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Alpha educator speaks her mind

By ERNEST HOOPER
Published July 28, 2006

Hillsborough school superintendent MaryEllen Elia has lost 40 pounds since taking over as the school superintendent last July. She works through lunch on days that frequently begin with 6:30 a.m. meetings.

Despite the pace, Elia says she's enjoying the new job and feels excited about another school year.

ERNEST: Does your excitement ratchet up for back to school?

When you're a teacher, it doesn't quite hit you until the kids are sitting in front of you, and I feel the same way. You get ready all summer long, you're working, you've got trainings going on. I'm meeting with all the schools that we've targeted, the focus schools we think need some extra help and attention.

Changing school boundaries was a huge issue in northwest Hillsborough last year. Are their plans to redraw boundaries in east Hillsborough?

We're going to be looking at all parts of the county. As you're aware, when we were talking about the impact fee, there was a task force that looked at all school facilities, and that task force indicated the school district needs to look at all the ways it can be the most efficient with the spaces that it has. We put together an advisory committee. That advisory committee is meeting and it represents various constituent groups as well as various geographic zones.

We believe that one of the best ways to look at what would be most supportive of parents and community is reclaiming or re-establishing the seats at every school site that was lost under class-size reduction. If an elementary school was built for 900 and under class size reduction it goes down to 700, if we use the class size reduction money, we can build that school back to capacity by putting on additional wings. Those are some of the things we are looking at. We want to minimize the difficulties that families and students have.

I don't hear any great cry for an International Baccalaureate program in east Hillsborough, but do we need one on this side?

I think as we grow out there, just as we've started an IB program at Robinson, we'll look at that and have an IB program that serves the east part of the county.

How significant is it to have so many A schools in our area?

I tell all the principals this: You have an A school and now the expectation is you're going to become better. Become better. Even with an A school, you have some kids you haven't stretched enough. Move up every year, no matter where you are.

What do you say to the parents whose kids aren't at A schools? Should they be upset, unnerved?

Well, no. I don't think so. If you know how those scores come about, it's possible that you could have a situation with one, two or three kids and that could take the school off the A. So, if you believe your child is getting a good education, then you should work hard to make that school and your child's education continue to be a great education.

Teachers love parents who are supportive, but some parents think they know more than the teacher and other parents don't even show up. Do you worry about the relationship between teachers and parents?

I think that basically, people can be respectful of each other. They may not always agree, but they can be respectful of each other and they can at least hear each other out. That's an important thing to have happen. It's teaching the student, this is how you behave when you have a difference of opinion with someone. I think it's important for parents to support their students, but they also have to realize that if they weren't at the situation, they have to rely on the other adults that were there. It's important to listen to your student, be trusting of them, but also give the school a fair opportunity to give another side.

I guess it's a matter of parents having trust in the school.

I think that's a big issue. I think a majority of our parents believe we're there to help students. If helping students is what they're also there to do, then together we're on a team to make that happen.

You're responsible for the education of 196,000 students and you head an institution that is the county's largest employer. Are you the most influential public official in the county?

I would like to think I have one of the most important jobs in the county because I really think if everybody came to realize how important education is for a community, that everybody would try to solve the problems that the education system has. Everybody isn't perfect, but we need to respond and expect that our community is a partner with us. When we're doing that, we're making our kids the best they can be.

And we're ensuring our future, right?

I believe this is the most important social institution that exists. I think family is absolutely critical, they are the first teacher and they continue to teach. I also would suggest that we have to always think, what are we teaching our children in this community by how we behave? We have to model it for them, and when we model it we'll make good citizens for our community when the kids eventually become adults. You're setting the stage for the next generation.

Knowing that your job is so important, are you ever awestruck by your job?

Certainly, that level of responsibility weighs on me. I want to do the very best job I can do. I try to do that every day.

Ernest Hooper can be reached at 813 226-3406 or hooper@sptimes.com.

[Last modified July 28, 2006, 06:29:33]