It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish.
These words are a mantra for Dr. Micah Dyer ’01, the Superintendent of Cuero Independent School District in south Texas.
“I came from a poor family that grew up on a farm,” he said. “Just because you didn’t come from something that wasn’t great doesn’t mean you can’t become great.”
The KWU alumnus completed his undergraduate in history and went on to teach and coach in several Texas districts. During that time, he earned both his master’s and doctorate in education from Stephen F. Austin State University.
“The reason I fell in love with teaching is that I struggled in school,” Dyer said. “I came from a poor family, and education was not important. Coach Johnston and Mr. Dunn kept me from dropping out of high school as a sophomore.”
His high school football coaches, Coach Williams and Coach Brown, motivated him to pursue a college education. Yet he still struggled.
“In college, I almost quit,” Dyer said. “The coaches were a positive influence on me. I made it through those struggles because along the way, I had good teachers and coaches who saw more in me than I saw in myself. They pushed me. Who would have thought I would be running a school now?”
While he loved playing football for several years at KWU, he ultimately chose to focus on academics.
“Dr. [Anita] Specht made me love history and doing the research to uncover the truth,” Dyer said.
In 2017, he began as the superintendent of Cuero I.S.D. At the time, 68 percent of high school graduates were enrolled in college, enlisted in the military or had employable skills/trade skills. In 2020, the number climbed to 97 percent, and this year 100 percent of graduates will be “enrolled, enlisted or employable.”
“We’re trying to make opportunities for our kids,” Dyer said. “Our goal here is to help kids become productive future citizens.”
The conclusion of this school year marks Dyer’s 20th year in education. He taught/coached for four and a half years, was principal/director for seven and a half years and is concluding his 11th year as a superintendent.
“I got into education because I wanted to see kids who didn’t think they had an opportunity or chance in life,” he said. “I am who I am because several teachers saw in me more than I ever saw in myself. I owe my whole life to education, and that is why I believe you have to give every child a chance no matter who they are, where or what they come from, or how they got there. Every child deserves to have someone to think they are wonderful and more than they think they could ever be. I am here because teachers didn’t give up on me. I owe every child that same passion.”
Story by Karen Bonar
