During National Principals Month, we’re celebrating what it means to Experience Bryant through the eyes of our principals.
At Hurricane Creek Elementary, the heart of The Creek is its people! Principal Shannon Williams' commitment to supporting every Patriot’s academic, social, and emotional growth also includes celebrating kindness, compassion, and responsibility along the way.
What makes your campus special to you?
What makes Hurricane Creek Elementary so special to me is, without a doubt, the people . . . my PATRIOTS! HCE is not just the school where I serve as principal; it is truly a place that I love with my whole heart. Our students are the reason behind everything we do, and I feel incredibly blessed to watch them learn, grow, and become more confident each day. Our staff members pour so much of themselves into loving and supporting our children, even on the hardest days. We may not always get everything right, but we continue to grow, show up for one another, work through challenges together, and do what is best for our students. There is simply something special about The Creek. We love, we laugh, we learn, and we are a FAMILY. I am so grateful that God chose me to lead and serve this outstanding group of students, staff, and families!
Share one thing you want families to know about your school this year.
One thing I want our families to know is that their babies are truly loved at Hurricane Creek Elementary! I know that when families send their children through our doors each morning, they are trusting us with the people they love most, and I will never, ever take that responsibility lightly.
At The Creek, we are committed to loving and supporting the whole child . . . academically, behaviorally, socially, and emotionally. We will celebrate their successes, help them through their struggles, and continue believing in them, no matter what! Please know that every decision made regarding our young Patriots will always come from a place of love and with the best interest of our students at heart.
Your babies are our babies, too! We are so blessed to partner with you, and TOGETHER, we will make this an amazing year for every HCE Patriot!
What is your favorite school tradition?
Oh goodness…this is a hard one because I absolutely LOVE any opportunity for us to come together and celebrate as one big HCE family! Whether it is a schoolwide celebration, a fun family event, or just one of those special moments shared with our Patriots in the hallways, car line, playground, lounge, etc., those are the moments that mean so much!
I absolutely love seeing our babies excited, watching our staff have FUN, and feeling the love and energy throughout The Creek. Give me some music, happy children, excited staff, and plenty of hugs, and I am in my element! LOL! Those traditions allow us to create the kind of memories our students will carry with them for years, and that is what makes them so, so special to me.
Where is a place on campus you love?
Without a doubt, my favorite place on campus is inside our classrooms! Anyone who knows me can definitely answer this with 100% accuracy! I absolutely LOVE being where the magic happens. It serves my heart well to watch our babies learn, grow, take risks, and experience those wonderful “I’ve got it!” moments. There is nothing better, in my opinion, than seeing their little faces light up when they finally understand something or realize just how capable they truly are!
I also love observing our teachers and staff do what they were called to do. Seeing them pour their hearts into our students, build relationships, celebrate progress, and make learning meaningful (and FUN) reminds me why I love this work so much and why I became an educator. Although I may be the principal, I will always be a TEACHER, and being in classrooms fills my cup to the rim!
Give me a classroom filled with engaged students, passionate and enthusiastic teachers, lots of learning, a little laughter here and there, and some hugs from my babies (of course!), and I am right where I belong!
What is something your students do that makes you proud?
There are innumerable things that make me oh so proud of our young Patriots! However, one thing that makes me especially proud is watching our students show love and kindness to one another. I absolutely LOVE seeing them help a friend, include someone who may feel left out, encourage one another, etc.
Of course, I am extremely proud when our babies grow academically/behaviorally and reach goals they once believed were impossible, but I am just as proud when I see them becoming kind, compassionate, and responsible little humans. When they make a mistake, take accountability, learn from it, and make a better choice the next time, THAT truly makes my principal heart smile!
Watching our babies grow into the very best versions of themselves reminds me that we are not just preparing them to pass a test—we are helping them become amazing human beings. And THAT makes me incredibly proud!
What do you enjoy most about leading your school?
What I enjoy most about leading Hurricane Creek Elementary is having the opportunity to love, serve, and pour into my people while helping shape the culture of our school. I get to set the tone for how our students and staff are loved, supported, challenged, and celebrated, which is incredibly important and so very special.
I genuinely adore watching our babies discover just how capable they are and love helping my staff recognize and grow in their own gifts. However, one of the greatest blessings is realizing how much they pour back into me. My students and staff teach me something new every day and challenge me to see things differently and from multiple perspectives. They continually help me grow into a better person and a better leader.
Leadership is not simply about managing a school or helping others become better; it is also about remaining humble enough to learn and grow alongside the people you lead. If my babies and staff know they are loved, believe in themselves, and feel PATRIOT PROUD to call The Creek their home, while we all continue learning and growing TOGETHER, then I know I am leading with purpose. What a blessing!
