Loree Williams: 'I'm Ready to Get to Work'

Newly elected Woodbridge District school board member Loree Williams was elected Nov. 5 by a substantial margin among Woodbridge voters, beating out incumbent Steven Keen and taking almost 62 percent of the vote. 

"I'm very grateful that the residents of the Woodbridge District felt that I was the right person for the job," Williams said. "My first priority is to gain as much learning and understanding of my job and duties as I possibly can so that I can make the best decisions and be the most responsible school board member that I can be."

The challenges facing Woodbridge District schools include budgetary issues, technology issues, and parent-teacher communication issues, Williams said. "Our Woodbridge District issues are ongoing." 

Woodbridge District schools have struggled with the achievement gap in the past, as seen on Virginia Standard of Learning test results. Local programs like Teacher Incentive Performance Awards (TIPA) work to narrow that gap. 

Williams called the achievement gap "an issue that I'm currently researching." 

"I'm now involved in a mentoring relationship with a few board members," she said. "I look forward to learning more about what I can and can't do as a board member. Every student has a potential, and we need to find a way to unlock that potential and help those students become the best students they can be." 

She'll also be communicating with teachers and parents about this issue. 

"Once you can gather a lot of information, you can take that information and make a more educated decision," she said. "There's just a little bit of a learning curve, going from being a regular parent and Woodbridge district resident, to being a school board member." 

Williams said she thought Woodbridge voters were "ready for a change."

"I'm just very grateful that they decided to take a chance on me," she said. "I hope I can prove them right in their decision."

She thanked Keen for "running a nice, clean race." 

"I'm ready to get to work," she added. 

Williams will be sworn in after the school board receives the certified election results from the Virginia State Board of Elections.

What do you think of Williams as the new school board member? What issues do you hope she'll prioritize during her term?