Michael Hooten

Michael Hooten

Chief Operating Officer

Michael was Founder & Superintendent/CEO of an innovative environmental charter school, Trinity Environmental Academy, as well as the Executive Director of Destination Wilderness Youth, an outdoor adventure club that runs in several charter districts in Dallas County. As the COO & Chief Consultant at DSS, he is responsible for due diligence analysis and articulating the needs of each client, managing our team of consultants to best support client success.

Michael has experience working in DFW charter schools since 2003. His experience in education has brought him through years as a certified science teacher, instructional coach, leadership roles of Dean of Instruction and Secondary Director, and Director of Project Management at one of the largest charter networks in North Texas before opening his own charter and his wilderness adventure non-profit. During his instructional tenure, he led up to 60 teachers and staff in a TEA Exemplary Rated District, developed the programming for and was awarded an IB World School designation from the International Baccalaureate Organization, received the highest “model school” rating as a T-STEM school Director, was identified as having 2012’s #8 and 2013’s #5 Most Transformational Schools in America as determined by Newsweek, and facilitated a 19% average increase in AP scores in just one year – a district and network best. This was a result of his transformational leadership style, instructional knowledge, meticulous team development, and self-motivating scholar achievement strategies.

As a professional educator, he has been a servant leader in DFW urban communities developing and advocating for the at-risk, gifted, special populations and socioeconomically challenged scholars his entire career. It is here he finds his greatest joy and drive for systemic educational reform and learning equality for all people, collaborating with effective and passionate educators who want to share in this worthy mission. Michael is a graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, has two adopted sons, two adorable grandsons, and enjoys camping, hiking, and rock climbing. His passion for educational and environmental justice is what drives him to challenge the visible and invisible inequities to ensure a level playing field for all children.

 

If you are interested in how DSS can help your organization or how to become a DSS employee, please contact michael@dssedu.com

Next Post
James Dworkin, CPA
Previous Post
DaiAnn Mooney, CPA
Menu