District News

Rodriguez second graders stepped back in time and experienced Ancient Greece through hands-on, engaging learning experiences that made history meaningful—and memorable! Throughout their unit, students participated in a variety of interactive activities, including the annual and ever-so-popular Potato Olympics a Greek food tasting, a mythology-inspired writing project, and research-based learning about an ancient Greek city-state. Students didn’t just learn about Ancient Greece—they had the opportunity to experience it! Way to bring the learning to life, Rodriguez 2nd Grade Teachers!

October marks the beginning of National Principals Month, a time to recognize the dedicated leaders of San Marcos CISD who help our campuses thrive each and every day. Our principals do far more than lead from behind a desk. They are visible in classrooms, greeting students at the door, supporting teachers, partnering with families, celebrating accomplishments, navigating challenges, and helping create a school culture where every student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and belong.

Leadership in education is built on countless moments—listening to a student, encouraging a teacher, supporting a family, making a difficult decision, or simply showing up when it matters most.
 

This month, we celebrate the principals who lead with purpose, serve with heart, and continue to make a difference in the lives of our students and staff. Thank you for leading the way for #RattlerNation!

This week, Interim Superintendent Dr. Sonya Rodriguez officially joined SMCISD in her new role as Superintendent Dr. Michael Cardona prepares to retire on September 30.

During her first week, Dr. Rodriguez spent time connecting with district administrators, campus leaders, teachers, students, and staff across SMCISD.

On Friday, September 18, SMCISD hosted a Meet and Greet ahead of Friday night’s football game, giving Dr. Rodriguez the opportunity to meet parents and families throughout Rattler Nation. It was a great way to kick off her first week and begin building connections with the SMCISD community!

Congratulations to the percussion section on wrapping up their first competition of the year! Finishing that first performance is a huge milestone, setting a great foundation for the rest of the season.

Shaking off the first-show jitters and getting through a grueling 12-hour stretch like that for the very first show of the season is an achievement in itself.

San Marcos CISD joined schools across the country in recognizing the impact of educators and students working together to expand access and opportunity. Rattler Nations understands that AVID strengthens skills like critical thinking, organization, collaboration, and self-advocacy, helping students prepare for college, careers, and beyond. We are proud of the growth we see every day and grateful for the shared commitment that makes it possible.

¡Feliz Dieciséis de Septiembre! Today, we recognize Mexico’s Independence Day and the significance of September 16, 1810, when the call for independence began a movement that shaped Mexico’s history and identity.

As we celebrate #HispanicHeritageMonth, we also recognize the rich cultures, traditions, histories, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities that continue to strengthen our schools and our community!

Ms. Daniel’s class is hard at work, embracing new learning and showing off their curiosity, creativity, and teamwork while learning about the physical properties of matter! We love seeing our students engaged, asking questions, and supporting one another as they grow.

Rodriguez students are diving into decimal division and place value in Ms. Pichardo’s math class! From drawing place-value disks to using the standard algorithm, students are building their skills and showing their mathematical thinking. Keep up the great work, mathematicians!

The current San Marcos High School campus is celebrating its 20th school year, making this year’s Homecoming extra special! From spirited theme days across SMCISD campuses to Rattler alums coming together under the Friday Night Lights, the celebration was filled with memories, tradition, and plenty of Rattler pride. Congratulations to our 2026 Homecoming King, Drew Garza & Queen, Elena Espinoza and all members of the court.

The fun continued on Saturday morning as SMHS students and staff paraded downtown. From the floats and decorations to the school spirit lining the streets, our 2026 Homecoming Parade was packed with Rattler pride! A huge CONGRATS to our Student Council and their advisor, Ms. Hardy, for the incredible hard work, planning, and organization that went into making this celebration happen.

Want to relive the Homecoming fun? The full free parade gallery link is below – be sure to download your memories! Here’s to 20 years of memories in our current home—and many more years of Rattler pride to come!

Game on, Rattlers! Tennis season is officially underway, and our players are ready to serve up a season full of competition, growth, and Rattler pride! Let’s get after it! To view the full schedule please visit smcisd.net. Catch the next match at Judson High School on Tuesday, September 15.

Ms. Luna’s first graders are putting their best paws forward as they learn, grow, and build new skills! These Bulldogs are becoming stronger readers by learning how stories are built, practicing how to blend sounds to read words, and connecting letters with the sounds they make. They’re also putting their math skills to work by using number bonds to show how numbers come together and practicing how to count on from a given number. From reading to math and everything in between, our first-grade Bulldogs are learning, growing, and making big strides every day!