New principal at Bashaw Elementary has high expectations for staff and students

In the field of education, Nicole Williams said it can be hard to find positivity in certain situations.

But at Bashaw Elementary School, with Williams taking over as principal for the new school year, teachers will be asked to go above and beyond to find that positivity.

She said the way a teacher speaks can make or break a student’s experience in the classroom. She would rather her staff say nothing in difficult situations than plant a negative seed. 

“I'm passionate about pouring positivity into them," Williams said. "We plant these seeds and we never know what is going to grow. To see the fruits of our labor (grow in a positive way), it's so rewarding.”

Williams was born and raised in Manatee County and currently lives in Ruskin. The 2025-2026 school year will be her 30th year in education. 

From the age of 8, Williams wanted to be a teacher.

“I used to check out books in the library that were spiral bound, it didn't matter what the book was,” Williams said.  “If it was spiral bound, it looked like a teacher's manual, so I checked those out in the media center.” 

Williams was inspired by various teachers who were caring and supportive, especially when she attended elementary school at Prine Elementary School in Bradenton. Her fifth grade teacher John Harvey gave advice to her mother, Jannine Austin.

Williams said he told her mother to correct her every time she used incorrect grammar.

As Williams matured, she took over that responsibility herself. She became more intentional with her words when writing and speaking. Williams now is aware of it in her students. The way they speak influences the way they write. 

Williams said it is important to celebrate students' “baby steps” of progress. She gave the example that a student might not be proficient in a subject, but they show progress.

If she could speak to her younger self, Williams said she would talk less in class.

When it comes to Williams' new students, she wants them to be themselves, believe in themselves, and do their absolute best in whatever they do. 

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She hopes her students' families are as involved as possible in their children's education, whether that be helping them with work at home or having a good flow of communication with the staff. She is looking forward to starting events that bring families together, such as movie nights and literacy nights. 

Williams encourages her teachers to do everything in their power to get to know their students through bonding.

She said she has taught at several schools because she wanted wanted different experiences.

For the last five years she has served as the principal at Oneco Elementary School before accepting the principal position at Bashaw. 

Williams said it was a difficult decision to leave Oneco because it was her first principal position. She said it is a special place and it will always have a place in her heart. 

“I'm very passionate about kids learning and becoming all that they want to be,” Williams said. “They can be anything, anything.”