Schools

Elia seeks parental feedback

Class sizes and impact fees were among topics at the superintendent's town hall meeting.

TAMPA - Running the nation's ninth-largest school system, superintendent MaryEllen Elia knows she doesn't have all the answers.

So on Monday night she kicked off a series of town hall meetings designed to make sure that, even though she's at the top of the leadership ladder, she hears from the levels closest to the ground.

"It's too easy, I think, to lose sight of the students and the parents in this district, and what's important to them," Elia said. "I'm doing this so I can keep a line of communication with the parents and the community."

Over 90 minutes, she got an earful from a crowd of nearly 100 parents and teachers who filled the Hill Middle School cafeteria in Carrollwood.

Cindy Rodriguez of New Tampa wanted to know how variations on team teaching fulfilled the promise of smaller classes for her second-grader at Clark Elementary School. Kimberly King of Carrollwood demanded excellence of all teachers and asked Elia to do more to ensure that happens.

People spoke of the need for air-conditioned school buses and the importance of higher impact fees for school construction. They called for less teaching to the state's standardized test, less paperwork for teachers and more textbooks for students to use.

Elia didn't flinch once.

She listened patiently, answered as best she could and referred questioners to specific staff members sitting in the audience for immediate attention. When speakers had followup questions or disagreements, Elia let them talk until they were done.

And she didn't pull punches, either.

Lisa Lawson of Carrollwood asked pointedly whether the rumors of possible double sessions were true.

"I am hoping you will say it is something you would do only out of desperation," said Lawson, who has children at Hill Middle and Essrig Elementary schools.

"It is not something we want to do," Elia responded, calling the idea poor educational practice. "But it is on the list because it is something we have to look at. Double sessions allow us to run double the number of students at a school."

She virtually promised major attendance zone changes to better equalize enrollments between the campuses with too many students and those with not enough. And she told the audience that all options, including double sessions, are on the table.

The parents thanked Elia for her candor, while standing at the microphone and also when talking to her personally after the formal event.

"I liked this atmosphere," said Ella Coffee, who has children at Ferrell Middle and Freedom High schools. "Whether they were adversarial or positive comments or questions, she's willing to come out into the community."

Elia, though slightly disappointed with the turnout - she wanted the room to be overflowing - said she was pleased with the broad range of questions and the high interest among the community members.

"I think as we do more of these, we're going to see more and more people will be able to make it," she said.

Elia plans to meet with the public six more times during the next two months. The next location is Armwood High School on Oct. 18, followed by Shields Middle School, Jefferson High School, Pierce Middle School, Plant City High School and Erwin Technical Center.

--Jeffrey S. Solochek can be reached at 813 269-5304 or solochek@sptimes.com

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