Pamela Denise Williams has been named the St. Louis Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year for 2007. A seven-year veteran with the district, Ms. Williams has served as an elementary classroom teacher, an interim principal and a teacher mentor. She currently teaches fifth grade at Mark Twain Elementary School. She will be honored at the board meeting on Tuesday, October 16.

Ms. Williams believes her calling to the teaching profession is directly related to her experiences as a student. At every level of her education, she remembers special teachers who inspired her to work hard, dream big and persevere. In turn, she strives to be an inspiration and “foot soldier” for all of her students. To her, success comes from motivating children to dare to do something that seems impossible – despite their circumstances.

Ms. Williams is a vocal advocate for the importance of parental partnerships between schools and families. Her motto – Parents: the First Teacher, the Best Teacher – emphasizes the need for early literacy and family literacy initiatives. Ms. Williams said, “Investing in a child’s academic future requires parents to anticipate, advocate and collaborate in order to get the best return on their investment – a positively productive citizen.”

Ms. Williams holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, a Master in Education Administration from Lindenwood University, and an Educational Specialist certificate in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Missouri at Columbia. She also participated in the prestigious New Leaders Project, which trains successful teachers to become successful principals. She is a member of the National Alliance of Black School Educators.

In addition to Mark Twain Elementary, she has taught at Horace Mann Elementary in St. Louis and at Park Annex Elementary in the East St. Louis School District. In the future, Ms. Williams plans to become an administrator, so that she can share her experience and knowledge with the next generation of teachers.

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