Missey Head: My Story

My grandmother, embarrassed by my reluctance to speak to anyone outside our immediate family,  once described me to friends, relatives, and colleagues as mute.  My third grade teacher recommended theatrical training to overcome extreme shyness. The day my mother drove me to the theatre to begin my first acting class, I cried hysterically.  Reluctant to leave me alone at the theatre, my mother stayed to observe the class.  Upon arrival, I was given ten minutes to learn and rehearse material for an immediate performance.  When it was my turn to perform, I approached center stage with great trepidation.  As I turned to face the audience, I could feel hundreds of eyes gazing at me.  And then, a funny thing happened.  I took a deep breath, opened my mouth, and spoke for the first time in the presence of strangers.  The warmth of the stage lights, the thrill of performance, and the smell of the theatre suddenly provided the comfort, confidence, and support I needed to find my voice.  It was then that I found my home and my purpose.

I, like my parents and grandparents before me, have dedicated my life to the field of education.  I knew as early as the fifth grade that I wanted to share my love of theatre by becoming a theatre teacher, director, and mentor for others.  After graduating from Southwest Texas State University with a BFA in 1983, I began my first teaching assignment in my hometown of Odessa, Texas.  A graduate of Permian High School, the cross-town rival, I was fortunate the principal at Odessa High School took a chance on such an inexperienced young woman. The teachers and administrators at Odessa High School welcomed me into the world of education with open arms and through their dedicated efforts,  I received the  training to become a confident and seasoned educator.  The success enjoyed throughout my career can be attributed to the teachers at Odessa High School who cared enough to provide the solid foundation and influence I would need to effectively share my love for theatre with students and colleagues.  After ten glorious years at Odessa High School, my husband David, a banker, was transferred to Victoria, Texas. I taught one year at Hopkins Academy of Fine Arts and one year at Patti Welder Middle School before transferring to Industrial High School in Vanderbilt, Texas for the next two years. The experiences I had in Victoria and Vanderbilt were transformative tools and resources I continue to utilize and depend upon in everyday practices.  Transferred again, my husband and I moved back to Odessa/Midland, and for the next three years, I taught at Permian High School.  Teaching at my alma mater was an honor I will forever appreciate and value.  During my time as a student at Permian High School I learned about the culture of  “Permian magic.”   In short, Permian magic is nothing more than a belief that passion and dedication along with hard work and determination will lead to great success.  We learned to work harder and longer than our competitors and we strove as a cohesive team to achieve common goals.  These tenets served me well during my career as I developed new programs and rejuvenated existing programs.  In 2001, we were transferred to the Dallas area.  For the next twelve years, I taught at Creekview High School in Carrollton, Texas.  The first several years, I worked and learned alongside Demond Wilson, an incredibly talented artist and visionary.  His unique directing styles and teaching philosophies changed my life as an educator, an artist and as a person.   As a result of what I learned from Demond during those special years together, the initial career goals I set for myself exceeded beyond anything I could have ever imagined.  I experienced success on a level I never dreamed of achieving.   I am most proud of the twelve appearances at the UIL State One-Act Play Competition which included one state championship, five second places, and one third place.  Equally important are the national and state championships awarded for Dramatic Interpretation at the National Speech and Debate Association and Texas Forensic Association competitions.  I will forever remain humbled by the recognitions I have received such as the Sponsor of Excellence from Southwestern Bell and the Secondary Educator of the Year, and Founders Award from the Texas Educational Theatre Association.

 In 2012,  the Lewisville Independent School District asked me to serve as the Assistant Director of Fine Arts overseeing the theatre, dance, and art teachers. I eagerly agreed and spent the next eight years developing curriculum, providing innovative professional development and training opportunities, and a new standard for setting goals and achieving excellence.   I wanted LISD to become the destination location in the state for teachers and students in the arts.   With the help of the teachers and students I worked with, we did just that.

Throughout my career, I instinctively knew I would need to learn from and work with others who had more experience than I did.  I knew I would need to be a life-long learner, and I understood the importance of creating networking opportunities.  To that end, I served as a member then as a chair and past chair for the UIL Theatre Advisory Committee. I was selected to serve as the Programming Chair and Convention Director of Programming before being elected as the President/CEO for the Texas Educational Theatre Association.  During my presidency, I was committed to improving, updating, and augmenting organizational resources and services necessary to provided continued support for theatre educators in Texas.    

While I have enjoyed success as a theatre teacher, an Assistant Director of Fine Arts, and as the President of the Texas Educational Theatre Association,  I am excited to begin a new adventure as a retiree and consultant.  Through my company, Missey Head Consulting, I hope to share my expertise and training in theatre, dance, and art with teachers and students across the state and nation.  I hope to collaborate with school administrators to provide strategies for designing, assessing, and evaluating current curriculum structures, professional development, clinics, contest management, independent teacher/student coaching,  department evaluation,  and venue assessments.

Who would have believed that a shy girl from Odessa, Texas  would receive such a magnitude of blessings and inspiration from so many mentors, teachers, colleagues, students, family, and friends? Although  I may have been a “mute” for a brief period in my life, I learned to find my voice as an educator, a theatre advocate, a leader, and a mentor to others.  I can think of no better way to thank those who encouraged me than to help others find their own voice and discover their passion for learning.       

AWARDS AND achievements