Pascagoula-Gautier board approves multiple administrator hires, names district depository and hears construction and finance reports

The Pascagoula-Gautier School District board of trustees on Oct. 12 approved several personnel appointments for the 2025–26 school year, approved a district depository for fiscal years 2026–28 and heard routine reports on construction, school improvement and finances.

Board members approved the recommended administrative hires by single motions after staff presentations. The board voted 5–0 to accept the recommendation to fill an upcoming vacancy in the assistant superintendent of secondary education created by the promotion of Dr. Tara Payton. Meeting materials said six candidates were interviewed by a committee of district administrators and one certified employee; the recommended candidate was identified in the packet as Margaret Beth (surname in packet). The board then voted 5–0 to approve Michelle Brewer as principal of Gaucher Elementary School and 5–0 to approve Jennifer Jones as principal of Beach Elementary School. The packet said Brewer has 14 years of teaching experience and four years of administrative experience; Jones has 13 years of teaching experience and two years of administrative experience. The resignation of Dr. Elizabeth Fable was listed in the packet as creating the Gaucher principal vacancy.

One personnel item (agenda item 4d) drew a recusal. A motion described in the minutes to "approve the the doctor Quine for March" passed 4–0 with one trustee recused; the meeting record shows a board member recused herself from items 4d and 4e. The board later approved the district depository recommendation for fiscal years 2026–28 by a 4–0 vote (one trustee recused on that vote), per the meeting record.

Board members also received several informational reports. Staff presented a vandalism report, a discipline report and a construction update. During the construction update, staff introduced Tyler Abel, listed as the district project manager with MP, and Brad Pittano, identified as one of the owners of the architect firm working on district projects. "Tyler... you will see him a lot," a staff member said while introducing the two contractors, according to the meeting transcript.

The board reviewed school improvement summaries for Palmer Middle School, Goshen Middle School and Trent Lott Academy; staff told trustees the schools are "moving in the right direction" but that administrators are "always nervous this time of year," per the transcript. Trustees also reviewed the district's monthly financial reports; staff noted that a large tax receipt arrived in the most recent period, producing what the transcript described as an unexpectedly large check the district had not fully expected in that amount. Meeting materials indicated a missing month in the packet for February.

Near the end of the meeting trustees voted 5–0 to close the public session to determine whether an executive session was needed.

Votes at a glance - Approve agenda: passed 5–0. - Approve consent agenda (items 2a–2z and 3a–3j as recommended): passed 5–0. - Item 4a — Approve recommended assistant superintendent of secondary education (candidate named in packet as Margaret Beth [surname in packet]): passed 5–0. - Item 4b — Approve Michelle Brewer as principal, Gaucher Elementary School (to fill vacancy created by resignation of Dr. Elizabeth Fable): passed 5–0. - Item 4c — Approve Jennifer Jones as principal, Beach Elementary School: passed 5–0. - Item 4d — Approve item described in packet as "Dr. Quine for March": passed 4–0, 1 recused. - Item 4e — Approve district depository for fiscal years 2026–28: passed 4–0, 1 recused. - Motion to close public session to determine need for executive session: passed 5–0.

The meeting packet and the board's personnel motion language provided the names and limited background used in these approvals; the board did not amend contract terms or provide salary details during the public meeting. Several items were handled by single-motion approval under the consent agenda and received no separate discussion. The board chair called for the adjournment of open business before the roll toward executive session.