Dr. Byron N. Williams has assumed the position of executive director of alternative education for the Virginia Beach City Public Schools.

In that position Williams will serve as director of the new Renaissance Academy, which will open in January 2010. The Renaissance Academy, a $65 million facility under construction now, will bring all secondary school programs under one roof – the Virginia Beach Central Academy , the city’s alternative high school; the Center for Effective Learning , its alternative middle school; the Princess Anne Center for Pregnant Teens; and Open Campus , a flexible, accelerated, alternative center (grades 9-12) where older high school students and adults can successfully complete  courses toward a high school diploma or its equivalent. Williams will not only supervise the day-to-day operation of the new school, he will also oversee all curricular aspects of the school district’s entire alternative education program.

At the time of his appointment, Williams was the principal of Oxon Hill Middle School in the Prince George’s County Public Schools in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Williams is credited with introducing initiatives to foster academic improvement at Oxon Hill. Under his leadership student accountability and parent communication were strengthened. The improved environment resulted in further academic achievement as benchmark test scores increased.

A former Marine Corps officer, Williams spent approximately 14 years in the private sector working for firms such as Proctor and Gamble, Westinghouse Electric, IBM and McDonnell Douglas. He began his educational career as an assistant principal for Faith Christian Academy in Phoenix, Arizona. He later became a fifth-grade teacher for the Prince George’s County, Maryland school district. He subsequently relocated to Georgia where he eventually moved into school administration, first in Clayton County Public Schools in Jonesboro, Georgia and later in the Atlanta Public Schools. When he left Atlanta to return to Prince George’s County Public Schools, he was serving as principal of Crawford Long Middle School there. He has worked for Prince George’s County Public Schools since 2002. His final post was serving as principal of Oxon Hill Middle School.

Williams received a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Temple University in Philadelphia. He later earned a Master of Administrative Science in Management from John Hopkins University in Baltimore; a Master of business Administration in Finance from Morgan State University; and a Doctorate in Education Administration from Arizona State University. He is retired from the United States Army Reserve.

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