This week required steady leadership, clarity, and disciplined follow-through as we navigated student safety matters while continuing to advance instructional and operational priorities across the district.

On Monday, I began the week with follow-ups regarding the DHS and McCowan MS protest incidents from Friday. Ensuring appropriate documentation, alignment, and procedural compliance was a priority. I collaborated closely with Human Capital Management to confirm that all necessary next steps were taken and that corrective actions aligned with district expectations. I closed the evening supporting the Business Board Meeting.

On Tuesday, I continued the DHS investigation process through structured staff interviews to ensure comprehensive fact-finding. The goal remained clear: student safety, procedural integrity, and factual documentation. Later that afternoon, I met with City Year leadership at The Meadows Elementary to observe corps members during student pull-out intervention blocks. It was encouraging to see direct instructional support in action, and I provided feedback to strengthen alignment between intervention delivery and campus instructional priorities.

Wednesday was focused on closure and leadership alignment. I completed additional DHS interviews related to the chemical irritant concerns from Friday and formally reported findings to HCM. That afternoon, we held our Principal Meeting centered on systems support and ESF Lever 1 — Strong School Leadership and Planning. The session emphasized attendance strategy implementation, emerging campus trends through Title I analysis, proactive talent recruitment and retention, and enrollment planning for PreK and Kindergarten. Interim Superintendent Mitchell provided our principals with a warm and encouraging welcome, reinforcing unity and forward momentum.

On Thursday, I met with Dr. Darden and Superintendent Mitchell to directly address the DHS chemical irritant concerns and ensure leadership clarity moving forward. I then joined the Conservator and district leadership team to discuss master scheduling and course request planning as we begin laying groundwork for the 2026–2027 school year. In the afternoon, I met one-on-one with Mr. Mitchell to align on district priorities and strategic focus areas. I concluded the day attending the Woodridge African American Month rehearsal. Watching our scholars prepare and perform with pride and excellence was a powerful reminder of why our work matters.

Friday provided an opportunity to stabilize and connect. We welcomed Leadership ISD participants at DHS, continued follow-up conversations with Dr. Darden, and conducted a campus visit at The Meadows Elementary. I closed the week celebrating Principal Hicks’ birthday — a well-deserved moment of appreciation for her leadership and commitment to scholars.

This week underscored an important truth: leadership requires both urgency and composure. We will always be judged — often quickly and sometimes without full context — but our responsibility remains consistent. Student safety, instructional quality, leadership accountability, and proactive planning for the future remain at the forefront of our work.

We continue moving with purpose and intent.

Finance (CONSTRAINT 2)

District Revenues for FY26

 as of February 20, 2026

Maintenance & Operations General Fund 199

Local Revenue (57XX): $31,967,948

State Revenue Available School Funds (5811): $1,641,798

Foundation School Program (5812): $18,024,117

TRS On-Behalf (5831): $1,561,706

SHARS (5931): $0.00

Indirect Cost (5929-ID): $132,283

JROTC (5949): $93,752

Child Nutrition - Fund 240

Lunch Revenue (5751): $19,657

State Revenue (5829): $15,755

Federal Revenue

School Breakfast Program (5921): $1,100,783

National Lunch Program (5922): $1,222,039

Federal Distributed by State (5939): $172,942

Debt Service (I&S) Fund 511

Local Tax Collections (5711/12/18/19/42): $19,775,727

State Program Revenues  (5829): $6,461,941

Bond Interest Earned Fund 698

$941,070.00

Human Capital Management

Substitute Fill Rate:         67.2%

Resignations:                       0

Terminations:                       0

Substitute and New 

Hire Onboardings:                0

Grievances                           2

• Level 1: Grievance decision received from legal to be sent back to the grievant

• Level 1: Grievance filed regarding the decision to terminate substitute employee

Pending Investigations: 2

NAVEX Incident Reporting Summary:

02.26.2026

Health and Safety

Cockrell Hill Elementary

Parent reported that she was not notified that child had a incident where she vomited at school and reported it to District and campus.

