Port Arthur Independent School District

Port Arthur Independent School District is a public school district based in Port Arthur, Texas (USA).

The district serves most of Port Arthur and a portion of Groves.

Administration

The district is headed by the PAISD School Board, which is ultimately responsible for the well-being of the district. It hires a Superintendent of Schools who is chiefly responsible for overseeing the day-to-day affairs of the district. This Superintendent accomplishes this with the aid of other individuals and groups that comprise the Administration. The current Superindent is Dr. Johnny Brown of Atlanta, Georgia. He is strongly supported by his Deputy Superintendent and long-time friend, Dr. Morcease Beasley, of Atlanta, Georgia.

Dress code

The Port Arthur Independent School District adopted a uniform dress code that was enforced District-wide during the 2007-2008 school year. Initially, the decision was met with much controversy. The administration regarded this as an excellent way to improve the overall attractiveness of the school district, especially in light of the expected influx of new families in the area due to the massive expansion of the local refinery community. Proponents of the measure also viewed this as a means of reducing "fashion competition" among students - a competition that, more often than not, left students from lower-income homes at a comparative social disadvantage. Others argued the alleged "fashion competition" was greatly exaggerated by the administration and was of minor importance to student achievement in school. They stressed, instead, that the district should be more concerned with improving test scores than with external appearances. Since its inception, however, the uniform dress code has appeared to be a success. [" [http://www.midcountychronicle.com/news/2008/0130/Front_Page/001.html Buster Brown vs. Board of Education] ," "Mid County Chronicle"]

chools

High Schools

*Grades 10-12
**Memorial High School (Port Arthur)
** Stilwell Technical Center
*Grade 9
** [http://www.paisd.org/schools/memorial9/home.htm Memorial 9th Grade Campus] (Port Arthur)

Middle Schools

*Grades 6-8
** [http://www.paisd.org/schools/austin/home.htm Stephen F. Austin Middle School] (Port Arthur)
** [http://www.paisd.org/schools/edison/home.htm Edison Middle School] (Port Arthur)
** [http://www.paisd.org/schools/wilsontechnology/home.htm Wilson Technology Theme School] (Port Arthur)

Elementary Schools

*Grades PK-5
** [http://www.paisd.org/schools/dequeen/home.htm DeQueen Elementary School] (Port Arthur)
** [http://www.paisd.org/schools/dowling/home.htm Dowling Elementary School] (Port Arthur)
** [http://www.paisd.org/schools/houston/home.htm Sam Houston Elementary School] (Port Arthur)
** [http://www.paisd.org/schools/lee/home.htm Lee Elementary School] (Port Arthur)
**William B. Travis Elementary School (Port Arthur)
**Tyrrell Elementary School (Port Arthur)
** [http://www.paisd.org/schools/wilson/home.htm Washington Technology School] (Port Arthur)
***1987-88 National Blue Ribbon School [ [http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/list-1982.pdf Blue Ribbon Schools Program, Schools Recognized 1982-1983 Through 1999-2002 (PDF) ] ]
*Pre-Kindergarten
**Wheatley School of Early Childhood (Port Arthur)

Alternative Schools

* Port Arthur Alternative Center (Groves)
*Grades 11-12
**Stillwell Technical Center [http://www.paisd.org/stilwell/] (Port Arthur) (Open to PAISD residents and Sabine Pass Independent School District residents)

Former schools

Former high schools

* Stephen F. Austin High School (consolidated into Memorial High School) [http://web.archive.org/web/20001008142500/paisd.org/schoolframe.htm Schools as of October 8, 2000] , "Port Arthur Independent School District"]
* Abraham Lincoln High School (consolidated into Memorial High School)
* Thomas Jefferson High School (consolidated into Memorial High School)
* Bishop-Burne High School

Former middle schools

* Woodrow Wilson Middle School

Former elementary schools

* Franklin Elementary School
* Pease Elementary School

References

External links

* [http://www.paisd.org/ Port Arthur ISD]