Housekeeper named new Williamsburg Ind. superintendent

Williamsburg Independent School has a new superintendent.

During the Williamsburg Board of Education’s regular monthly meeting Thursday, Tabetha Housekeeper was announced as the district’s next superintendent. Housekeeper will assume the role effective July 21, making her the school district’s first female superintendent in its 114-year history.

Loren Connell, longtime director of instruction at Williamsburg, had served as interim superintendent since July 1 following the departure of former Superintendent Tim Melton, who left the district at the end of June to take on a new role with Knox County Schools.

Connell, who told the News Journal earlier this month after being appointed as interim that he had no intention of seeking the position full-time, welcomed Housekeeper during Thursday’s meeting.

“On behalf of the district, let me welcome you to this role,” said Connell. “You’re coming to a special place and you got a great group of people behind you. Welcome to Williamsburg.”

Housekeeper began her teaching career in Winchester as a learning and behavior teacher and was later employed by Scott County Schools in Georgetown, where she served as a teacher, assistant principal and director of student services.

She addressed the board following their decision, both thanking them and describing how she plans to take on her new role wholeheartedly.

“I just want you guys to know I love my family, and they matter the most. Without them, I wouldn’t be here because what I see in this school is that you care about the people. And I would not even consider this an option for myself, except I met the people. It matters to me that you see my heart,” said Housekeeper. “And at a time I was most emptied out, you all saw leadership in me. I just want you all to know that I’m not perfect. I will make mistakes. But, I will love the people here and I will always—100 percent always—put kids first. So, I just appreciate the opportunity. Truly.”

“I just want to be part of something wonderful that gets to show kids, ‘Guess what? We can overcome our circumstances.’ There is a big, wide world out there and they can impact it.”

For the full story, see the July 26 edition of the News Journal.