02.26.2026

Employee Misconduct

West Middle School

Anonymous report made that during clubs a teacher pushed/threw a chair out of frustration telling a student to "pick a seat and sit down".

02.23-24.2026

Student Safety

West Middle School

Employee reported that they visibly saw a student enter a teachers car in the morning prior to school starting. Two other staff members reported that the teacher also had the same student in their car and may have driven the student home following practice.

Student Support Services

Athletics

• • Met with H/R to develop a new job description for the head volleyball coach with an emphasis on leadership.

  • Was part of team of evaluators that scored the submitted proposals for charter bus transportation.

  • Attended the district realignment meeting.

• Attendance

  • Assisted a parent whose child did not receive credit for a course.

  • Provided campus leaders with strategies to improve the accuracy of their daily attendance submissions.

  • Continued to provide daily attendance reports to our stakeholders.

• Child Nutrition

  • Submitted entitlement report for TDA.

  • Conducted the spring FSMC monitoring report.

  • Met with a potential new vendor.

  • Cafeteria monitoring visits.

  • Collaborated with the Glenn Heights health inspector.

  • Met with a current vendor about increasing the scope of their work in the district..

• Fine Arts

  • Assisted various campuses to ensure successful Black History Programs.

  • Attended Black History Programs that were presented at our district campuses.

  • Continued to monitor and support staff with the goal of becoming a district of distinction for Fine Arts. 

• Health Services

  • One-on-One Nurse Coaching

  • Revision job descriptions for RN's and LVNs.

  • Edits for Cardiac Emergency Plan with Oversight Physician.

• Parent Engagement

  • Hosted Parent University last weekend and received positive feedback from the participants.

  • Attended a Title I training in Austin.

  • Solidified a partnership with Luby's, and they provide food to recognize the campus that achieved the Golden Apple Award from PTA.

  • Assisted campuses with Title I Compliance.

  • Student Support

  • Assisted campuses with student discipline challenges.

  • Facilitated a Safety & Security Committee Meeting.

  • Assisted parents with challenges they were having with the district.

  • Collaborated with other district and city leaders regarding the two different student protests.

Communications

The Communications Department delivered comprehensive districtwide messaging, media coordination, and crisis-response support throughout the week, with a focus on strategic storytelling, community engagement, leadership visibility, and operational communications.

District Communications & Storytelling Coverage

This week’s communications efforts included development, publishing, and amplification of key district announcements, features, and reminders across multiple platforms:

• Interim Superintendent Announcement
  
  

• Calendar Survey – Now Open
  
  

• Texas Public Schools Week
  
  

• Black Children’s Book Week
  
  

• Heart Dissection Feature – Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy
  
  

• Early Release & Spring Break Reminder
  
  

• Spring Parent Conference Dates
  
  

• PRIDE Spotlights
  
  

• FFA Feature Story
  
  

• Flag Football Feature Story
  
  

• Spring STAAR Testing Dates Reminder
  
  

• Heritage Bowl Feature – Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy
  
  

• Sweeny Named Athletic Coordinator of the Year (ACOY)
  
  

• Interim Superintendent Community Meet & Greet Promotion, later replaced with Voting Encouragement Messaging following event postponement
  
  

• Educational Diagnostics Celebration
  
  

Strategic Communications Proposals Developed

The department developed and submitted several strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing storytelling, stakeholder engagement, and consistent brand messaging:

• The Source – District-owned storytelling and content hub
  
  

• Difference Makers – Recognition and spotlight initiative
  
  

• Weekly Event & Activity Rundown for Social Media
  
  

• Triple-A Feature Day – Academics, Arts, and Athletics spotlight series
  
  

• Academic Experience Spotlights – Classroom-centered storytelling framework
  
  

Ongoing Marketing & Channel Growth Strategy

To ensure consistency, visibility, and strategic reinforcement of district messaging, a structured recurring social media rotation plan was developed:

Recurring Saturday Rotation Schedule – Saturdays at 12:00 p.m.:

• Week 1: Newsroom Promotion
  
  

• Week 2: Soaring Eagle Subscription Promotion
  
  

• Week 3: NAVEX Reporting System Reminder
  
  

• Week 4: Parent Bill of Rights & Community VOICE Reminder
  
  

This rotating schedule establishes sustained engagement, balanced content distribution, and prevents message fatigue while reinforcing priority initiatives.

