DeSoto ISD Curriculum Connection
See Who's New in Our Department!
Curriculum & Instruction
Who are these new faces? What do they know? Where are they from? Here is a formal introduction to some new faces you may have seen. We are working hard every day to support success for you and your students. We will feature our not so mew employees in our upcoming publications. You will learn about the rest of the team in upcoming publications. Please feel free to email me anytime with questions or concerns. Dr. Michelle Schwind. m.howardschwind@desotoisd.org.
Meet Our New Curriculum Department Faces
Dr. Michelle Schwind - Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction
Professionally Dr. Schwind has been an integral part of propelling a previously Improvement Required district to earning academic distinctions (some campuses earning ALL possible). Robstown ISD, Keller ISD, Weatherford ISD, Coppell ISD, Northwest ISD, and Birdville ISD shaped her educational expertise. She was a classroom teacher for nine years, a performing arts manager, assistant principal, principal, Director of Organizational Improvement, Director of RTI/504 and Executive Director of Curriculum. In addition, she has been a professor at UNT and American College of Education mentoring aspiring principals.
Certifications:
Superintendent, Mid-Management (Principal), ESL, English 6-12, Elementary Grades 1-8, Theatre, Dance, Speech, Art
Educational Background:
Certified Baldrige Examiner
UT Austin, BFA
UT Arlington, M. Ed in Teaching
University of North Texas, PhD in Educational Administration
Dr. Schwind is a chips and salsa addict, a voracious reader, enjoys dark chocolate, and staying up too late to read books. She prefers pie over cake and attempts to grow her own vegetables. Her family wishes she would stop trying to cook new things and forcing them to eat healthy.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is an act, not a habit. " Aristotle
Dr. LaTasha Bassette - ELAR Supervisor K-12
Educational Background:
Bachelors Degree in Mass Communications - Hampton University 1994
Masters Degree in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assesment - Walden University 2008
Doctorate in Administrator Leadership for Teaching and Learning - Walden University 2016
A few of Dr. Bassette's favorites include Trail mix with cranberries and almonds and photography.
Sabrina Mathis - Science Supervisor K-12
Ms. Mathis attended Prairie View A&M University in which she majored in Biology and minored in Chemistry. She holds a Masters in Educational Administration from the University of Houston-Victoria. As an educator with 18 years of service, Ms. Mathis experience ranges from elementary to the collegiate level. Of those 18 years, ten have been in administration which includes experience as a principal, an assistant principal, and a program coordinator. Over the past seven years, Ms. Mathis has concurrently held positions for the Educational Testing Service (ETS) as a writer for the superintendent and principal certification exams along with being a rater for the STAAR writing and reading exams.
Raised as a Southern Baptist, Ms. Mathis is a strong believer in God, family, hard work and paying it forward. During downtime, she loves to spend time with family, couponing, bargain shopping and catching up on the latest movies. Ms. Mathis has been told that she is gifted at storytelling so if you ever want to be entertained, she has a million stories to tell.
Dr. Wilbert Andrews - Math Supervisor K-12
Dr. Andrews is a native of Beaumont, Texas and a 1988 graduate of Beaumont West Brook High School. Dr. Andrews had a variety of interests including football, track, regional powerlifting, and band. In 1995, Dr. Andrews graduated from Lamar University with his Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences. Dr. Andrews went on to start his career with Communities and Schools. After serving for two years with Communities and Schools, he received his first teaching assignment in Port Arthur Independent School District. Dr. Andrews served in Beaumont ISD as Secondary Math Teacher and Football Coach as well as department head. In 2005, Dr. Andrews received his Masters of Education from Prarie View A&M University. In 2008, Dr. Andrews received his first administrative position Assistant Principal and Admin. over Mathematics and went on to become Principal in 2011, where he served in this post for four consecutive years and Associate Principal in Alternative Education for two years. In 2014, Dr. Andrews received his doctorate of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas Southern University.
Some of Dr. Andrews favorites include Total Quality Management by W. Edwards Deming, hunting, fishing, pistachios, cheez-its, and cashews.