Joe's Commentaries
"Dean Edwards Superintendent Morgan Mill ISD" by Joe Smith - Good Morning - November 26, 2007
By Joe Smith
Nov 26, 2007, 08:45

My Thanksgiving celebration began with a trip to Morgan Mill ISD to meet Dean Edwards, Superintendent of Morgan Mill ISD, who treated me to Thanksgiving dinner followed by a tour of the school...

About a year ago, I observed that we spend a substantial amount of time discussing the turnover rate in public school superintendents in Texas.  This thought led me on a quest to devote some time to those serving as superintendent in the same district for more than 20 continuous years.   That criterion narrowed the candidates down to one, although there are several of you that are serving as superintendents for 20 years in the same district but whose tenure has been interrupted by retirement and reinstated with rehiring.   To date I have not found anyone with more than 23 continuous years as superintendent in the same district except for Dean Edwards. 

So, the Friday before Thanksgiving Sally and I set out to visit Dean Edwards of Morgan Mill, a K-8 school district of about 100 kids west of Fort Worth and a short distance from Stephenville.  We chose that day because of an invitation extended by the super himself.  Like many schools, Morgan Mill ISD invites the parents and citizens to share the (free – funded by local businesses) holiday dinner with the kids, using it as a good will effort in the community and a teaching opportunity for the students.  But unlike other schools, the dinner is both prepared and served by the 7^th and 8^th grade students who (with the help some faculty, board members and community volunteers) are also the clean up team and parking lot directors.  It is an open invitation to anyone – we were told to bring a carful.  Mr. Edwards told us the kids send invitations to anyone they deemed important from the governor to celebrities and he never knows who to expect.  A bus full of soldiers from Ft. Hood unloaded just as we got there.  I did not get a count, but the serving was continuous from 11 to 1, with a full house the entire time.

As we stood in line talking to folks, it quickly became obvious why Dean Edwards has served 23 consecutive years as superintendent in Morgan Mill ISD.  He loves what he is doing and the people love him.  We’ve never met friendlier folk and they all lavished praise on their district’s leader.  A trustee commented on Dean’s ingenuity - How he developed a band program where there was none, embracing the research showing music sharpens minds, he requires everyone to be in the band.  He started absolutely from scratch procuring used instruments and the help of some college students as tutors. 

A mother shared the fact that the six man football team even at times has female players.  Dean himself told us his own daughter was the first.  Faced with the situation of having to cancel the season because of only having five players, his girl and several of the boys asked him if he would consider letting her play.  Morgan Mill is proud of its football team.  This mom also told us to be sure to check out the gym floor – refinished this summer by the superintendent himself.  We later found that Dean Edwards does whatever is needed, including maintenance, around the school.  However, he says, he has lately given up plumbing.  And did I mention he also teaches science to the older students?

And then we toured the facility – a barebones 1939 building with lots of character.  Built by WPA, it still has the requisite rock wall around the property’s perimeter, but it also has a unique rock cistern which the school has “grown” around.  One of the additions added to the school encompasses this piece of history and can be seen as part of the walls in two classrooms with the remaining half exposed in the hallway.  The gym’s walls are made of the same rock – all the way to the high ceiling. It gave me a “Hoosier” (as in the movie) feeling.  Throughout the school are beautifully kept hardwood floors.

There is much to be said for small schools – kids are known as individuals and have more leadership opportunities, for starters.  Dean Edwards is proactive in dealing with the limitations that people often associates with small schools.  His school gives the students opportunities to participate in many extra-curricular activities; for instance, they can be both a band member and a team player at the same time.  A football player can (and has been) a cheerleader at half time.  And while cheerleaders are by try-out basis, anyone can be on the drill team and the flag corp.  This superintendent is of the opinion that there is much to be learned outside of the classroom and thus gives the students lots of hands-on experiences on campus as well as in many field trip situations.  The visiting soldiers thanked the students and extended an invitation to the entire school to come to Fort Hood to see helicopters and tanks - I could practically see the wheels turning in Dean Edward’s head about how to bring that about. 

In parting, we asked Mr. Edwards what had drawn him into becoming a superintendent.  His unique answer was that it was almost a legacy.  His father, brother, cousin and now, his wife were or are public school superintendents.  He said technology as well as the stress and pressure of the standardized TAKS test were the biggest changes that had taken place during his tenure at Morgan Mill.  And the thing he is most proud of? – The quality of students this school sends to Stephenville.  The fact that when his students move on to the “big school”, many step into leadership roles -  proof to him that Morgan Mill ISD is doing a lot of things right.

As to why he has chosen to remain 23 years at a 110 student school instead of using it as a stepping stone, Edwards said that he contributed it to the community and staff and the fact that it was a great place to educate his own children and there is not a better place to go.

What I saw taught at Morgan Mill on this day was the best lesson in community I have ever witnessed.  What is special about Dean Edwards?   One parent responded, “My children are important to him”.  What makes Morgan Mill ISD a special place? Dean Edwards replied, “It’s the community.”  What I witnessed was a very powerful educational tool:  a community, school staff, and superintendent united in their focus of educating the students of the Morgan Mill community.  Morgan Mill has been fortunate to have Dean Edwards for 23 years and vice versa. Dean's excitement and energy tell me he has several more years left to lead Morgan Mill ISD

There are several of you out there, some with close to 23 consecutive years and some who fall in the retire/retire group, and I am compiling a list to include in another post.  I feel certain that you all have many characteristics in common.  If you have 20 years or more continuous superintendent experience in one district or know of someone who does, send me an email. - js webmaster@texasisd.com

Learning that Dean's wife Cindy is superintendent of Three-Way Independent School District, Stephenville, Texas, prompted me to recall other superintendent couples.  Since I brought Stephenville ISD up, I should note that superintendent Darrell Floyd's wife, Sheryl Floyd, is superintendent of Bluff Dale ISD in Bluff Dale, Texas.
Two additional Superintendent couples have retired - Larry Sullivan, superintendent of Texarkana ISD, and wife Rosanne as well as Jim Ward, retired superintendent of Harper, and wife Mary, superintendent of Dripping Springs.

History of Morgan Mill

From Left to Right Joe Smith - Dean Edwards - Martin Mill student - The rock wall is actually an original cistern that held the water supply for the school, pumped from a well by windmill