Dr. Avis Williams is Leading New Orleans Through Change

An Imperfect Leader

 Hello Imperfect Leaders!

 It's summer!! And for leaders, that means reflection. And it means planning for the coming year. It is for that reason that this week's episode is an encore episode specifically picked with your upcoming year in mind.

As Labor Day approaches, Season 3 will kick off. And I am so excited about THAT because  Jamie Almanzán from The Equity Collaborative will be joining me as a cohost and commentator. It's going to be great! So, sit back and enjoy this encore presentation of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast.

Intro: Hello Imperfect Leaders! On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina, a Category 3 hurricane with recorded wind speeds of 140 miles per hour devastated communities in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. I remember being a teacher in Missouri, and hearing reports of families heading north to find refuge all along the Mississippi River.

Our school system welcomed families, and quickly learned of their very specific needs. The children had been through a great deal of trauma. What I didn’t know until now was that after Katrina, in 2014, the New Orleans Public Schools transitioned from a traditional school district to a 100% charter school district. The superintendent would be hired by a school board, and it would be their responsibility to oversee and authorize each charter school (working with each charter school’s own school boards). What a task!

My guest this week describes that important work. Dr. Avis Williams is the New Orleans superintendent. She reminds us that “When you’re bringing people together around an issue, there is a difference between buy in and commitment (you’ll hear her say, “if people can buy in, they can be bought out.”). Listen for it.

She also describes the creation of a Joyful Educator Collaborative where she convenes teachers to learn more about what is going well as well as areas for continued growth. Thanks for tuning in!

Bio: Dr. Avis Williams is the superintendent of schools for the NOLA Public Schools in New Orleans, Louisiana. Prior to her historic appointment to lead the Nola Public Schools, Dr. Williams served as superintendent of Historic Selma City Schools in Selma, AL for five years.

An award-winning educator and sought-after speaker, she is a native of Salisbury, NC. A product of poverty, Dr. Williams dreamed of being a teacher from an early age. As a first generation 4-year college student, she followed the path of her older siblings and joined the Army right after high school. While in the Army, she was stationed at Fort Jackson, SC, Yongsan, Korea, and Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL.

Further Info: Dr. Williams is a leader, a learner, and an author. She is the author of Welcome to Chase Shadows and of professional articles like Leading with Joy as a Prerequisite to Better Outcomes. Additionally, she has a professional book (co-authored with Bren Elliott) coming out soon.

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At the end of every interview we have for teacher candidates, we say, “What questions do you have for us?” And they always ask, “What kind of support can I expect?” And we always say, “Don't worry, we'll give you a mentor.”

But it's not real mentorship. I mean, it's support with the difficult kid, or the field trip form, or the grade card. But it isn't coaching.

That's where partners like EdConnective step in. Because they provide real coaching, observations and feedback with practice. EdConnective ensures that every student thrives by facilitating exceptional educator growth. If you're looking for support for your people, for your leaders, for science of reading efforts, for recruitment and retention initiatives, check out EdConnective.com.

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Music for An Imperfect Leader was written and arranged by Ian Varley.

Sam Falbo created our artwork, a wood-print inspired daruma doll butterfly.

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My book, An Imperfect Leader: Leadership in (After) Action is available at Amazon.com or peterstiepleman.com.