The Santa Maria Independent School District announced Monday that it's ending the school year early.

The last day of school for students is now Monday, May 30. The school year was initially supposed to end Friday, June 3, according to the 2021-2022 district calendar. 

The district said it made the difficult decision to cancel classes following the deadly shooting in Uvalde and local terrorist threat arrests across the Rio Grande Valley. 

"While Santa Maria ISD has not had any threats made against its students or schools, we believe that the safety of our students and staff is of utmost importance. Therefore, today, May 30, 2022, will be the last day of school," the district said in a statement. 

Mercedes ISD also ended the school year early due to "continued rumors of threats."

Donna ISD canceled classes last week due to credible threats that resulted in the arrest of four people, including two students. Donna ISD students will return to class Tuesday, May 31. 

Read Santa Maria ISD's entire statement below: 

With the end of the school year fast approaching, the Santa Maria ISD community joins in the mourning of the tragic losses we witnessed in Uvalde ISD earlier last week.

These events have shaken Texas schools to the very core. These issues became all too apparent here at home with the recent events happening at neighboring school District’s in the Rio Grande Valley, that led to the arrests for terroristic threats from current and former students. These events have led us to the difficult decision to cancel classes for the remainder of the school year. While Santa Maria ISD has not had any threats made against its students or schools, we believe that the safety of our students and staff is of utmost importance. Therefore, today, May 30, 2022, will be the last day of school.

We want to thank everyone for a fantastic school year, full of great accomplishments and things to be proud of. We ask that everyone be safe this summer. In the meantime, starting tomorrow, our school administration along with the School Board of Trustees will begin planning for the next school year and come up with ways to further ensure the safety of our schools.

Elizabeth A. Stenhouse

Public Information Officer

Santa Maria Independent School District