After a brief signing ceremony at St. Mary’s University on Tuesday, more than 60 high school teachers turned to one another to say “I am glad you are here!” before bowing their heads in prayer and kicking off their first day of graduate school with an orientation.

These area educators — from Northside Independent School District, North East ISD and East Central ISD — are part of the inaugural cohort that will receive free certificates and graduate degrees to soon teach dual credit courses through a new partnership between St. Mary’s University and Alamo Colleges District .

“This is a need for us,” said Frank Hernandez, a history teacher at East Central High School with 30 years of experience. “I am going to grow as a teacher, learn the teacher styles that are available. It’s going to

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