Crisis Management & Media Preparation

The Communications Department provided direct crisis communications support and media preparedness in response to multiple high-impact situations, including:

• Personnel matter at Desoto High School (DHS)
  
  

• Student protests at Desoto High School (DHS)
  
  

• DHS Parent Meeting communications and media preparation
  
  

• Student protests at McCowan Middle School (MMS)
  
  

Open Records Requests (ORRs) Management Support

The department provided strategic communications support related to the following ORRs:

• Former Superintendent Retirement Agreement
  
  

• Evaluations and communications between the Board of Trustees and former superintendent
  
  

Summary:
This week reflected a high-volume, high-impact communications cycle focused on district transparency, leadership visibility, proactive storytelling, community engagement, and crisis response. The department maintained responsiveness across daily operational needs while also advancing long-term strategic communications initiatives designed to elevate district branding, stakeholder trust, and message consistency.

Technology 

Technology Modernization 

In alignment with DeSoto ISD’s commitment to digital transformation, the district is implementing a comprehensive technology modernization strategy designed to:

• Enhance learning experiences

• Strengthen campus safety

• Improve operational efficiency

This multi-faceted initiative reflects our dedication to purposeful innovation and operational excellence.

Key Initiatives

1. Interactive Screen Reinforcement

Beginning Monday, January 19, ProComputing will reinforce flat panel displays across the district, starting with Cockrell Hill Elementary.

2. Student Laptop Upgrades

With Microsoft support for Windows 10 ending in October 2025, DeSoto ISD is upgrading student laptops to Windows 11–compatible devices.
Priorities include:

• High school campuses

• Older/aging devices
  These upgrades ensure improved performance and access to modern instructional tools.

3. Campus Digital Signage

Digital displays are being installed in:

• Front offices

• Cafeterias

• Libraries

• Athletic facilities

These centrally managed screens will deliver:

• Real-time alerts

• Event schedules

• Student celebrations and recognitions

4. Email Threat Intelligence

Abnormal Security Weekly Report (Feb 20–27, 2026)
During this period:

• 452 malicious emails were blocked (↓81 from previous week)

• Spam remained the largest category: 241 emails (53%)

• Credential phishing: 147 (33%)

• Increases were seen in:

  • Scams: +70%

  • Malware: +100%

  • Reconnaissance: +700%

• Attack methods:

  • Links (80%)

  • Text-only (17%)

  • Attachments (2%)

• Most common tactics included unknown senders, name impersonation, and email spoofing.

The volume decreased overall, but attackers are shifting to higher‑risk and more sophisticated techniques, emphasizing the need for strong link-based and impersonation protections.

5. Security Camera Enhancements

Upgrades include:

• High-definition IP cameras

• Night vision

• Motion detection

• Integration with law enforcement

AI-driven capabilities currently under review:

• Facial recognition

• License plate readers (LPR)

• Behavioral analytics

6. Document Management System Review

The district is evaluating enterprise document management platforms focused on:

• FERPA and HIPAA compliance

• Accessibility

• Workflow automation

• Centralized storage

Stakeholder input is being collected through pilots and demonstrations.

7. Bond-Funded Technology Projects (Pending Approval)

Planned strategic upgrades include:

• Chromebook and laptop deployment

• AV systems for stadiums, gyms, and the boardroom

• Emergency notification and paging systems

• Baseball field sound and livestreaming systems

• Smart lockdown solutions with AI threat detection

• Expanded security camera coverage

8. Network Infrastructure Update

Network Stability & Performance

• 100% availability during this reporting period

• No outages or degradation reported

• Real-time monitoring confirms optimal performance on all backbones and site-to-site links

Current Focus

• Defining access policies

• Device profiling

• Preparing for the phased rollout of visibility and security enhancements

9. E-rate Assessment & Inventory

A detailed network inventory is underway to support the upcoming E‑rate application cycle, including:

• Infrastructure documentation

• Hardware verification

• Configuration review
  This ensures compliance, accuracy, and eligibility for federal funding.

