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Area superintendent earns right to kick back, relax

By DONNA WINCHESTER
Published January 30, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - The Pinellas County School District will lose its second area superintendent in two months when longtime educator Cathy Athanson retires this week.

Following the example of Lew Williams, who retired in December, Athanson will end a 37-year career to spend more time with her family.

"I've really enjoyed my life and the work I've been privileged to do," Athanson said. "I don't think anything on this earth could be better than loving what you do and feeling that it matters - except grandchildren."

The daughter of a high school principal, Athanson, 62, moved to Pinellas County from West Virginia with her family in 1957. She graduated from Largo High School and earned a bachelor's degree in education from Florida State University in 1963. Her first teaching post was at Belcher Elementary, when the school sat in the middle of an orange grove.

"There were several senior staff members who took young teachers like me under their wings," Athanson said. "There was a determination we would be successful. It was like being adopted by a wonderful family."

She transferred to Lynch Elementary in 1968 and then went to Bardmoor Elementary. She became assistant principal of Lakewood Elementary in the late 1970s and was assistant principal at Pinellas Park Elementary before being promoted to principal at Norwood Elementary in the early 1980s.

Athanson opened Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Elementary, the district's writing demonstration school, and steered the school toward a governor's Sterling Award for total quality management. She became an area superintendent in 1997.

"I think the greatest challenge was learning the system of education from a district perspective," she said. "I had to build a knowledge base about facilities and I had to learn about budgets. Also, I was oriented toward elementary schools. I had to gain a knowledge of the world of secondary schools."

As supervisor of 46 schools from St. Petersburg to Seminole, Athanson hired many principals and ran interference between school administrators and parents. A couple of years ago, she reviewed a a rift between a high school coaching staff and members of the football booster club. She intervened when activity buses were canceled for two high school magnet programs, and was the person parents complained to when they realized their newly built middle school had been constructed without restroom doors.

Throughout her career, one of her greatest challenges was watching the bar for student achievement continually rise.

"It's a constant improvement mode we're in," she said. "I don't see that as negotiable. But there's something very motivating about that."

Athanson said she is looking forward to "not having to get up in the middle of the night," but will miss the children, parents and principals. She also will miss the opportunities she has had to reach out to the community.

She is concerned about the district's maintaining diversity, especially in schools south of Central Avenue. She also worries about a loss of experience in the district as more administrators retire.

She has no qualms about the district's ability to continue educating students.

"I see teachers and principals and administrators becoming more and more passionate about helping students succeed," she said. "Their work and dedication just increases tenfold every year."

Former School Board member and area superintendent Lee Benjamin, who was Athanson's boss during her years as a school-based administrator, said she will be missed.

"I think she's one of the finest professionals we have in this district," Benjamin said. "She has always shown a real passion for working to improve education and conditions for students."

Campbell Park Elementary principal Jim Steen, who met Athanson before she became an area superintendent, said his respect for her increased when she became his boss.

"She has always been very gracious and very caring," Steen said. "When Cathy talks to people, they can tell she has their best interests at heart."

[Last modified January 30, 2005, 00:16:02]