DeSoto ISD names superintendent

by Daphne Brown of of DeSoto TODAY

The DeSoto School Board, faced with a district in a state of flux, named two-time interim superintendent Lloyd Treadwell as its only finalist to fill the post.

School Board President Dr. Janice Pettis Ingram said she brought the idea to the board after it interviewed five “outstanding” candidates.

“We felt the interim had what we needed,” Ingram, a member of the board for more than a decade, said. “We needed a better fit, and he was here prior to Mr. (Alton) Frailey. All seven of us felt strongly he could take care of our needs.”

Ingram said the board was receptive to the solution and unanimously voted Aug. 13 to extend Treadwell a three-year contract.

“We needed some stability,” Ingram said. “We needed to make sure the district was taken care of.”

This year, the district is implementing new elementary and junior high school boundaries, restructuring its primary grade configurations and ongoing issues at DeSoto High School. Among Treadwell's responsibilities, as the district's chief executive officer Ingram said, will be to hire a high school principal.

Dr. Aubrey Todd resigned as principal in July and Dr. Cheyrl Ensley, a former principal and administrator in the district, has been named the interim head.

“Any attempt to micromanage, and there were several, will fall to the CEO,” she said. “He takes charge from here on out and that will be a call for him to make.”

Named interim June 11 following Alton Frailey's departure in May to take a post in the Katy School District, Treadwell has a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas, master's degree from Southwest Texas State University and has completed coursework toward his doctorate from East Texas State University. He has served as superintendent in Springtown, Huntington, Mansfield and Commerce, as well as having experience in campus administration and instruction. Since June 2001, Treadwell has worked for Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA), serving as interim superintendent.

“I am excited about the future of DeSoto ISD,” Treadwell in a statement released from the district. “We will continue to pursue the goals of academic excellence for every child. I want students to have the widest range of opportunities following their education in DeSoto ISD.”

Ingram said she has been through the process of hiring a superintendent long enough to know “that this feels right.”

“One thing about him is he's a to-the-point-kind-of-guy,” she said. “It's not that the others weren't that way, but you never have to wonder where he stands. He has a roll-up-the-sleeves kind of style. I don't doubt he'd get in there and handle any issue at the high school or anywhere else in the district.”

Ingram said she sees a very good start to what could have been a dismal new school year.

“We are in a much better shape than when we were when Mr. Treadwell was here the first time,” she said. “Dr. Hawkins left pretty abruptly, so it was a critical time when Mr. Treadwell came along the first time.

“He had a calming effect then. He's back and he's done this before,” she said.

Ingram said Treadwell comes to the district with a number of changes implemented by Frailey.

“He said the changes Mr. Frailey made to the cabinet were good,” Ingram said.

Most of Treadwell's administrative cabinet is either new or in different assignments. The board is mostly the same with Don McKinley being the only change since Treadwell was here during the 2004-05 school year.

“We feel good about this decision and we think this is going to get the year started, and that was important,” she said.

There were several scenarios the board had considered before naming Treadwell. She said the search firm was helpful.

“Some of the board members had the same idea but they just hadn't verbalized it,” she said. “There were a few sleepless nights, and nothing felt right until I took the idea to the board.”

Following the 21-day waiting period, the board is expected to officially hire Treadwell on Sept. 4. He will continue in his role as interim until that time.