10. Help Desk Performance — February

• 175 tickets submitted

• 168 tickets resolved

• Average resolution time: 43.9 minutes

• Customer satisfaction: 4.6/5

These results reflect strong responsiveness, continuous improvement, and a commitment to excellent customer support.

11. Phone System Update

After reviewing modern unified communication platforms—including features such as mobile integration, panic buttons, and emergency compatibility—Zoom was selected as the new district phone provider following successful pilot testing and recommendation reviews.

12. Infrastructure & Wireless

A new district wireless network, DISD‑Internet, is in active testing.
Once validated, it will replace older SSIDs to improve:

• Reliability

• Security

• User experience

Our Commitment

Through strategic upgrades, cloud-based tools, and expanded digital access, DeSoto ISD remains committed to:

• Empowering students with confidence

• Equipping staff with efficient, modern tools

• Creating safe, innovative learning environments

These initiatives align with our core values of integrity, determination, and excellence—ensuring that our district continues to move forward with purpose and innovation.

Administrative Services

This week’s work centered on ensuring organizational alignment, supporting district leadership transitions, strengthening policy infrastructure, and advancing key instructional and operational initiatives across the system.

Governance, Policy, and Board Support

• Finalized all preparations to ensure a smooth and efficient Board meeting on Monday evening.

• Met with the Policy Committee to continue strengthening our policy framework, and will finalize research on GKD and CY to support upcoming recommendations.

• Engaged with our policy consultant, Eric Narcisse, to clarify statutory requirements associated with SB 11 to ensure the Board is fully informed for the second read.

• Worked closely with Board Services throughout the week to provide timely communication to Trustees as we developed mitigation plans regarding a potential student walkout.

• Ensured that procedures for the March 2, 2026, election were solidified since 95% of campuses will be polling sites.

• Worked with Purchasing and Transportation Services to begin preparing a board agenda item that will be brought to the board in April.

Leadership Transition & Executive Support

• Led the development of a comprehensive Superintendent Transition Dashboard, collaborating with Chiefs to streamline Mr. Mitchell’s onboarding and provide a clear, time‑saving view of departmental systems, personnel, and strategic workstreams.

Campus & Student Engagement

• Read to middle school students at KJTMA as part of Black Children’s Book Week, reinforcing our commitment to literacy, representation, and community connection.

• Attended KJTMA’s Black History Program virtually on Thursday evening and partnered with Fine Arts Director Twynette Anderson during Friday’s Huddle to celebrate the exceptional talent showcased across campuses during Black History Month activities.

• Plan to support this evening’s Black History celebrations at Amber Terrace and Woodridge Fine Arts Academy.

Operations & Election Support

• Coordinated with county partners to ensure polling machines were delivered to all designated locations for Tuesday’s primary election.

Leadership Development

• Facilitated this week’s Assistant Principal Academy session focused on StrengthsFinder outcomes.  Collaborated with Ms. Lunkin and Mr. Manning to design professional learning that helps Assistant Principals leverage their strengths, access timely tactical information, and better support principals and campus operations.

• Collaboratively working with the Administrative Assistance and Professional Learning Department to develop a summer learning academy for Administrative Assistants to improve:

  1. Uniformity of service 

  2.  Efficiency of work, and

  3.  Help teams identify each team member's strengths.

Policy, Legal, and Compliance

• Provided policy guidance to two campus principals navigating operational and compliance-related decisions.

• Followed up with Legal regarding an Open Records Request to ensure timely response and documentation.

• Closed the loop on a policy matter for the Parent Engagement Department.

• Drafted new guidelines for Legal Counsel Review of documents to strengthen internal processes and consistency.

• Finalized the copyright folder for legal compliance.

Contracts & Departmental Support

• Facilitated contract and agreement reviews for Athletics, CTE, HCM. and College & Career Readiness 

• Touched base with chiefs and directors throughout the week to ensure alignment, remove barriers, and maintain clear communication across executive leadership.