Conversations with the Inspiring Michele Broughton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michele Broughton.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
At the age of 16, my world was rocked. It went from a calm state of normalcy and predictability to one of having to do life without my mother. She had been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer nine months earlier and had taken her last breath November 12, 1995. I made a promise to her on her death bed that I would finish school and go to college, which was what she wanted for my younger brother and me more than anything. I promised to study hard to become a doctor.

As I look back on that segment of my life, I am always amazed at how my ability to dream big started at such a young age. I went on to finish high school and was accepted into Clemson University as a Biology Pre-Medicine major. While I had always been disciplined in my studies and had always loved school, I struggled with managing my time and holding regular study hours as a college freshman. I had a mentor by the name of Mervin Williams who would support and push me to consider doing my best, but for some reason, I did not love biology the way I thought I did and I wanted out. In October of my first semester at Clemson, after almost failing out of a five credit hour class and lab, my biology professor called me in and told me he did not think his class was for me. I agreed and changed my major from Biology Pre-Medicine to Speech and Communications Studies with a minor in Journalism Writing.

Oh, did my life change immediately for the better. I instantly felt like I was placed in my element where I could shine and be me. I never once thought about the fact that speaking in front of people is utterly terrifying for a great majority of the earth’s population, but it was the thing that stimulated me and made me feel alive. I did not know what I wanted to do with my new major, but I was certain it would help me along my journey. I must digress for a moment to share about a football player who took many speech classes with me and throughout our journey he nicknamed me “Teach.” I was not sure if I should be offended because I had never, ever considered being an education major, much less a teacher to anyone. I just loved talking to people about their stories and learning more about what connects us to each other despite the geographical, racial, or class lines.

I fondly remember the day I was crossing the parking lot to go to the dining hall and I had to walk past the football players’ benches. This is where the team members congregated and socialized before meals and in between classes. The football player proceeded to yell out really loudly, “What’s up, Teach?” I was embarrassed because he yelled out to me in front of what felt like half of the campus for a role I did not associate with myself. I confronted him about it and he gave me a sheepish expression and said, ” I call you Teach because you just look like one. It fits you.” I stormed away thinking he had not heard anything I had said about being a journalist, writer, and up and coming news broadcaster at CNN. Those were my dreams.

Little did I know I would leave Clemson to move to Dallas with my then-fiancee to start a career in Marketing Communications and Accounting with two Fortune 500 companies. My dream of becoming a corporate executive ended the day I became Employee of the Month at Honda Finance Corporation. I went home that evening and got in bed. I was awakened around 3 a.m. that morning from a dream where the Lord himself told me I was going to teach. To say, I was perplexed and disillusioned is an understatement because teaching had never crossed my mind. I remember sitting up in the bed and looking to my left to see if my husband was witnessing the experience too, but he was sound asleep. I said “No, Lord, I am not a teacher. I don’t know that I even like kids. I don’t have kids of my own. I am not even trained to be a teacher.” As became more adamant about expressing why I was not a teacher, the voice said to me once more, “You will teach.” And that is how my education journey began.

When I think back on my early years of learning, I had always loved reading and writing and understanding the art of etymology, which is the study of words. I was the kid who enjoyed reading the dictionary and could never get enough of the parts of speech and how one’s interpretation of a word could mean different things to different people. I had been a good student until I chose the wrong major in college, but that wrong had been made right when I left my corporate job and entered the field of education. It took me until 2002 to get to Skyline High School in the Dallas Independent School District as an Alternative Certified teacher to share my learning experiences with ninth grade students. It was during this season that I became certified to teach English, Language Arts, and Reading for grades 8-12. Teaching at Skyline opened many doors for me because I was able to attend lots of professional development sessions to learn new strategies and techniques. It was my goal to bring the best experiences to the classroom each and every day and to show my students the possibilities that exist for them. I also had the privilege early on in my career to work on a curriculum development team. Little did I know, that one experience would open a few more doors for me.

One day, I received a call to interview for a Lead Reading Teacher position in the district’s Reading Department, now known as the English, Language Arts, Reading Department. I interviewed with the Director and was given the job. I spent nearly seven years in the central office as a Lead Reading Teacher/ELAR Instructional Coach. It was my job to help diagnose instructional issues and conduct gap analyses to identify the most efficient and effective means of helping teachers and teams to get better faster. During this time, I was recruited by the Area Superintendent of the Superintendent’s Learning Community, which was comprised of 13 high needs low performing campuses, to aid the District and State Improvement Teams in implementing effective strategies to improve student performance. I also had the privilege of serving several high performing schools and had the opportunity to better understand how the campuses maintained a culture of excellence each year.

