2024 Fall Semester Wrap Up
This fall semester has been marked by great achievements, dedicated work, and a shared commitment to Educating the Future with Excellence. We are in year two of focused efforts on our Strategic Plan and the 28 initiatives tied to the three pillars – Student Experience, Grow and Develop Staff, and Engage and Act. This work continues to stay at the forefront of the district as we aim to achieve our annual goals.
In alignment with our Student Experience pillar, which focuses on fostering opportunities for academic excellence, we emphasized the importance of stability in instructional and curriculum resources. The districtwide implementation of our phonics-based, structured literacy approach is rigorous, effective, and establishes a strong foundation in literacy for students. Additionally, we identified ways to enhance our math curriculum resources with improvements set to roll out in January to further enrich the student learning experience and support academic success. The resources were selected with purpose, and while their benefits are already evident, the full impact of this implementation requires time.
We are proud to recognize our students' achievements this semester. Three Midland ISD seniors have been named National Merit Scholarship Semi-finalists for the Class of 2025—the first time since 2019. These distinguished students are Legacy High School's Jerry Rolston, Midland High School's Caleb Brown, and Sanjana Vadlapatla, a member of the inaugural senior class at Young Women’s Leadership Academy. In addition, seven students were recognized as National Merit Commended Students bringing the total number of National Merit honorees to 10—up from four in 2023 and just two in 2022. Beyond National Merit, Midland ISD had 234 students earn Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar awards which tripled the number of students since 2021. In addition, 64 high school students received College Board National Recognition Awards highlighting their exceptional academic achievements.
Our student-athletes excelled on and off the field. Legacy High’s tennis team won its first-ever Bi-District and Area championships, and the boys and girls cross-country teams claimed district titles. The Legacy High School cross-country teams and two Midland High School runners advanced to the regionals. Legacy High and Midland High football teams were Bi-District championships, and Midland High football received two prestigious community service awards. Midland and Legacy high school’s volleyball teams qualified for the playoffs. The implementation of athletics at Young Women’s Leadership Academy has enhanced the students' overall experience. Thirty-one student-athletes were named Academic All-State, and eight signed to compete at the collegiate level showcasing the excellence and commitment of MISD student-athletes.
Midland ISD’s fine arts programs have achieved great success this semester. In art, Legacy Freshman’s Maleah Hilario earned 2nd place at the City-wide Chalk the Block Contest, and fourteen students across Midland ISD received recognition in the city-wide Fire Prevention Poster competition. Both bands advanced to the Area Marching Contest and the Midland High School band advanced to finals. Junior high band, choir, and orchestra students shined at the All-City competition, with impressive districtwide participation. Choir students earned multiple All-Region and Area placements. Midland High School and Legacy High School have 27 band students combined advancing to the Area round in January.
Legacy High School’s Dolls dance team was invited to perform at the Dallas Holiday Parade, and the debate team earned a top-100 national ranking, sweeping awards at the UIL Regional Competition. Eight mariachi students made All-Region, while the orchestra featured 43 All-Region qualifiers from Midland High School, Legacy High School, and Young Women’s Leadership Academy. In theatre, four Legacy students qualified for nationals, with Carys Dees earning a perfect score in lighting design this granted her the honor of being named a MainStage placing her in the top 5% of technical competitors. These achievements reflect the great talent and dedication of MISD’s students and staff.
Teachers are the first to impact student outcomes with our principals following second. This is one reason we are investing in the second pillar of the Strategic Plan – Grow and Develop Staff. Since the teachers returned from their summer break, MISD has hosted 12 professional development days and over 837 sessions focused on curriculum, teaching strategies, technology, and student support. Twenty new apprentices joined our Registered Apprenticeship Program where they will gain paid experience while earning certification. We welcomed two elementary and two secondary Principal Fellows and 10 Aspiring Principal Pipeline candidates. Midland ISD is committed to growing our own.
Teach Like A Champion (TLAC) is an initiative that provides professional development that enhances teacher effectiveness. This empowers educators to improve student outcomes. This work aligns with initiatives like the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) that incentivize retention and recruitment by compensating teachers with outstanding student growth. Focused on excellent instruction, defined by high engagement, mastery, and accessible rigor, TLAC’s strategies and training advance Midland ISD’s mission to improve student outcomes and create opportunities for success. With the Texas Education Agency's approval, 3rd-8th grade science and geometry teachers are now eligible for the Teacher Incentive Allotment, with this year serving as the data capture period. These efforts build leadership and ensure long-term success for our schools.
Aligning with the Engage and Act pillar, Midland ISD remains committed to transparency, fiscal responsibility, and engagement with the Midland community. The district successfully launched the financial dashboard for Bond 2023 providing the Midland community with clear access to data. Our district also maintains a comprehensive financial transparency website and a clean audit for the sixth consecutive year. We have preserved our FIRST Rating of an “A” demonstrating strong fiscal practices. On the community engagement front, we are proud to report that 100% of our campuses have active PTAs and the adoption of six campuses by local community partners through our Partners in Education adopt-a-campus initiative. Thank you to all our volunteers and sponsors for your continued support of our campuses and students.
As part of Bond 2023 progresses, Midland ISD achieved significant milestones this semester. We proudly announced the name of the new elementary, Lone Star Trails Elementary – Home of the Armadillos. Construction is underway, and the elementary school is on track to welcome students in August 2025. Each campus received customized signage detailing specific bond projects. We also released renderings for the new Midland and Legacy high schools. Two immersive days were hosted allowing students, teachers, and community members to experience the vision of the future high schools through virtual reality. We are proud to say that Bond Package 06, Safety & Security, is on track to be completed in the Spring of 2025. These initiatives reflect the commitment to transparency and delivering on promises to enhance learning environments across the district while keeping on time and within budget.
Our shared vision for student success continues to guide us ensuring that every decision we make is in the best interest of Midland ISD students. While change is a constant in education, our focus remains – to graduate college, career, or military ready. As we welcome the new year, we remain committed to strengthening academic outcomes. Let us carry this momentum forward to achieve even greater success in the second semester. Thank you for choosing to be a part of Midland ISD whether as a parent, team member, or community member.
