Port Arthur ISD board appoints Deborah Ambrose and approves hires including 43 certified teachers

The Port Arthur Independent School District Board of Trustees during its meeting moved to appoint Mrs. Deborah Ambrose to fill the unexpired term of departing trustee Taylor. Trustee Brandon Bartis made the motion and Trustee Ken Loftton seconded; the board approved the appointment by hand signal.

The board also approved routine personnel items. Trustees voted to employ 43 certified teachers for the 2026–27 school year following a motion by Vice President Diane Brown and a second by Trustee Brandon Bartis. In the same personnel section the board approved several administrative appointments: Dr. Jesus Aosta as director of student support services (counseling and college/career/military readiness); Dr. Christy Lewis as assistant superintendent for elementary school transformation leadership and academic achievement; and Miss Lakesha Carter as director/principal of Wheatley Early Childhood. Motions for those appointments were moved and seconded and the board carried each by hand signal.

The board also considered and approved a motion concerning the proposed termination of a term contract employee; the transcript records the motion and that it carried but does not name the employee.

Minutes and routine consent agenda items (items one through nine) were approved earlier in the meeting by motion and hand signal. The meeting's information items included a district report that average daily enrollment was 7,852 and average daily attendance for May was reported at 89.43 percent.

All board approvals recorded in the transcript took place by motion, second and hand signal; the transcript does not include roll-call tallies by member name or recorded 'yes'/'no' votes beyond the chair confirming the motion carried.