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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Proud community members are gathering in Austin on |
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February 9, 2017, to celebrate South Texas Independent School |
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District Day at the State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, Originally known as the Rio Grande Rehabilitation |
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District, the South Texas Independent School District was |
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established in 1964 to create further educational opportunities for |
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area youths with disabilities; in 1983, legislators broadened the |
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district's purpose to allow it to operate vocational magnet |
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schools, and as a result, STISD opened South Texas High School for |
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Health Professions in 1984 and The Science Academy of South Texas |
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five years later; the district established the Teacher Academy of |
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South Texas in 1993, subsequently renaming the school South Texas |
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Business, Education & Technology Academy to reflect an expanded |
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focus; over the following years, the magnet program continued to |
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grow with the addition of South Texas Academy for Medical |
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Professions, South Texas Preparatory Academy, and Rising Scholars |
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Academy of South Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Currently encompassing six college-preparatory |
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magnet schools in Edinburg, San Benito, Mercedes, and Olmito, STISD |
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is the only all-magnet district in the state; it serves more than |
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3,800 junior high and high school students and maintains an open |
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enrollment policy that attracts interested and hardworking pupils |
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from 28 school districts in Cameron, Hidalgo, and Willacy Counties; |
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in addition, it continues to provide educational and occupational |
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training for students with special needs through its career and |
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technology half-day program; and |
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WHEREAS, The district's superintendent, Dr. Marla M. Guerra, |
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ably guides a staff of accomplished teachers, administrators, and |
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support personnel who are deeply committed to the success of young |
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people in the tri-county area; in 2016, for the third year in a row, |
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the Texas Education Agency awarded the district a "met standard" |
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rating and the postsecondary readiness distinction designation, |
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the only one available for districts; furthermore, all campuses in |
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the South Texas ISD received a "met standard" rating, with three of |
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the campuses earning all distinctions for which they were eligible; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The faculty and staff of South Texas ISD continue to |
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look for new ways to help students achieve, lead, and contribute to |
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a changing world; to that end, the district is completing its third |
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round of collaborative strategic planning to develop a framework to |
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guide its efforts over the next five years; and |
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WHEREAS, For more than half a century, the South Texas |
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Independent School District has dedicated itself to offering |
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students the best educational opportunities possible, and in so |
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doing, it has equipped several generations of Texans with the |
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knowledge and skills necessary to build a brighter future; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize February 9, 2017, as South Texas |
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Independent School District Day at the State Capitol and extend to |
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all those in attendance sincere best wishes for an enjoyable visit |
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to Austin; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the district as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |