By Jesse Wright

 

Just before 10 p.m. on Monday, following an executive session that lasted over two hours, the Port Neches-Groves School Board tapped Mike Gonzales as the lone candidate for superintendent.

Gonzales is currently an assistant superintendent with the district.

The board has been searching for a permanent leader after Rodney Cavness left the district at the end of the 2017 school year.

Since June, Jimmy Creel has served as interim superintendent. As interim leader, Creel could not be picked as superintendent.

Gonzales was approved 6-0 as the final candidate.

Darren McCutcheon was absent for the vote.

 

A new beginning

A day after the vote, Gonzales said in a phone interview that for the time being, he’s still focused on his current job.

“Yes, they named me the finalist but until the next board meeting I’m still the assistant superintendent,” he said.

Gonzales grew up in the Valley, in the town of Mercedes, though he’s been in Jefferson County for decades. He’s spent 10 years with the Port Neches-Groves School District. Prior to that he was with the Beaumont school district for about 13 years.

Gonzales began in the area in the mid-90s as a teacher at Franklin Elementary in Port Arthur and he has worked his way up through the school administration ranks, including a year as an assistant principal at Memorial High School.

Franklin shut its doors in 2008.

Gonzales said he’s looking forward to heading up the PN-G district, though he said it would be a large undertaking.

“I’m very excited and nervous at the same time,” he said. “This is a big job. People have very high expectations here and I am pretty sure it’s going to be challenging but I am excited and I am ready to accept the challenge.”

 

And a farewell

Also at the meeting, Creel recognized McCutcheon. He lost his bid for re-election to the school board after serving for 15 years. Creel thanked him for his service.

“For 15 years on the PNG board, for his support for the PN-G community and for all the dedicated service he’s given to our students and our staff,” Creel said.

McCutcheon said it was totally unnecessary. McCutcheon is the president of the board.

The board passed the consent agenda unanimously. After that, the board passed temporary local policies suggested by the Texas Association of School Boards. Creel explained that on legislative years, the association sends out revised policies to districts to get them in line with new laws.
The board members will review the new policies and then they should approve them permanently at the next meeting.

The board then approved a budget amendment and transactions over $25,000. Creel said it’s all technology related in addition to some maintenance equipment.

Finally, Creel gave his superintendent’s report a which was mostly a look back at the things the districts did last month.