Dear M. Agnes Jones Community,

I began my appointment as the new principal of M. Agnes Jones Elementary School this week on May 10. I am excited and honored to become a member of such a phenomenal school community. M. Agnes Jones is an extraordinary learning environment full of rich traditions and a legacy of excellence. I intend to honor that legacy by working diligently with all stakeholders toward the common goal of improving educational outcomes for all M. Agnes Jones Elementary students. Through this united vision, M. Agnes Jones will continue to be the premier STEM/STEAM elementary school in APS.

The past two school years have been challenging, but through it all, staff, families, and partners have worked together as a TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) in APS to ensure that wellness, teaching, and learning are prioritized. I am in awe and inspired at the level of perseverance our APS community has demonstrated to overcome so many obstacles.

I am looking forward to getting to know ALL of you and learning everything there is to know about what makes M. Agnes Jones Elementary so special! An official Meet and Greet has been scheduled for May 19 from 5pm – 6pm. A Zoom link will be posted in your child’s Google Classroom on May 17. In the meantime, please accept this letter as both an introduction and invitation. As a native of Los Angeles, my introduction to Atlanta began at Morehouse College.

After graduating from Morehouse College, I worked in corporate America for two years and volunteered at the California Tennis Association for Underprivileged Youth. My transition to education began in 2002 when I was selected to be in the New York City Teaching Fellows (NYCTF) program where I taught elementary school in Bedford Stuyvesant. As a member of the NYCTF program, I earned a Master of Science for Teachers degree in Elementary Education from Pace University.

After completing the program in 2004, I helped develop a proposal for a small school and opened the doors of Young Scholars Academy (YSA) in the Bronx. While working at YSA, I continued my journey of professional and personal growth by earning a Master of Education degree in Education Leadership from Teachers College. At YSA, I led the math department as a math lead teacher and instructional coach. In 2007, I transitioned from New York to Georgia to not only begin a family but to also work at Marietta Middle School (MMS) as an 8th grade math teacher and advisement team leader. I am married and have three children (two sons and a daughter).

My administrator career began as an assistant principal at Washington High School, followed by an interim principal position at Kennedy Middle School, assistant principal at E.L. Connally Elementary, and finally an assistant principal at BEST Academy (6-12). I managed the implementation of STEM practices schoolwide and partnerships such as Project ENGAGES (Engaging New Generations at Georgia Tech in Engineering and Science), which contributed to BEST Academy (6-12) becoming Cognia STEM certified.

I enthusiastically join M. Agnes Jones community with a commitment to collaboration and service, with a belief that all students will be successful with perseverance and a nurturing environment. I invite you to stop by the school and say hello, to bring your innovative ideas and commit to a collective goal for student academic success and personal growth.

Sincerely,
Robert Williams, Principal