Dr. Dawn Williams has served the Rome City Schools system for 21 years, and her role as an educator and administrator give her a unique perspective when addressing system-wide strategies. It is for this reason that Superintendent Louis Byars recommended to the RCS Board of Education that she be named Associate Superintendent of Rome City Schools for her contributions to the overall vision he has for the schools and their stakeholders.
During the May 2021 school board meeting, Board members unanimously approved her title change and additional duties as she continues to serve the system.
“My new role is more of a transition and not necessarily a change in my responsibilities,” Dr. Williams explained when asked how her time in Central Office will now be spent. “For the past three years, Mr. Byars has increased my responsibilities, including the number of directors I am solely responsible for overseeing. Next year, we are promoting up two coordinators to specialists. They will be under my direct supervision, whereas before they reported to another director in our office. Really, my prior position was designed to supervise elementary school principals, and the teaching and learning curriculum area. But, through the years, I have become increasingly involved in secondary operations and decisions because that is my background. I have served this system as assistant principal or principal at all three levels. I also have worked with discipline policies a lot, and I currently assist with those challenges.”
Dr. Williams said that through her work at multiple levels in the RCS system, she has a firm understanding of how to create procedures geared towards the mission of Rome City Schools. Her understanding of what administrators are going through shape her ideas about school programs and policies.
“I can often put myself in their shoes, which helps me relate to most things that come up,” she said. “I also look at things from a district perspective to make sure our plans are meeting the needs of everyone who is invested in the education of our students.”
Much of this decision by Superintendent Byars comes through his work with Dr. Williams when formulating budgets, personnel, and daily operations. She said that working on these initiatives has helped her to see the system from his perspective, and not just from key areas she was responsible for supporting, like learning and curriculum. By Superintendent Byars allowing her to make recommendations, she has been able to learn a tremendous amount about other areas of importance in a school system.
“It feels good to know that our leadership values my work and my ideas. I am definitely blessed to work in such a great school system. I have been here for so long and worked in so many different roles. If someone told me I would be sitting here today, I would not have believed them. So, when Mr. Byars told me about this, I was honored to accept the challenge,” Dr. Williams said.
“Over the last three years, we have been able to tap into her expertise because she has worked at all levels,” Byars said when explaining his decision of recommending her new role and title. “She compliments my experience in different areas, so we have been able to gradually give her more responsibilities in our system. She is already overseeing the elementary schools and we are adding more to her plate. So, her title needed to reflect that role. Because the role has grown so much, and I have asked so much of her, I felt it was appropriate to recognize her increased responsibilities. Her involvement is priceless and to have a different viewpoint provides balance. Most of the time, we are in agreement, and her input helps me to make the best decisions for our students and for our teachers.”
