Dean Nawla Williams’ time at Fishers High school is coming to a close this year. After originally starting during the pandemic in 2020, she stayed for five more years. From dean to director, she will soon begin a new leg of her career at Fishers Academy. The Hamilton Southeastern Fishers Academy is a learning environment for students to gain extra support.
Williams shared her thoughts and feelings regarding her near departure from Fishers High School, her experiences and what she is excited about heading into the academy.
Q: Why did you originally come to FHS?
A: So, I actually went through the same administrative program, that Jason Urban finished at Butler. One of my projects was to come to Fishers again during COVID, so I worked with him to get the project done. Then when I finished, he said he had this dean’s position open. Again, I was a new administrator. You just want to get your foot in the door. But all my kids went here… I absolutely love Fishers, I’ve been supporting them since my kids were here. It seemed like a really good opportunity to give back to the school that educated my babies.
Q: What was it like here during COVID? Was it a challenge?
A: Oh, it was horrible. That was when in the lunchroom, we [deans] had to stand on the, you know, eight feet or whatever feet apart. I had to enforce that. We had to enforce masks. And then we were on that weird 50-50 split for a while. It was rough. So, that was my introduction into it [being a dean]. It just seemed like we had to enforce a lot of stuff that was not normal for a school.
Q: What challenges have you faced here? How did you overcome them?
A: The toughest thing about being a dean is that somebody has to be the one to hold people accountable. I say that to say, the only reason why I can sleep at night is because I know that if I do it the right way and I’m fair, I am helping everybody get prepared for adulthood. Life is coming. There are rules that you have to follow to be a good citizen of society, including things like not being late for work. So, you know, if I was late for work too many times, I would be fired. When you look at attendance that way, I’m helping everybody get ready for what’s coming and giving people the skills to [be an] adult well. It’s the same thing I did with raising my kids. So, I don’t do anything to anybody that I wouldn’t do to my kids as their mom. Now I’m seeing them thrive as adults. And sometimes I feel like I’m the mom of my group and I’m the one that has to help them get it, but I also believe in doing that in a positive way and it not jeopardizing my relationship with that person too. So, I should be able to put in whatever consequence I need to put in and then give you a hug if you need one, that’s how I look at it.
Q: What has been your favorite thing about working here?
A: Students. This is the first year that I’ve been a dean of students, but before this year I was the academic dean. And so, I got to help graduate kids and that was super fun. Like, putting in support through our MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) process that gets our students to finish and graduate was just the best. I absolutely loved it, which is why I wanted to do the job at the academy because that’s essentially what they’re doing. It’s exactly the same supports that students need. Giving me a group that I can help cheer across the finish line as they get their diploma, it is just the best feeling in the world.
Q: Tell me about that. What is your new role as director?
A: So, what’s neat is in that first role I had as academic dean, I would kind of figure out who needed to go to the Academy for whatever reason. I had to see who needed the seat the most back then, and part of it was I would go visit our students once a week. Every Wednesday, I’d take cookies over and check in with our students to see how they were doing. And because of that, I saw how the Academy worked and their staff and I just fell in love with everything that they were doing because it aligns with my beliefs for education. They are just the best group of people. When Brandon Cloud [Academy Director] got the new position, I wanted to try to see if I could get it because it’s almost like my dream job. Again, I just want to help kids graduate and come alongside them and not have to be so heavy handed as a dean. It’s a little different over there.
Q: Did you learn about that position from working here?
A: Yeah. I worked with Mr. Cloud the whole time, so I know the staff really, really well. I’m super excited to just support them any way that they need.
Q: How is the Academy different from a traditional school?
A: Two things make it work for sure. First, the staff. You will never see that staff dysregulated. They are the calmest, most compassionate, accepting people, but they still hold kids accountable…They still hold you accountable for coming to school. They still hold you accountable for getting your work done, but the approach is different. People respond to it. So, the staff is the first thing. And then, the program itself, because it’s a smaller environment and students only go to school on a shortened day. People can kind of come in and concentrate on their work and then they can go about their business, working or doing something else…It’s the relationships that make the difference.
Q: Are you excited, nervous? How are you feeling about going into it?
A: I’m super excited because I am ready for that kind of change. But at the same time, I am a big Fishers fan. I’m a tiger through and through again because of my kids. Also, because it’s Fishers. Fishers kind of embodies exactly what I believe in too. I just love this place and the teachers are amazing and the kids are amazing. The admin staff is just awesome. So, I’m not looking forward to that and leaving behind some of the kids I’ve grown to love, but I’m right there. I’m right down the street and I can come back and visit. And now I get to do two graduations because I have to connect with HSE too. It’s going to be good.
Q: What do you think you’re going to miss the most about Fishers?
A: Between the staff and the kids. Ultimately, people. Yeah, the people. I’m, again, big on relationships. A lot of my friends are here and it’s going to be hard to not see them as often as I see them now. When you spend so much time in a building, they become your group. And so, not being able to see them often is going to be difficult and will take some getting used to.
Q: What made you realize you were ready for this next step?
A: I know from looking at everything that our APs do and what Mr. Goodwin does that that role wasn’t necessarily for me. Like a big school, it takes a lot out of you to make this work, right? The APs work. So, I never had an interest in doing a massive school, but again, I wanted to come alongside a smaller group of kids and really get to know a small group of kids to support them. So, I think because the position opened up, I wanted to see if it was possible for me to work there. But when my job changed, I think that’s when I realized that I needed to graduate kids. Like, that academic piece, I don’t do as much anymore, and I really loved what I did before. Our student support teams are amazing. But when that switched over, I was like, okay, well, I got to do something different. I miss that graduation piece. So, um, that’s probably that. I’ve had some really awesome examples of leadership with Mr. Urban and now Mr. Goodwin, like just watching them lead a group. You gotta have fun or it just doesn’t work. Watching those examples, I feel like I can replicate that somewhere else.
Q: Do you have anything else that you want to share?
A: Be kind to your deans. They have the toughest job. You know what I mean? Be kind, deans are just doing what they need to do to make sure that students succeed. If you don’t go to class, your grades are going to suffer. We’re the enforcers, we’re the heavy. So, consider how difficult it would be to do that all day, every day. Say hi, write them notes, let them know that they matter, cause it’s super stressful, but we care about kids and that’s why we do it.
