Sterlin McGruder has been appointed by Austin ISD’s Board of Trustees as principal of the new Single-Sex School for Young Men for District 1 in Northeast Austin. The attendance area for Garcia and Pearce middle schools will be combined to facilitate the design of two, single-sex middle schools, one male and one female. 

McGruder serves as the principal of Grand Prairie ISD's Young Men's Leadership Academy at Kennedy Middle School, which he was appointed to lead when it reopened as a single-sex school. As principal, he has created a culture focused on college readiness and leadership. He also has served as the principal of David Daniels Elementary School, and brings 11 years of administrative experience to his new position. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in interdisciplinary studies and a Master of Science degree in education from Texas A&M University-Commerce.

The principal appointment is effective July 2013.

The principal of the Single-Sex Middle School for Young Women for District 1 has not yet been appointed.

Students in the Garcia and Pearce attendance areas, who choose not to attend one of the single-sex middle schools, would have an alternate assignment middle school.  Alternate middle school assignments would be to Dobie, Martin, Lamar, or Webb middle schools.