Milwaukee City Wire

Big changes are underway at Nathaniel Hawthorne Elementary School, where students engage in various activities from sports to studying the water cycle in a renovated schoolyard. The school also features a book vending machine for its readers. Over the summer, Principal Shantee Jude-Williams and her staff traveled to Washington, D.C., to accept a U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award.

Recently, Jude-Williams was named Outstanding Administrator of the Year by the Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted (WATG). Since she became principal in 2018, the number of high-ability students at Hawthorne has grown from zero to 100.

In 2019, Hawthorne joined eight other Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) in SURGE—Serving the Under-Represented by Grouping Equitably—a federally funded nationwide program aimed at increasing representation among high-achieving students. The goals include enhancing educators' ability to use culturally effective tools and increasing access to STEM programs.

The Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program has supported this initiative with teacher training and resources for enrichment opportunities. According to Jude-Williams, success comes from pairing these resources with "unbelievably high expectations and a highly supportive environment."

Under her leadership, every student is seen as a "genius" at Hawthorne. The school offers Genius Club sessions during select days where students can choose activities like building robots or learning chess. This scheduling allows all students access to club materials and personalized instruction.

Jude-Williams emphasizes that equitable gifted programming provides more students with chances to develop their talents. This approach fosters individual potential and long-term practices connecting underrepresented students with advanced learning experiences.

“Principal Jude-Williams has created an environment where all students receive talent development opportunities during the school day,” wrote Martha Aracely López, PhD, in a nomination letter to WATG.

Hawthorne’s initiatives include additional STEM enrichment through MPS’s Gifted and Talented Program and support from VIP volunteers like retired teachers who serve as tutors. Partner organizations also contribute arts and nature-based programs both on campus and through field trips.

Jude-Williams has spent most of her 26-year career with MPS after starting as a substitute teacher before moving into various roles leading up to her current position as principal.