Former student returning as the principal
Williamson
W.S. Neal High School in East Brewton will welcome back a familiar face this year when Todd Williamson, who was assistant principal at the school several years ago, returns as principal.
A few years ago, when Principal Patty Frazier stepped down and Williamson was at Escambia Career Readiness Center (ECRC), he was approached about taking the position, but didn't feel the time was right even though he considered it. He said when he found out W.S. Neal Principal Matthew Hodge was leaving, he thought about it, spoke with his wife, and decided it was time to 'go home'.
"I'm excited," said Williamson. "I'm a little apprehensive, but still excited. I've been away from there for eight years. I taught there, that's where I began my education career."
Williamson worked for W.T. Neal Trust as investment property manager for about 26 years and decided to change careers when W.S. Neal High School Principal Phillip Ellis and agriculture teacher David Lanier approached him and told him Lanier was leaving W. S. Neal as agriculture teacher.
Ellis was Williamson's former agriculture teacher when he went to high school there.
Williamson taught agriculture at W.S. Neal High School for three years.
"Not in my wildest dreams did I think I would be in education," said Williamson.
He then was assistant principal at W.S. Neal High School for three years and then followed Lanier to ECRC, where he was assistant principal for two years, then became principal for five years.
When Lanier left ECRC as director and went to Coastal Alabama Community College, Williamson became director at ECRC. Williamson joked that he followed Lanier but now they are going in different directions with Williamson moving to W.S. Neal, but are and have been good friends for a long time with both Ellis and Lanier.
"I miss my kids," said Williamson. "I want to go back to my kids. That's home."
Williamson said this is a pivotal time at W.S. Neal High School. He feels that enthusiasm breeds enthusiasm and is excited to be a part of that.
"If you're enthusiastic and you've got something going on, people want to be a part of it," he said.
"There's a lot of good, old traditional going on there and I want to cherish that old tradition and build new tradition. People say you can go where ever, but eventually you want to go home. And that's my decision. I want to go home."
Williamson said he began his education career and he feels it's appropriate that he end it up there.
Williamson originally began veterinary school at Auburn then sat out of school for a while, wondering why he was in college.
After taking a break for more than six years, getting married and having a child, he applied to vet school, but soon realized the hours would not allow him a lot of time for fatherhood.
He decided to take a position with the Neal Trust again, where he worked for 20 years, then began his career in education 15 years ago.
Williamson had earned a bachelor of science in animal science/pre veterinary medicine from Auburn early before he decided to step away for six years.
When he began his career in education, he returned to school at the University of North Alabama and earned a bachelor of science in education and an education certification from Athens State College.
Williamson then earned a master's degree in business administration, and following the required three years of teaching, a master's in educational leadership at the University of West Florida.
Williamson said when news of his new position hit social media, he received many phone calls from friends and the response has been phenomenal.
"I had a lot of phone calls and texts last night," said Williamson. "A friend who just recently began following social media told me he has never seen as many responses as there were on social media. We went out to eat last night and there was birthday party going on. A couple of the kids called me and there were about 20 or 30 kids there. I'm in the kid business. I love kids and they are my heart."
His wife jokes that the couple has several thousands kids and grandkids because Williamson adopts every one that comes through. Williamson said he just enjoys working with kids, noting that he got about 30 texts on Father's Day just to say thank you for being there.
Williamson joked that his wife teases him about the number of young people throughout his career who see him as a father figure.
"I'm a big, tough guy," said Williamson. "That kind of stuff gets to you. Kids from the first year I taught to recently, just saying 'thank you for being there', or 'it made a difference'. We try to make a positive difference in their life."
Williamson said he wants to savor the old tradition at Neal and build the new.
"I want to see those kids take pride," said Williamson. "I graduated from Neal, my 83-year-old mom graduated from Neal in 1956, my sons graduated from Neal. I want to see that tradition come back. Things change, but one thing that doesn't change is pride. That's what I want to see come back. We've been through some valleys at Neal, and I am ready to climb a mountain. There is a tradition of Neal in my family."
Williamson grew up on a farm, where he earned the skills to teach agriculture at the beginning of his educational career. He said he feels that this career move to be principal at his alma mater will be his final, to finish it up.
"I've got a few good years left," said Williamson. "I've got some things I really want to do. It's always good to go home."
Williamson's first day at W.S. Neal High School was Monday, July 19.
