Areas of expertise
- Early Childhood Education
- Special Education
- Elementary Education
- Families & Communities
- Child Development
Education
- M.Ed., Early Childhood Education, Stephen F. Austin University, 2010
- B.S., Elementary Education with minor in Special Education, Sam Houston State University, 2002
About Michelle Cusick
Michelle Cusick is a lecturer of Teacher Education and serves as the Early Childhood Education Coordinator at Fort Lewis College. She joined the college in August of 2025. Cusick's experiences and interests in early childhood education focus on positive guidance strategies, universal design for learning, family and community engagement, and developmentally appropriate teaching practices. Prior to joining Fort Lewis College, Cusick served as the executive director of Seeds of Learning, a non-profit preschool in Pagosa Springs. She brings over 20 years of experience in education, spanning P-3 and higher education. Cusick was a lecturer at Baylor University, and she held the role of lead instructor/coordinator of Teacher Education at Arkansas State University where she devoted expertise to leading curriculum development and future teacher mentorship.
Michelle holds a Colorado Professional Teacher License for Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education as well as a Large Center Director Certificate for Colorado. She is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and serves on the Early Childhood Council of La Plata County and Colorado Early Childhood Higher Education Partnership. In her free time, Michelle enjoys fly fishing, hiking, and spending time with her husband. She is the proud mom to two amazing young adults.
Cusick CV
Selected Publications
Cusick, M. & Izumi-Taylor, S. (Winter, 2013). Class meetings: Using conflict resolution to promote self-regulation in children. Early Years, 34 (1).