Parent Spotlight: The Williams

Toye and Jeryl Williams have been Paideia parents for six years. Their daughter Maddox ’30 and son Spencer ‘33 both started in Elementary school. During their time at Paideia, Toye and Jeryl have been active volunteers on campus, regularly working together at Pi Bites and helping out with BPO events. They have served on the finance committee and DEIB committee, as well as welcoming prospective families to campus while conducting parent tours and interviews. Toye and Jeryl are always looking for new ways to help on campus, whether they’re chaperoning class trips or helping out with classroom affinities. Even Jeryl’s mom has gotten involved, helping with reading when their kids were in the lower Elementary.

When did you first become involved with parent involvement?

We started Paideia in the Fall of 2020, so being virtual made it challenging to get involved. Luckily, that year we were able to volunteer to make the royal icing for the Dia de Los Muertos sugar skulls in India and Jose’s class.

What do you enjoy the most about volunteering on campus?

Seeing the kids on campus and talking to the teachers. 

What do you think is the greatest benefit of having parents involved on campus?

It allows us the opportunity to put faces to the names of the people we hear the kids talk about all the time, and provides an avenue to meet and engage with parents we may not normally encounter. It also helps build a rapport with the teachers and get to know them a little better as the kids go through the school year. 

What advice would you give to new parents who are unsure where to start?

You can’t go wrong no matter where you volunteer. If you need help making a decision, seek help from the classroom representative, the parent involvement office, ask the teachers or ask other parents if they have recommendations. Any of those options will help you land in a good volunteer place.