September is a good time to reflect on the contributions of those who have served Williams School

Yesterday I saw a facebook post from the "I grew up in Auburndale" page. It noted the death of former Williams principal Merton C. Tefft, and included a link to the obituary. The post tugged at me for a couple of reasons. I learned about his tenure at Williams a few years ago, when I created a short video of the history of the school. I included a picture of Mr. Tefft in the video because he became the first full time principal of the school when the administration decided to give Burr and Williams their own administrator. Prior to 1955 they shared a principal and the two schools were called the Burr-Williams district. I was truly saddened to hear of his passing and although I was a student in NPS when he was principal and not an educator during his tenure, I felt I had lost a Williams colleague. I read so many good memories from his former students under the obituary post and it made me feel good that he was so fondly remembered by the community he served. I've been at Williams long enough now that I have seen many fine educators retire or move on from Williams to other adventures. All of them contributed to making Williams the vital place it is today for our students and staff. Even though many are not walking the halls anymore, I know they are still at Williams in the minds eye of the students they served. As I begin this year at Williams I want to express my gratitude to Mr. Tefft and all the educators who have served Williams School and my promise to continue to serve Williams in the fine tradition that I and my current colleagues have been entrusted to preserve. We can add to the legacy and it is our responsibility and honor to have the opportunity. Let's have a great year for the Williams Community, past, present, and future.