The Georgia PTA has selected Mr. Williamson as the 2008 Outstanding Middle School Principal of the Year. Mr. Williamson was recognized for his support of student achievement and academic success. A few examples of how Mr. Williamson took this support for academic excellence beyond the classroom was through three new programs he started last year.

Mr. Williamson restructured the class schedules to accommodate a 25-minute 'class' period in the middle of the day. This time is known as REAL Time, which stands for Remediation, Enrichment and Learning. During REAL Time students can work on homework, get additional assistance/tutoring from teachers, work on special projects, or visit the media center or computer center.

PREP: Positive, Responsible, Educated, and Prepared is an after school program whose aim is to guide young men toward positive outcomes both academically and socially. A committee of educators and administrators selects the participants in the program. The strategic goals of PREP are to increase parental involvement in their children’s lives, reduce the number of disciplinary referrals to the office for the participants, and to provide the opportunity for male mentoring. The young men meet bi-monthly with volunteer male mentors from the community and discuss a variety of topics including time management, conflict resolution, literacy, community service, and character.

Mr. Williamson launched the Strive for Twenty-Five Reading Program to encourage our students to meet the state guidelines, which say that each student should read at least 25 books outside of school each school year. The students received their materials in May so that they could get a jump on reading over the summer months. The PTA is proud of the programs that Mr. Williamson has initiated since coming to TRMS in 2004, and for his dedication to our students and their academic success.