Name: Gina Williams
Age: 43
Family: Robert Williams, husband; Riley Williams, age 10; Reiter Williams, age 7. Both children attend Elbert Elementary School.
Where were you born? Where did you grow up? I was born in Kingsport, Tenn. I spent my first-grade year at Southwest Elementary School in Lakeland while my father coached football at Auburndale High School. When my father was offered a position returning to Kingsport, Tenn., coaching football, we moved back to Kingsport, Tenn. When I graduated from high school, I returned to Florida.
How long have you been the principal of WHHS? How long have you been an educator? This is my second year as principal of WHHS and I have been in education for 16 years.
What drew you to choose education as a career? I wanted to help those students who had difficulties in their learning and this is why I chose to attain a teaching certificate in exceptional student education (special education).
Where did you attend school? Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport, Tenn., graduated in 1984. Received a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Warner Southern College, took emotionally disturbed certification courses from the University of South Florida and received my master's degree in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University.
What's your favorite movie or book that deals with education? "Freedom Writers."
What's a typical day like for you? I'm usually at work by 5:30 a.m. trying to get caught up with my e-mail, which is normally approximately 112 e-mails per day. I try to get tasks accomplished during this time because once school begins, the day-to-day activities keep me very busy. My favorite time of the work day is classroom walk-throughs and lunch duty. Both of these activities allow me to talk to the students and staff. My normal conversations with students are about motivating them to stay on task, keep up their grades and stay out of trouble. Because the students know that I treat them as if they were my own children, they don't want to disappoint me and know that they need to continue to work on their behavior and grades.
What's something folks might not know about the job of a principal? You are constantly on the go. I must wear many hats as a mother, manager, instructional leader and disciplinarian while maintaining positive relationships with parents, students, staff and community organizations. I keep telling myself that Rome wasn't built in a day, but I feel that the staff and students of Winter Haven High School are making the necessary strides to make a difference.
How do you relax? When I don't have an activity at school, I enjoy spending time with my family, sitting by the swimming pool and taking the boat out on the Chain of Lakes.
