A school district that began in 1964 as a rehabilitation facility and today has career and technical campuses across two counties is celebrating its 60th anniversary.

The South Texas Independent School District is based in Mercedes – the city where it got started – and grown far beyond its original mission. In the mid-1980s, the district opened South Texas High School for Health Professions (Med High). It was the first of what would become a network of magnet schools in the Rio Grande Valley. From there, the district would grow to having multiple campuses – covering grades 6-12 – in Mercedes, Edinburg, San Benito and Brownsville/Olmito. 

The growing district would need a bigger central office with more capabilities. It achieved that at the beginning of the 2023-24 school year with the opening of a new 45,000-square-foot administrative and learning center in Mercedes. The official grand opening of the new facility did not celebrate its official grand opening until late 2024. The public unveiling of the district’s new headquarters was held in conjunction with the district marking its 60th anniversary. 

“It’s such a milestone for us,” said Amanda Odom, the district’s administrator for public relations and marketing. “We wanted to combine our official grand opening with our 60th anniversary.”

Milestones

The grand opening event was also something of a milestone for the city of Mercedes.

The community has seen the regional school district blossom from its original campus site on N Mile 2 W Road near Expressway 83 to now having six schools in Hidalgo and Cameron counties. Mercedes Mayor Oscar Montoya noted the importance the school district has had in the life of his community over the last six decades.

“What you gave us is a flagship,” Montoya said at the grand opening, which included a ribbon cutting hosted by the Mercedes Chamber of Commerce. “We really appreciate that, the vibrancy of it, the fact that you’ve made a difference in our town.”

The new administrative and learning center is located along Expressway 83, just east of the Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets. South Texas ISD purchased a vacant building about four years ago that once housed a furniture store. The repurposing and redesigning of the building was a lengthy process. For Mercedes and its mayor, it was worth the wait. The new facility adds to what city leaders say is imminent retail and business development in the immediate area.

“This building adds to the motif of the area,” Mayor Montoya said. “It’s a beautiful building and a strong structure that adds vibrancy to this whole area.”

Reaching Out

The new regional facility is bringing more traffic and visitors to Mercedes and the Mid-Valley.

It is not only an administrative hub for the South Texas ISD. The facility also serves a site for professional development for teachers and staff. Students from the different campuses come to the central facility for student activities. At its core, the district is still likely most known for its health care-related programs. It has, however, branched out extensively over the years to include studies in engineering, information technologies and law and public service.

Odem says non-district entities will utilize the new administrative building for meeting and events. It’s a way for South Texas ISD to connect to area communities. The district is also reaching out to rural RGV school districts such as those in La Villa in Rio Hondo to marshal resources for special education cooperatives.

The district serves Willacy County along with Cameron and Hidalgo. A Mercedes location for the new district hub, Odem says, is “a perfect location in being central to the three counties we serve.”

A snip of the ribbon made it official. Sixty years in Mercedes with more to come.