ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Ector County ISD Board of Trustees held a board meeting Tuesday night, which saw several appointments to new positions, school board races considered “elected,” as well as a new holiday added to next year’s calendar.

The Board of Trustees unanimously voted to cancel and certify the elections for Position 1 and 6 in the May 6^th elections, as both candidates were unopposed.

Trustees also voted unanimously to add October 9th, Columbus Day, as a holiday on the 2023-24 Academic Calendars. To align with Odessa College, OCA and OTECHS will observe this holiday on Friday, October 13th.

Dr. Matthew Spivey was unanimously approved as the Executive Director of Human Resources. He previously spent 11 years as the Executive Director of Administration, Compliance, and Operations for 2 years, and the Director of Human Resources for 2 years. He served as Dean of Instruction at Greenville High School for 2 years, Principal at Travis Elementary for 3 years, and Assistant Principal at Carver Elementary for 2 years.

Noe Ortiz was appointed the new principal at Crockett Middle School. He was the principal of Ireland Elementary for the past two years and was the assistant principal at Crockett for two years before that. Ortiz will oversee the implementation of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) in 2024.

Maribel Aranda, the current Crockett principal, was hired as Director of Administrative Services.

Both Ortiz and Aranda will finish the school year in their current positions.

Kamye Smith was appointed the new principal at Bonham Middle School. She has was previously the principal at Blanton Elementary for the past two-and-a-half years and was the principal at Pease Elementary for two years before that. She also served as Blanton, West, and Burleson Elementary.

Smith will finish the school year at Blanton Elementary.

You can find more information about the bond meeting and other agenda items here.