From the central office, I received a call to return to a West Dallas campus in the heart of Oak Cliff as an assistant principal. When I got the call, I was excited about the change and the chance to learn, but I was also terrified because I knew the demand of the administrator role after working so closely with principals and other campus leaders for nearly seven years. I wanted to do a great job for the students, teachers, and the community. I had the privilege of serving Sunset High School as the Instructional Coach and then as the AP for three years. It was while working under the tutelage of the late Anthony Tovar, Jr. that I learned how to build effective teams and use data to make campus-wide instructional decisions that were in the best interests of students. As a result of focused planning, implementation, and courageous conversations we were able to move the school from being low-performing to meets standards. I will always remember my years at Sunset because they birthed something new in me as a school leader. I learned how to be a principal in that building and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

In the summer of 2013, I served as a summer school principal at a middle school campus. Prior to the start of the summer session, I applied for a principal position. I went through the interview process and became the principal of the School of Business and Management, a two-time recipient of the National Blue Ribbon Schools for Exemplary Performance distinction. It has truly been a joy to serve my school and to continue developing programs in the areas of Marketing, Business Management, and Information Technology while offering students a pathway to gaining certifications, four year college admissions to top tier research and highly selective schools, numerous financial aid packages, community partnerships, higher education services and partnerships, and wraparound services.

In the six school years, I have been at my campus, I have watched the lives of many students, teachers, and parents change for the better. I believe it is my role to bear witness to the seeds that have been planted in me to grow people and to take them on a journey they may not have otherwise considered. It has taken some time to live out what has become my philosophy – Begin with the best and give the best to all. This philosophy fuels my current work as a high school magnet principal and doctoral student and I am certain will propel my future work in the role of an urban school district leader.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I remember when I began my college journey, it was bittersweet because I did not have my mom by my side to share in the experience. I also remember going off to college feeling alone, but knowing deep down inside the I had to go and fulfill the promise I had shared with my mother before she died. Clemson University afforded me a great education and dynamic space to network and meet new people. One of the more challenging phases of attending Clemson was having to work two jobs to put myself through school and ensure all expenses were paid. I did not have many people to call on to help me out of a bind and I am truly grateful for the individuals who were there for me to assist in different seasons, I tell my students anything worthwhile will cost you something– time, energy, sleep, money. It is important to be able to see the sacrifice for what it is and what it means in the present to really be able to appreciate how far you have come in the future.

Perseverance is a learned experience. I do not believe anyone arrives in the world knowing how to navigate the challenges of life, but I have found that my faith and my support team have made me better and stronger through all of my trials. To the young women out there who are aspiring to be great in school or prepare for a career, my advice to them is to stay the course and remain focused on the end goal. When you remember your why and your purpose, then it is easier to accept the hardship as just a part of the journey that will pass.

What should we know about The School of Business and Management at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a learner, a lover of the arts, a teacher, a peer, a communicator, a coach, a student, and in my work as a high school magnet principal, I am a leader. I have the best and one of the toughest jobs on the planet. It is my joy and privilege to guide my students, faculty, parents, and community to a healthy space of creation and innovation. Educating students is a journey that requires everyone, which is why we coined the phrase “SBM Family Matters” at my school. As a leader, I believe it takes a village to impact change and to guide future leaders along the way. So, we make it a point to involve all stakeholders in our work to ensure we communicate a consistent message about growing our youth into globally and socially responsible citizens who are able to navigate the world and leave it better than they found it.

If you were to talk with my team, they would tell you I absolutely enjoy think tank experiences because I believe the answer to a problem is always in the room if we communicate well and can hear one another. Many of the marketing or advertising campaigns that are implemented at my school involve a team of people who allow me to guide the conversation with my vision as principal and creative director but they provide industry experience, a host of creative ideas, and a platform for teaching and learning. I am adept at drilling down to the root cause of an issue and identifying the best solution for the scenario and for students. I also have a knack for logistics. Our school is nationally and internationally renown and it is important to me to know how to host and plan large scale events for local businesses and industry partners as well as accommodate visiting delegations from various countries.

I think the thing that sets me apart from my peers is the type of school I am responsible for and because it is a business focused campus, we are challenged to remain on the forward edge of the curve. What we offer students has to be relevant when they enter college and the workforce. We have had quite an impact on our students over the years by aligning our programming to that of some of the nation’s best universities. This approach allows us to close any existing gaps in our curricula and challenges the faculty to stay abreast of the latest technology, resources, and techniques to engage students in courses such as Computer Programming, Networking and PC Maintenance, Web Technologies, Accounting, Global Business, Digital Media, and Virtual Business.

Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
I grew up as a PK, also known as a preacher’s kid and that experience has become such an important facet of my life. I was raised in a very conservative household and I did not have the freedom to explore the world as some of my friends did. My parents had very strict beliefs and my siblings and I knew we had to follow them. When I got to high school and college and things began to get hard, I remembered my scriptures and to stop and pray. I had been raised to know that I could pray and leave all of my burdens there and move forward. Well, here I am over twenty years later still praying and asking God for guidance each and every day in this great work I have been called to do. The work I do with young people is what I perceive to be a ministry in action and it is important that my service is done with a pure heart and with the right spirit. Prayer keeps me centered on the source of my strength when times are both awesome and difficult.

Contact Info:

• Address: School of Business and Management at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center
  1201. E. Eighth Street, Suite 241
  Dallas, TX 75203
• Website: https://www.dallasisd.org/Domain/659
• Phone: 972-925-5920
• Email: mibroughton@dallasisd.org
• Instagram: @SBM_TMC
• Facebook: @SBMTownview
• Twitter: @SBMTownview
• Other: Snap Chap: @SBMTownview

Image Credit:
Ryan Wade – Faculty photographer, 3to1 Awards Pic – Earl Holder

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