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Parents Critical Of Alafia Elementary Principal

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By MARILYN BROWN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 8, 2008

  Ellyn Smith

TAMPA - Hillsborough Schools Superintendent MaryEllen Elia will go to Alafia Elementary School to check out complaints after several parents called for the removal of the principal.

Five parents told the School Board on Tuesday that the A-graded school in Valrico is "a school in crisis" with poor morale and high teacher turnover. They blamed Principal Ellyn Smith, who they said micromanages, is inflexible and communicates poorly.

"Alafia Elementary is a broken school," Michelle Salerno told the board, citing a survey last year showing that 52 percent of parents "do not feel the principal is a good leader" and 92 percent of the teachers "do not think the principal interacts with others fairly."

Board Chairwoman Jennifer Faliero asked Elia to go to the school, although Elia said Deputy Superintendent Ken Otero has met with parents. Later, both Faliero and board member Candy Olson said "there is some validity" to the complaints.

Smith could not be reached Tuesday night. Her husband, Ashley Smith, attended the board meeting but would not comment. He said his wife was at a PTA Board meeting.

In other action, the board:

• Approved appointments of Gloria Waite, assistant principal at Town & Country Elementary, as principal of Mabry Elementary, and Lynn Roberts, principal at Lomax Elementary, as principal at USF/Patel Partnership Elementary, effective Oct. 20.

• Suspended bus driver Eleanor Stevenson for one day without pay for leaving a kindergarten student at a bus stop where there was no adult the first day of school.

An annual out-of-county travel budget of $35,000 to be divided among the seven school board members will be voted on Oct. 21.

Reporter Marilyn Brown can be reached at (813) 259-8069

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