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Port Arthur PTA president urges board, parents to join and support PTAs
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Summary
Ricardo Celis, president of the Port Arthur City Council of PTAs, urged every board member and the executive team to join PTA, called for a PTA at every campus, and warned that vouchers threaten public education.
Ricardo Celis, who said he serves as president of the Port Arthur City Council of PTAs and works in the district’s multilingual department, addressed the board about parent engagement and PTA goals.
Celis framed PTA work as advocacy and support for public education, describing PTA services (liability insurance, leadership training, resources and grants) and recounting recent leadership conferences he attended. "Public education is under attack with the vouchers," Celis said, urging the board to support PTAs that review education legislation and advocate for public schools.
He outlined goals for his term: establish a PTA at every school (noting three campuses currently lack PTAs), encourage principals and staff to join, promote scholarship opportunities for students, and expand student membership so students themselves can participate in PTA activities and leadership training.
Celis invited trustees to join (dues vary by campus, roughly $8–$10), offered to collect dues, and noted an online registration option through Texas PTA. Board members thanked him and discussed logistics for joining and future meetings.
What happens next: Celis said he will continue outreach to campuses and principals and requested trustee membership to secure state recognition for the district PTA.
