 12, through Skyward Family Access.

Parents/guardians can log in to select their child’s high school of choice through Thursday, Jan. 22.

To help you make an informed decision, all STISD high schools will host Open Houses during the selection window.

Families are welcome to attend one—or as many as you’d like—to tour campuses and learn more about programs, extracurricular activities, and student life.

2026-2027 Enrollment for New-to-District Students Opens Jan. 24

The image features a smiling young woman in the foreground, with the word %22ENROLL%22 prominently displayed in the background, indicating this is an advertisement related to enrollment. Enrollment for 26-27 opens at 9 am on Jan. 24.

Share with friends and family:

Enrollment for the 2026-2027 School Year for all seven STISD campuses will open online through SchoolMint at 9 a.m. on Saturday, January 24.

Please note that, if you have a child already enrolled within an STISD school, you do not need to re-enroll your child for the upcoming school year. This process is for new-to-district students only.

Click here for additional information about the enrollment process

STISD Health + Wellness

Visit the STISD Health & Wellness page for additional resources

STISD Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health Newsletter: December 2025

Parent Wellness Seminar on Jan. 21: Understanding Grief: Tools for Parents to Support Their Children

Join us for a Parent Wellness Seminar: "Understanding Grief: Tools for Parents to Support Their Children."

Attend in-person or virtually to learn vital information every parent needs to know and discover resources to support your child's well-being.

Click here for additional information on this event

The image is a promotional flyer for a parent wellness seminar on the topic of %22Understanding Grief: Tools for Parents to Support Their Children%22. It features a group of people in a classroom setting, with a woman speaking at the front.

The image is a promotional flyer for a virtual seminar titled %22Entendiendo el Duelo: Herramientas para que los padres apoyen a sus hijos%22 (Understanding Grief: Tools for Parents to Support Their Children), presented by the Children's Bereavement Center. The flyer includes details about the event, such as the date, time, and a QR code for registration.

Support Your Child’s Growth: Attend an Emergent Bilingual Parent Institute Session

Parents/Guardians of Emergent Bilingual Students:

You're invited to join us next month for the next three meetings in our Emergent Bilingual Parent Institute Series.

All sessions will be held in person at 9:00 AM on the following dates:

Tuesday, January 13 — Health Professions (700 Med High Dr., Mercedes)
Wednesday, January 14 — Rising Scholars Academy (151 S. Helen Moore Rd., San Benito)
Thursday, January 15 — Preparatory Academy (724 S. Sugar Rd., Edinburg)

Come learn how to support your child’s linguistic, cognitive and social emotional development at home.

Click here for more information

The image shows a happy family posing together outdoors, with a banner advertising an event for emergent bilingual parents in the background.

The image shows a happy family group posing together outdoors, with a flyer for an event called %22STISD Instituto para Padres%22 in the background.

STISD College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) Quarterly Newsletter: 2025-2026 - Volume 2

A person in a vibrant purple graduation gown and cap walks down the aisle during the graduation processional.

Click here to access Volume II of the South Texas ISD College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) Newsletter for the 2025-2026 School Year

College, Career, Military Readiness (CCMR) Newsletters are full of information, resources, tips and strategies to help our students be successful both in and out of the classroom. We welcome our entire South Texas ISD community to read these newsletters to help support and guide our students as they prepare to be CCMR and Life ready!

CCMR is an initiative introduced by the state of Texas to ensure students are well-prepared for success after high school. The program emphasizes the development of essential skills and knowledge required for college education, career readiness, and military service. It focuses on providing students with comprehensive guidance, support, and resources to explore a wide range of post-secondary pathways.

Students and parents will be able to find important information regarding graduation guidelines, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs of study, industry-based certifications, testing requirements, scholarships, college applications and much more!