Students at Point Isabel ISD are back in class, and the district is starting their school year with new facilities and programs.

This year, the district has a new career and technical education building and a new early childhood academy that houses students who are anywhere from 3 to 8-years-old.

“Students have been eager since last week when we had meet the teacher night, and it is so, so exciting to welcome our students and have our hallways hustling and bustling with the sound of students throughout the district,” Point Isabel ISD Superintendent Teri Capistran said.

During the summer, the district made $900,000 in safety upgrades across the district. Windows at all Point Isabel ISD schools now have ballistic film to prevent glass from shattering, and new exterior doors and perimeter fencing were also added.

“Safety continues to be a top priority for our school district,” Capistran said. “We have fencing at every campus. We have — throughout the summer — replaced all of our exterior doors and that is a continuous upgrade. In addition, we are implementing AI into our camera system that will be monitoring not only exterior, but some of the interior cameras as well."

Every campus has a designated school resource officer and a phone in every classroom. The district also added counseling resources for students and staff, and they now have a social worker who provides family support, including home visits when needed.

Point Isabel ISD is also celebrating its “B” rating from the Texas Education Agency. The district is having a pep rally on Thursday, Aug. 21, at 5:30 p.m. at the Tarpon Stadium to celebrate the new school year.

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