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New Essrig principal a familiar face
By LOGAN D. MABE, Times Staff Writer CARROLLWOOD -- For 10 years, Karen Zielinski polished her administrative skills as an assistant principal before taking a job at the district office as a supervisor for elementary education. But now she's "back home" in the front office of a school, having been named the new principal of Essrig Elementary School. "At the district level, I have learned a tremendous amount of things about effective schools, leadership styles and curriculum information," Zielinski said. "I worked in 14 different schools in two different areas. I had the opportunity to see the effective things going on in our schools." While serving as a district administrator was a career coup, Zielinski said she was eager to return to a school setting. "I missed the children," she said. "And I very excited about taking the things I had learned and apply them to the school as a principal." Zielinski's former boss, Elementary Education general director Joyce Haines said she'll miss Zielinski, but said she'll be an asset at Essrig. "I have had the pleasure of knowing her for over 15 years and she just truly exemplifies all that you would think about when you think of a professional educator," Haines said. "She has great leadership skills and organizational skills and strong people skills. She interacts well with students, with teachers, staff, parents, community members. She just really represents education in Hillsborough County schools at the highest level." Zielinski, who settled into the new job after being appointed by the School Board Tuesday night, spent the week getting to know everyone in the school. "I was out greeting parents as they picked up their kids (Wednesday) and today (Thursday) my goal is to meet all the students in the school by going to all the classes," Zielinski. She will earn $67,196 in her new position. It's no coincidence that Zielinski already has a great fondness for Essrig. It's the school her daughter, Lindsey, attended as a grade-schooler. "So I was also an Essrig parent," said Zielinski, who lives in Carrollwood Village. "She's in ninth-grade now at Gaither, but she was here her whole elementary career. I was so proud to have her attend this school. The teachers are great, the instructional programs are very sound, and my child felt like this was her home." With that kind of track record, Zielinski knows she has some big shoes to fill. "With me coming back now, I feel like I'm coming home," she said.
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From the Times |
