Chris Willis
Nominated by Mandy Miller
How does this individual go above and beyond to impact and improve the lives of children and families in our community?
Chris has been our Director of Special Services in Orting School District for the past 7 years and has a long career serving children prior to his work with us. Chris makes a point of knowing children, families, and staff in our district and genuinely enjoys building relationships with the students he serves. Chris makes a genuine effort to do what is right to help students, even when it creates more work for him and others. His priority is helping students be successful and ensuring they get what they need. This often requires pushing back against the status quo, having challenging discussions with staff or families, and advocating on behalf of students that many people would rather not acknowledge.
What special qualities does this individual bring into their work?
Chris prioritizes the needs of children and works tirelessly to do everything in his power to meet those needs. Chris often comes up with creative solutions and pushes for changes despite an uphill battle. While we have not always seen eye to eye about how to get to the end result, I've never doubted that Chris was truly working to do what was best for kids. That's not something I can say about most administrators I've worked with over the years. Chris's genuine drive to help children and do what is right has made me a better educator. It's an honor to have worked with him for the past 7 years and he will have a lasting impact on my career and the lives of many of the students we have served together.
Describe a specific instance or project where the individual exemplified their special qualities, contribution, or innovative solution?
I had a small group of student in my preschool program who were moving up to kindergarten. They were children who had some strong skills, but were unlikely to be successful in a general education classroom without significant support. My gut said these kids deserved a shot in a gen ed program but we didn't have a program that would meet their needs at the time. I took my concern to Chris and after much discussion, he was able to approve additional staffing to help support these students within typical kindergarten classrooms. While some of these students have since moved on to a self-contained program, some are successful in their gen ed classrooms and we know that they all got a chance. Finding a way to add staffing and support for these students as they moved up made a life changing difference for many of these students. It gave families a chance for their children to be part of a regular classroom setting when it would have been far easier to assume it wouldn't be successful or say it couldn't be done.
What else should we know about this nominated individual?
Chris has dedicated his life to helping kids. He works countless hours, often at the expense of his health and family. While it has taken a big toll on him, the number of students, families, educators, and administrators that he has impacted is more than I can count. Chris has shaped many educators in their careers and advocated for the rights and needs of kids and families. His goal is to always do what's right, even if it's hard and I've always seen him stand by that. It's an admirable quality in any individual and one that feels particularly powerful in an administrator who has the ability to shape outcomes and access for so many.