Alafia Elementary names new principal

VALRICO -- The Hillsborough School Board on Tuesday appointed a replacement for Alafia Elementary principal Ellyn Smith, who asked for a transfer last week after months of fighting parent complaints.

Lisa Tierney-Jackson, left, will assume the top job at the A-rated Valrico school when classes resume after winter break. She leaves the principal’s post at Cypress Creek Elementary, which she has held since 2005.

Tierney-Jackson started her career as a teacher at Alafia, which will become her third principal assignment. She also served as Wimauma Elementary principal from 2001 to 2005.

She could not be reached Tuesday, because she was out sick.

The appointment of a new principal is welcome news to many Alafia parents, who have criticized Smith for months. They blamed her leadership for high teacher turnover, low morale and concerns about student safety and behavior, among other problems.

“We’re just tired. We just want to move on,” said parent Amy Dreyer, adding that while she doesn’t know anything about the new principal, she is hopeful. “We just want to have our kids at a good school.”

The district recently conducted a school assessment at Alafia, which identified a “very stressful work environment.” It recommended steps to improve the atmosphere at the school.

But Smith ultimately decided to resign the post. Her husband, Ashley Smith, said that many at the school still support his wife but that she felt the situation had become an unfair distraction for students.

District officials stressed that the transfer was her decision.

For now, Smith will help fill in vacancies at the district offices, Elia said, including some created by a round of transfers set off by her departure.

The vacant principal post at Cypress Creek will be filled by Roy Moral, currently principal at Wimauma Elementary. Jeff Millman, a principal on special assignment to the textbook depository, will take over the post at Wimauma. All the changes take effect Jan. 5.

Elia said she expected to announce a permanent position for Smith at the School Board meeting in January.

Letitia Stein, Times Staff Writer

*

Comments

[rkukwa]

Mrs. Tierney-Jackson was one of the best teachers I had as an elementary school student at Alafia. I just couldn't fathom how she could be a bad principle.

Good Luck to those of you at Alafia, Tierney-Jackson took a "A" rated school and in 3 years ran it down to a "C" rated school. Great Schools of America now also rates the school as a 2 out of 10. Very difficult to meet with her due to she is always "sick". Cyress Creek was a wonderful school until she got there. Now maybe it has a chance of recovering form the damage that Tierney-Jackson caused.

[B'daleMom]

NYC - Perhaps "free to do what we want" means being able to hold educational special events like "Book-o-ween" which were formerly frowned upon. (By the way, one school had a picture from their Book-o-ween event posted on the School District Website this year - I guess not everyone in the district considered it "fun without a purpose"). Perhaps not "riding our backs" means being able to be creative and collaborative without fear of retaliation. Like I said before, it looks like we're in for a refreshing change.

[nyc]

Hey disgusted relax I'm not a teacher just over heard a comment at publix by a teacher who said "we can now be free to do what we want,we won't have anyone riding our backs......she's our friend".

[disgusted]

nycgirl, Go back to where you belong! You are a complete idiot! You must be one of the protected teachers that is now afraid of having to do their job instead of just giving lip service to a "devil incarnate" principal and getting great evaluations for being a rotten teacher. God knows there are at least 2 of them at Alafia who have spoken out to children and made idiots of themselves. What will they do on Jan 5 when they have to live by the same rules as everyone else? Hopefully they will transfer out in April.

[teacher w/ brain]

If they are her true friends they will respect her authority.

[B'daleMom]

Mrs. Jackson has been a principal at 2 other schools over the last 7 years. I think she should have the knowledge to perform her job and the ability to set boundaries with any "old friends". Perhaps the "listening" will now be reciprocal - and that would be a refreshing change.

[John]

Wouldn't a friend be listened to out of respect or do we need a deep dark secretive administration running our schools?

[nycgirl]

Well my question is how can someone supervise a group of teachers when she is best friends with them. This is the case with Mrs. Jackson. She taught with the vast majority of the teachers, will they really listen to her or blow her off because they are friends?

[BrandonMom]

The remarks like let Ms.Smith enjoy her holiday are hysterical, the whole district knows Ms.Smith is buddy buddy with Jack Lamb and that Merry Band of Thieves from the School Board, this is the most corrupt school board with their "inner circle" if this were another principal from a poverty area without the connections she would have been tossed out in a minute, this whole situation has been a fiasco and to lay it soley at the feet of parents is not fair, and to read a statement from her dear husband was just even more ridiculous....

[clb]

Another one bites the dust... and they can only sweep her under the rug!

[Anon]

I meant Cypress Creek?

[Anon]

WHat school? Alafia or Turkey Creek? Please be specific.

[mr rogers]

did this have anything to do with the pending investigation into parent/teacher/student sex scandals that are coming at that school?

[K]

AMEN!

[Happy Holidays]

Let us welcome Ms. Tierney-Jackson to our school and stop all the other petty nonsense. Mrs. Smith is gone and we can look forward to a peaceful holiday season and a great New Year. For all those who cannot let go...TRY. Enjoy the holidays with your family and let Mrs. Smith enjoy hers.

I hope this poor woman doesn't get run off by the bossy parents too!

[Anon]

I think the textbook depository would be the perfect place for Mrs. Smith. No contact with people, inventoring books all day and unable to initmidate another human being. What a wonderful way to end her career!