School may be out for summer, but Marfa ISD employees and board members are still hard at work with day camps, a superintendent search, hiring new teachers, and celebrating a newly awarded Moody Foundation M-Pact grant for preK-3 and early childhood development.
Summer Shake-up, a free day-camp program facilitated by Marfa ISD and the Chinati Foundation’s education department––along with many other organizational sponsors and volunteers––for elementary and middle school children, is in its third week of camps for kids. This week, kids are painting at Chinati, crafting ceramics with Marfa Studio of Arts, and exploring the art of cooking and restaurant hospitality with Marfa Public Library’s annual Kid Cafe.
Free breakfast and lunch for children under 18 is available at the school cafeteria Monday-Thursday through June 25. Breakfast is served 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and lunch is offered from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. No sign-up or registration is required.
The Marfa ISD Board of Trustees met on Saturday, June 13, to discuss potential superintendent candidates to replace Interim Superintendent Arturo Alferez. This early in the process, the applicants and proceedings remain confidential, but Board President Philip Boyd is encouraged by what he’s seen so far.
“We’re just beginning still, but I think we’re off to a good start,” Boyd said.
When asked if Marfa ISD would have a new super by the start of the 2026-2027 school year on August 24, Boyd remained cautiously optimistic. “The way the timeline is playing out right now, yes. The search is taking place this summer, and if the timeline plays out in the way that it’s been sort of sketched out, then there should be a new superintendent by the time the school year starts,” he said.
The school board also has an applicant for a vacancy left by Place 2 Trustee Lori Flores who retired her position in May. Paul Salgado has turned in a letter of interest, and his candidacy will be considered at the next regular school board meeting on Monday, June 22, at 5 p.m.
Marfa ISD also has several teaching positions they are hoping to fill before the next school year, including a welding teacher, music teacher, special education teacher, and elementary-level teachers. Interested parties may learn more and apply at marfaisd.com.
Notably, the district announced that it has received the Moody M-Pact education award to support new preK-3 and preK-4 programs at the elementary as well as a potential childcare center for 2-3 year olds, according to Elementary Principal Rosie Martinez. The elementary school is currently enrolling preK-3, preK-4, and kindergarten students to start in August.
The grant, which School Empowerment Network––a national schools nonprofit––applied for on behalf of Marfa ISD with help from local nonprofit Marfa Education Foundation, will be shared between School Empowerment Network, Marfa ISD, and two other school districts to develop early childhood education.
