Dr. Tony Wishard,
Assistant Principal,
Hugh Mercer Elementary School
I come from a long line of educators and coaches. Born and raised in Fredericksburg, Virginia, I earned my Bachelor's in Science from Fairmont State University, where I also played baseball. I went on to earn my Master's in Educational Leadership & Supervision from Old Dominion University. I enjoy being with my family and son while engaging in outdoor activities, watching baseball and football, and getting out on the water.
I started my teaching career 12 years ago in Health & Physical Education and coached high school baseball for roughly 7 years. During my 7 years of teaching, building relationships with students, staff, and community stakeholders became my strength and helped me transform the culture within my school. I started a mentoring group, Boys & Bow Ties, which meets during school hours and promotes manners, inclusion, and student accountability. The strong community relationships have provided numerous resources from our students, families and staff.
I'm in my 5th year as an administrator, overseeing family and community connections and engagement. We have developed a school-based committee to bridge the gap and build strong connections between families and our school. I have found the most success when not just families but also community members are invested in our school.
Who are the community partners in “your village’?
During the pandemic, we found out!
Our small division of 3,700 students in Fredericksburg, Virginia quickly realized we needed to reach out to “our village”, our community as we adjusted to the unexpected educational needs during the pandemic. This was the start of building our partnerships of over 200 active local organizations, businesses, law enforcement, and faith-based groups this year.
Besides partnering, funding, and volunteering in our division, local partners assisted with the launch of our “school on wheels, The Super Cat Bus. The Super Cat bus travels into local neighborhoods with student school supplies, family resources, presentations, and educational experiences for all. In 2022 we introduced our quarterly Superintendent Community Roundtables.
These events have welcomed 50-200 attendees, including the superintendent and division leadership, to participate in roundtable discussions highlighting current division updates, challenges, successes, and actions related to educational topics, student academic progress, and most importantly to emphasize the impact of our community partnerships.
This presentation will share how we brought "our village” together and how we have increased our connections and conversations to build a stronger community of support for the learning experiences of our students.
