Wendy WilliamsonProfessional Experience Overview

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Education• University of St. Thomas, Houston TX

Bachelor of Education 1995 Magna Cum Laude

• University of Houston, Houston TX Master of Social Work 2001

• University of St. Thomas, Houston TX Principal Certification (Candidate July 2015)

• Certifications Special Education, EC-12, Early Child, Self-Contained 1-8, English 1-8, Art EC-12 Principal, ILD, PDAS (Candidate July 2015)

Child Advocate• Harris County Children’s Protective Services

Conservatorship Caseworker 19955-1997“Caseworker of the Year” 1996

Develop Family Plan of Service to reduce or remove risk of abuse and neglect for the purpose of reunifying the family

Develop Plan of Service to ensure that the physical, emotional, health, educational and residential needs of children in conservatorship of the state are met

Perform Diligent search for permanent placement of children that remain at risk in their home. Conduct home study to determine appropriateness of placement.

Collaborate with County Attorney to establish legal permanency goals with casework goals. Prepare affidavits and recommendations to the Family and Juvenile Courts that are in the best interest of the children. Provide testimony in court.

Child Advocate• Child Advocates, Inc.

Advocacy Coordinator/Casework Supervisor 1997-2000 Recruit, retain, train and supervise Court Appointed Guardian Ad litem volunteers to

advocate for children in the foster care system. Supervise 25 volunteer advocates. Supervise 7 Advocacy Coordinators. Collaborate with families, foster parents, mental health providers, attorneys, Children’s

Protective Services, social workers and other family service providers to develop a plan of service and to assess the family’s progress in order to make recommendations to the court that are in the best interest of the children

Research contributor in a program evaluation: “Effectiveness and Evidence” Speakers’ bureau member

Child Advocate• Communities in Schools

Program Coordinator/21st Century After-School Coordinator 2000-2001• Provide social services to students and families that included referrals for physical resources,

mental health and medical resources• Conduct home visits with teachers and school staff to make contact with parents regarding

concerns about their children• Provide individual and group counseling for students • Coordinate the 21st Century After-School program for 2nd-5th graders (300 Students).

Manage a budget of $150,000.• Made schedules for academic assistance and enrichment classes.• Hired and handled payroll for teachers and contractors

Community Leader• Harris County Political Party

Elected Precinct Chair 2008-2010• Applied campaign principles to effectively manage my campaign for the office. Won election with

82% of the vote. This was the second highest percentage of votes received by a party candidate in Harris County.

• Participated in Annie’s List Campaign Leadership Program• Collaborated with an United States congressional campaign and other precinct chairs to

promote the candidate. Campaign strategies included block walks, phone banking, and promote voter registration

• Utilized the Voter Action Network data base to identify potential voters and voters that may be supportive of the party to create a plan of action to contact on behalf of candidates

• Acted as Election Judge and staffed the polling location

Community Leader• Copperfield Home Owners’ Association

Board Director/Parks and Pools Chair 2010-2014• Board member for Copperfield Neighborhood. Copperfield is a 2,000 acre, 7,500 home, residential and

commercial mater planned community. The yearly operating budget is in excess of 5 million dollars.• Oversaw the pool maintenance, rules and schedules. Accepted yearly bids for pool maintenance.

Managed pool maintenance contract. Oversaw park maintenance. Accepted bids and managed landscape contract.

• Developed and implemented a pool and park improvement project. Designed new color scheme, sign designs, park furniture and pool furniture. Accepted bids, selected vendors and planned logistics for work to commence.

• Coordinated “Yard of the Month” and Holiday Decorating Contest for all Villages in Copperfield.• Planned yearly pool parties and movie nights in the park• Wrote monthly newsletter

Educator• Nottingham Elementary, Spring Branch ISD

Kindergarten Teacher 2001-2007Art Specialist 2007-2009• Campus Improvement Team• Team Leader• Facilitated data driven differentiated and small group instruction.• Implemented the Guided Reading, Daily Five and Project Based Learning philosophies• Taught the principles and elements of art using a variety of mediums and processes. Guided

student through the Feldman art criticism model.• Built successful relationships with a highly involved parent base and Parent Teacher

Association

Educator• Spring Shadows Elementary, Spring Branch ISD

Art Specialist 2009-PresentAdministrative Inter Fall 2012 and Spring 2015• Team Leader• Taught the principles and elements of art using a variety of mediums and processes. Guided students through the

