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Press release from Region One Education Service Center:
Dr. Marco Antonio Lara, Jr., Superintendent of South Texas Independent School District, has been selected as the Region One 2022 Regional Superintendent of the Year. As a regional winner, Dr. Lara will represent the Region One area in the statewide Superintendent of the Year Award Program. Under the direction of the Texas Association of School Boards, the Superintendent of the Year Program recognizes exemplary superintendents for excellence and achievement in educational leadership.
Dr. Lara has served the South Texas ISD community for the past four years and in that time, according to Douglas E. Buchanan, President of the South Texas ISD Board of Directors, change has been a constant and positive force at STISD. Those changes led by Dr. Lara included a rebranding of the district in 2019, establishing a new image for STISD of “Always Innovating,” a refocusing of the school campuses offering more opportunities for students, the addition of athletics programs for all campuses, and the implementation of a Flexible Learning Plan to support student learning during the district’s most challenging time, COVID-19. The nomination essay, submitted on behalf of the STISD Board of Directors, described Dr. Lara as “steadfast and committed to doing what is best for the students.”
“The South Texas ISD community should be extremely proud of Dr. Lara for receiving this honor; it is recognition not only for Dr. Lara as the district’s educational leader but for the South Texas ISD community, as well,” says Region One ESC Executive Director, Dr. Daniel P. King. “Dr. Lara is a model educational leader who is worthy of this recognition. We are proud to have him represent our region in the State Superintendent of the Year program.”
Nominations for the regional award were submitted to Region One Education Service Center and reviewed by a select committee consisting of Region One School Board members who completed Leadership TASB training. Candidates are chosen for their strong leadership skills, dedication to improving educational quality in their districts, and commitment to public involvement in education.
Superintendents from any of the state’s 1,024 local school districts are eligible for nomination by their school boards. The State Superintendent of the Year Committee will select five state finalists from the nominations submitted by regional education service centers and the Superintendent of the Year will be announced during the annual joint convention of the Texas Association of School Boards and Texas Association of School Administrators on September 23-25, 2022.
Region One Education Service Center (www.esc1.net) serves over 438,000 students and educators in seven counties in South Texas including Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Starr, Webb, Willacy, and Zapata counties. Region One works to assist school districts in improving student performance, assist districts to operate more efficiently and economically, and implement initiatives assigned by the legislature or the Commissioner of Education.