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Phone: (205) 483-7666

Email:williamsd@wcslive.com

Mrs. Dianne Williams

 Biography:
 
“I was hired as a school-paid secretary at Cordova High School in 1978. My husband had been working as a welder for Pittsburgh-DeMoines Steel in Texas. The next year they didn’t have the money anymore for a paid secretary here, so I went to Texas with him. Every Thursday we drove all night long from Houston, so I could go to Cordova High School football games. The entire year we lived in Texas, I did not miss a single game. 

When I came back, I was given a job driving a school bus and worked in the lunch room part time until my son was born in 1982. When he started Pre-K, I started substitute teaching also. The principal then, Steve Adkins, said, ‘Dianne you need to go back and get your teaching degree.’ I got my BS in Special Education and taught at Parrish for one year with George Harland. 

The next year I came back to Cordova and taught for the next 7-8 years. I was going to school to get my counseling degree. When the counselor retired, the principal, Mr. Watkins, said, ‘Dianne, I need you to be the counselor.’ 

After several years of counseling, I decided to go into administration, so I got my administrative degree. I went to Oakman High School for one year as assistant principal during Joel Hagood’s first year as principal. I came back to Cordova High as assistant principal for five years. I was principal at T.S. Boyd for two years, then came back to Cordova High as principal. That was eight years ago. 

When I came here, I wanted to re-establish that tradition that ‘We are Blue Devils,’ so every morning my kids say the Blue Devil Creed here at school. Every Friday morning during football season, I sing the fight song over the intercom. I want them to know what it’s like to have that pride, to know who you are and where you came from.

This is my 40th year in education. People ask me all the time, ‘When are you going to retire?’ I’m like, ‘This is the best job I’ve ever had and I love what I do. As long as I love what I do, I don’t have any plans to retire. 

I love Cordova. I love these babies. My number one priority every day is what’s best for these children. My teachers will tell you that I tell them, it’s not about me or you, it’s about these babies. We are going to do our very best to see that they have not only the best education we can give them, but that we instill in them character and pride. I want these children to go on and be successful, but I also want them to have good memories. We want to excel at everything we do, and you will feel that all over this town.”

Interview and Photo by Terrell Manasco 
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