DeSoto ISD School Board Approves Three Leadership Positions

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ladies and gentleman standing in front of DeSoto ISD letters
Photo credit DeSoto ISD

During the June 27, 2022, regular monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees, the district approved the appointment of three leadership positions:

Chief Financial Officer: Lawrence Galloway

Director of School Improvement: Stephanie McCloud

Principal, DeSoto West Middle School: Metric Manning

Chief Financial Officer Lawrence M. Galloway:

Lawrence M. Galloway began his education career in Baton Rouge, Louisiana as a high school mathematics teacher in 2005. After three successful years of increasing student academic performance on the state’s assessment, he was recruited to the Uplift Education charter school network in Dallas, Texas as a middle math teacher. He later went on to become a founding administrative member of Marine Creek Collegiate High School. He then went on to work for the Office of the State Superintendent of Education in Washington D.C. Here he led the team that designed and implemented the state’s federal fiscal and programmatic risk-based monitoring process.

Most recently, Galloway served as the Chief Operating Officer of Marlin ISD where he oversaw all fiscal and district operations. He is most proud of obtaining the highest Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) rating available for two consecutive years, transforming all campus libraries into functional 22nd-century learning spaces in response to the COVID pandemic, providing backpacks and school supplies to all students using grant funds, effectively utilizing ESSER I-III funds to provide three rounds of retention bonuses to all staff, and journaling general fund expenses to save the district $1.3M dollars to pay cash for the new Marlin ISD Multi-Purpose Activity Center.

Galloway holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Southern University A&M College, a Master’s in Education Administration from Texas A&M Commerce, and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Maryland.

Director of School Improvement Stephanie McCloud:

Stephanie McCloud is an advocate for early childhood and bilingual education for all who began her career as an early childhood teacher before transitioning to serve as a Two-Way Dual Language teacher where she supported native English- and Spanish-speaking children in language development. Throughout her leadership journey, McCloud served in Tier 1 schools as a turnaround leader who prioritized academic excellence. With her strong instructional background, McCloud integrated research-based instructional practices, curriculum and assessment development, and data collection and implementation. In addition to her work to reform and improve campus culture and performance, McCloud developed partnerships and built engagement as an added layer to school improvement in her previous roles.

McCloud has more than 14 years of experience in education and holds a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies and a Master’s degree in Education Administration with a concentration in Leadership.

The Director of School Improvement is responsible for providing coaching and feedback to campus administrators to foster accelerated student achievement, and increase instructional capacity for principals, assistant principals, instructional support staff, and teachers within the assigned campuses. The Director of School Improvement is also responsible for assisting principals in developing climates of excellence and effective engagement with parents and the community.

DeSoto West Middle School Principal Metric Manning:

A 1996 DeSoto ISD graduate, Metric Manning’s educational journey began his senior year in high school where he caught the bus to downtown Dallas every day after school to teach Dallas CAN students graphic arts through a non-profit program. As a freshman at Texas A&M University, Manning became one of the first students in the country to be a part of a work-study program called America Reads. During his time at Texas A&M, Manning became a member and served at the executive level of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., MSC Town Hall, Southern Black Student Leadership Conference (SBSLC), and the Student Government Association (SGA).

After graduating college, Manning worked in the non-profit sector serving as a staff member, board member, and consultant. Returning to his work as an educator following his early experiences with Dallas CAN, Manning returned to education as a substitute teacher in DeSoto ISD before becoming a paraprofessional, teacher, mentor, and master teacher.

To deepen his training and leadership development following a 12-year career in education, Manning joined the Texas Tech Principal Fellowship and most recently served as an assistant principal. Manning holds three Master’s degrees– two from Dallas Theological Seminary in Biblical Studies and Christian Education, and one in Educational Leadership from Texas Tech University.

Source: DeSoto ISD