
2 minute read
WIZARDRY OF JANE WILLIAMS WILL ENDURE AT GSL
By
Roncal,
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Fourth Grade Teacher, Appointment 2000
For me, Jane started as a mentor who turned into a dear friend. When I arrived at GSL as a fourth-grade maternity leave substitute teacher in January 2016, I held many similarities to the fourth graders; I, too, was looking for guidance on what it meant to be a Saint.
Luckily, right next door to me was Jane Williams. Jane retires after 23 years as a fourth-grade teacher at the end of this school year. During her time at GSL, she was an exemplary role model who led her classes, the Williams’ Wizards, to learn long division, read their first chapter books, write a formal letter, and generally flourish. Yet, while Jane undoubtedly prepared the Wizards for academic success, her students' greatest acquisition was learning from a teacher who embodies human decency. Her high standards, deep personal regard for others, and commitment to ethical decision-making provided the bedrock for a successful fourth-grade program that prepared countless Lower Schoolers for the rigor of GSL's Middle School and productive lives beyond GSL.
Of course, Jane’s connection with GSL began years before she joined the faculty team. She sent two sons to GSL, John ’95 and Mark ’98, and served as president of the Parents’ Association from 1996-98. Her husband is legendary 3rd/4th grade basketball coach Bruce Williams, who has been helping prep boys for our Middle School basketball program through GSL Church league sports for the past 30 years, oftentimes alongside his son, alumnus Daniel Williams ’01.
Over the years, as Jane and I began to collaborate regularly, she showed me what it meant to be a teacher who is “all in.” Jane was always the first one to school each morning, the planner who kept the Wizards, my Roncal Rockstars, and even me on track, and the leader who would anticipate our next opportunity. During our conversations, I came to understand her deep passion for each child's success. The friendship we formed was due to our thoughtful partnership and the countless hours we spent talking and texting after school to plan activities, discuss ways to reach our students, and push each other to create the absolute strongest fourthgrade community. From these conversations, our early professional partnership bloomed into friendship, one that I will continue to cherish throughout my life.
It's from our friendship that I learned what it means to be a Williams' Wizard:
• To learn more than you ever imagined within one short year.
• To exhibit respect for the Episcopal tradition.
• To know that hard work leads to success.
• To value the learning process as much as the learning outcome.
• To understand that respect and kindness are enduring traits.
• To embrace – and learn from – new ideas and perspectives.
• To emerge a more ethical human working toward a brighter future for you and others.
And so much more.
Jane led so many students to success during her years at GSL, and she led me there, too. I consider myself a de facto Wizard because, just like she did for her students, she imparted those same Wizard values to me. From these values, I've forged my career as an educator and found a home at GSL. I know we all congratulate Jane on a tremendous and impactful career, and we wish her well as she embarks on her next journey.