Williamson and her husband have one daughter.
Tell me about your background, schools attended, family, etc.
I grew up in the small community of Marseilles. My Midwestern family consisted of five children, with a stay-at-home mother, a working father, one car that only my father drove, one telephone on a party line, and one black-and-white TV.
I attended the public schools in Marseilles, and after finishing high school, I attended Illinois State University, earning a Bachelors degree in education. I started my career by working in special education. Following teaching experiences in early childhood and elementary education, I had the opportunity to teach young adults at Illinois Valley Community College. While working at IVCC, I completed my Masters degree at Northern Illinois University; met my husband, Nile; and relocated to Peoria, where his law practice was located. I worked in administration at East Peoria Community High School and became a mother of our 16-year-old daughter. I worked with Peoria Public Schools District #150 as principal of Richwoods High School and as an assistant superintendent, prior to joining the Dunlap School District as superintendent.
Who or what influenced you to become an educator?
As a student, I thoroughly enjoyed going to school, especially during my high school years. I went to a small high school of 400 students, which permitted me to be very active in extra-curricular activities. I was student council president and had a close working relationship with the principal, Michael Trad. Mr. Trad encouraged me to go to college and helped me acquire a teaching scholarship. Becoming a teacher was a natural decision for me because I thrived in the school setting. My husband has had the greatest influence on my career in administration. He’s been very supportive of my work schedule and has encouraged and motivated me to pursue different opportunities. He willingly has shared in the raising of our daughter and frequently enjoys attending school events with me. I couldn’t have had such an active career in administration without his support.
And as school opened this fall, I went back to school for the 46th time with no regrets, but with the excitement that each and every school year has brought to me.
Do you have a specific philosophy of teaching that has guided your career?
Continuing my education made a great impact on my life. I can’t imagine how different my life would have been if I hadn’t attended college. I feel fortunate that I was influenced to make the decision to acquire an education at a time—in the early 1970s—when continuing education was a major decision for women. As a result, I’m very passionate about the quality of education we provide for students. I don’t think there’s a more important goal than providing exemplary opportunities for our students to be equipped to compete academically at the collegial level or in the work force.
Recalling the supportive relationships I had with teachers, I understand the need for a nourishing environment for students. Extra-curricular activities are necessary to reinforce the values of team work, commitment, and to simply make school an enjoyable experience.
How has the classroom changed in the past decade?
Educators have learned to use testing data to drive decision-making. We’ve been influenced by the state mandates to test students, and the sharing of the results of the tests with the public has become our report cards. The test data has had a direct impact on the curriculum. We’ve aligned our curriculum with the state’s test standards. In this way, the testing process has somewhat directed the curriculum for the students in the State of Illinois.
The term “white flight” out of District 150 to Dunlap School District has been used more regularly in the media. What are some of the reasons for the growth of the Dunlap School District?
For the past two school years, we’ve tracked where our new Dunlap students come from. Only about 15 percent of our growth is a shift from District 150. The majority of our new students are from families moving into the Peoria area from other locations. There’s been extensive new construction and development of subdivisions in the City of Peoria that are located in the Dunlap School District; this enhances the decision for families to buy these homes. Since approximately 70 percent of our students live in the City of Peoria, it’s been a great marriage between the city and the Dunlap School District.
What makes Dunlap students so successful?
The Dunlap School District is successful because we have a combination of factors working well together. Our students come to us ready to learn, and their parents have high expectations of the school system. The Board of Education has had great vision bringing the district through rapid growth, maintaining financial stability, and providing state-of-the-art facilities. The teachers are highly trained, extremely competent, energetic, and willing to try new techniques. The support staff takes great pride in their contributions to the system, providing clean schools, safe and reliable transportation, and friendly customer services. The administrative team is progressive, dynamic, and continually learning. There’s a harmonious working relationship between the board, the administration, and the staff.
You were the principal at Richwood’s High School for four years prior to becoming assistant superintendent of Peoria Public Schools. How has No Child Left Behind affected District 150?
The accountability system of No Child Left Behind has affected every school district. The impact of the testing system has left its mark on schools. The intent of the law was to hold schools accountable for the success of all students. The success is determined by one factor: the state test that determines if students are meeting or exceeding the state’s standards of achievement. This single factor has labeled a school as successful or failing. Education is much more complex than a single factor, but school choice for students attending the “failing” school is a major change. It remains to be seen if the school choice option will be successful.
It’s been reported that at least half of District 150 schools should be closed. How would the loss of neighborhood schools affect students in Peoria?
Closing schools due to the need to downsize in District 150 is similar to Dunlap choosing to redistrict students to different schools due to growth issues. Families and students become very attached to their neighborhood schools. As administrators, we cultivate this attachment and support of our schools, so when the need to change occurs, it evokes an emotional reaction from our families and students. Generally with schools, students will make three typical transitions: from home (or a preschool experience) to kindergarten, elementary school to middle school, and then from middle school to high school. When there’s a need for another transition due to school districts reconfiguring, it’s helpful if families accept the fact that their children are making another transition that isn’t a customary one, but the adjustments will be made easier with the support from home and the schools working together.
How important is the addition of foreign language at the middle and grade school level?
First and foremost we need to concentrate on the basics in education: reading, writing, arithmetic, science, and social studies. We enhance the curriculum with subjects such as foreign languages and the fine arts. In today’s global society, foreign language development is an absolute must in our schools. Not only is instruction in language important, but cultural awareness and diversity training are just as crucial.
What are the unique challenges the Dunlap School District faces in the next 10 years?
Staying in front of our steady growth is our unique challenge. It’s very important to expand our schools in sync with the growth, which means building new schools or making expansions to existing schools in tandem with the growth. We use enrollment projections to assist in the planning, but building a new school can be a two-year process from inception to actually moving in. We anticipate that our growth in the next 10 years will continue, and we’ll plan accordingly.
What are the challenges students face in the classroom today that weren’t there a decade years ago?
The use of technology has made today’s classrooms different from 10 years ago. Students use the Internet for research and acquiring information, they do Power Point presentations, and they communicate through e-mail and text messaging. Some students even take classes online. Students have welcomed the challenge of being computer literate. Students of today are very comfortable in the online world; a paper-based system doesn’t always make sense to students who’re coming up through the school system. A few years ago, I remember sitting side by side with my daughter as she taught me how to use Power Point. The use of technology will drive society to new heights for the consumers of tomorrow.
What would be your ideal curriculum for teaching students in our global society?
Students who can read, write, and compute well will have an advantage in our global society. I know a key element of teaching is to instill the ability to deal with change. Out of school and on the job, students must be willing to be continuous learners because our world is always in flux. Through the schooling process, students learn about how to compete with others, to share interpersonal relationships with peers and authority figures, and to respect the rights of others from diverse backgrounds.
What advice do you have for parents of school-aged children?
If I could give one piece of advice to parents I would suggest they learn about their children in terms of their abilities and intellectual potential. Once parents have an understanding of their children’s abilities, they can respond more appropriately to expectations of their children. There are children who are gifted and those with special needs. Understanding one’s children helps parents know if a child is over-achieving or under-achieving. I recall attending a teacher conference concerning my daughter with my husband. He was carefully looking at her test scores, and he very pointedly asked, “What does this stanine score mean?” It was a very good question, and the teacher’s answer helped to guide him as to what he could expect from our daughter. Being a well-informed parent will shed some light onto your child’s ability as a student. Each child is significant, and there’s no person who’s a more essential teacher than his own parent. TPW