Feldman art criticism model.• Integrated math and science into the art curriculum• Developed and implemented a data driven math improvement project • Chaired the school carnival• Chaired the “Color Explosion” event for the Coordinated School Health Action Committee• Participated in STAAR coordinator training and assisted campus testing coordinator with administration of STAAR• Coordinated the election of staff, parents and community members for the Campus Improvement Team

Teaching with Love and Logic

Teaching with Love and LogicTeaching with Love and Logic: Taking Control of the Classroom, By Jim Fay and David Funk.I selected Teaching with Love and Logic for the book review because my current administration has implemented the philosophy in this book as a school code of ethics. The assistant principal is an expert at utilizing Love and Logic when interacting with student regarding discipline issues. My principal touts the effectiveness of establishing relationship with our students and families. In the book, Fay shares a quote by William Purkey that supports my administration’s use of relationship building to increase positive student behavior changes. Purkey “demonstrates that each time a student improved his/her behavior it could be tracked back to the fact that a student had made a connection with an adult at the school. Bluntly stated, you can’t get into an adversarial relationship with a student and expect the child to be cooperative.In their book, Teaching with Love and Logic: Taking Control of the Classroom, Jim Fay and David Funk offer educators alternative ways to communicate with their students. The Love and Logic process includes sharing control and decision-making, using empathy with consequences, and enhancing the self-concept of children. They assert that their methods lead to improved student behavior and achievement.

The Love and Logic philosophy states the importance of adults providing limits in a caring way. It involves building students up so they feel more capable, even after being disciplined. When interacting with students, educators need to stay calm and avoid provoking, threatening, moralizing or lecturing. Fay and Funk recommend that educators use polite statements that are enforceable and offer children choices within limits, thus avoiding power struggles. Discipline is maintained with compassion and understanding. They describe childhood misbehavior as an opportunity for helping children grow through their mistakes. Their methods help children learn to be responsible and gain self-confidence.

These authors value children and place a heavy emphasis on the importance of treating them with respect and dignity. They contend that successful teachers know that they must build a positive relationship with their students because they cannot make children do their best by being angry with them. They assert that sharing control and stopping undesirable behaviors early are most effective, and that getting to know students on a personal basis can have many benefits.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, By Stephen CoveyIn The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People demonstrates how to balance the multiple roles and demands that professionals and leaders encounter in their lives. Many years ago, I held a position in a child advocacy agency. This position required many hours of work, managing a multitude of cases and supervising volunteers and case managers. At the same time, I was in graduate school. Time management and balance became an issue for me. My employer sent all their supervisors to a three day seminar given by Franklin Covey. We received Covey day planners and the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I decided to review this book again. It provided tools on how to: take initiative, balance priorities, improve interpersonal communication, take advantage of collaboration, and apply principles for achieving a balanced life. Here is a synopsis of the tools taught in this book: ›Be ProactiveAs human beings, we are responsible for our own lives. We have the independent will to make our own choices and decisions, and the responsibility ("the ability to respond") to make the right choices. You have the freedom to choose your own fate and path, so having the independent will, imagination and self-awareness to make the right move makes you a proactive, and not a reactive, person.›Begin with the End in MindMental visualization is extremely important. Covey says that all things are created twice: first, the mental conceptualization and visualization and a second physical, actual creation. Becoming your own creator means to plan and visualize what you're going to do and what you're setting out to accomplish and then go out and creating it. Identifying your personal statement and your principles will help.›Put First Things FirstWith your power of independent will, you can create the ending you want to have. Part of that comes with effective time management, starting with matters of importance. Then tasks should be completed based on urgency after you deal with all the important matters. If you deal with crises, pressing problems and deadline-driven projects first, your life will be a lot easier.›Think Win/WinIf you believe in a better way to accomplish goals that's mutually beneficial to all sides, that's a win/win situation. "All parties feel good about the decision and feel committed to the action plan," Covey wrote. "One person's success is not achieved at the expense or exclusion of the success of others." If you have integrity and maturity, there's no reason win/win situations can't happen all the time.›Seek First to Understand, Then to be UnderstoodIf you're a good listener and you take the time to understand a concept, it will help you convey your opinions, plans and goals to others. It starts with communication and strong listening skills, followed by diagnosing the situation and then communicating your solution to others.›SynergizeSynergistic communication, according to Covey, is "opening your mind and heart to new possibilities, new alternatives, new options." This applies to the classroom, the business world and wherever you could apply openness and communication. It's all about building cooperation and trust.›Sharpen the SawSometimes you're working so hard on the other six habits that you forget about re-energizing and renewing yourself to sharpen yourself for the tasks in front of you. Some sharpening techniques include exercise and nutrition, reading, planning and writing, service and empathy and commitment, study and meditation.