Stephen McCanless brings over 30 years of dedicated experience in Texas public education to Marfa ISD. Throughout his career, he has served as an English Teacher, Assistant Principal, Principal, Coordinator, Director, Executive Director, and most recently as Superintendent of Cleveland ISD.
During his leadership in Cleveland ISD, he managed rapid enrollment growth, oversaw a major bond program that delivered three new campuses, launched an Apprentice Teacher Program, and served as a strong advocate for student and staff safety. His dedication to education extends across the state, serving on regional boards, advisory panels, and in the Texas Education Agency’s conservator and monitor pool.
"Every student can learn, it is our responsibility as educators to provide them with that path and support them in those endeavors."
— Stephen McCanless
Mr. McCanless is honored to serve as Superintendent of Marfa ISD and looks forward to Elevating Excellence across the district.
WE ARE THE SHORTHORNS
Marfa Schools is a 1A school district with approximately 265 students and 61 faculty and staff members that serve our PK-12th Grade campus. We pursue rigorous academic standards and enriching extracurricular experiences for our students. In the 2018-2019 school year, we earned a “B” rating from the Texas Education Agency and earned distinction for progress in ELA/Reading, Closing the Gap, and Student Growth.
Marfa Schools is the second largest school district in Texas in terms of landmass, spanning more than 3,000 square miles of Presidio County and stretching as far south as the banks of the Rio Grande. The campus and administrative office are located in Marfa - approximate population 2,000, elevation 4830′ - at the intersection of Highway 67 and Highway 90. Marfa is 189 miles southwest of Midland, 190 miles east of El Paso and 60 miles north of the international border. It sits on a great highland plain of the Chihuahuan Desert known as the Marfa Plateau and is semi-protected by the Davis Mountains to the north, the Chisos Mountains to the southeast, and the Chinati Mountains to the southwest.
Marfa is known for its Mystery Lights and its vibrant modern art community, which attract thousands of visitors each year. It was also the location for the filming of the movies Giant (1955), No Country for Old Men (2007), and There Will Be Blood (2007).