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Alafia Principal Steps Down

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By LAURA FRAZIER

lfrazier@tampatrib.com

Published: December 17, 2008

TAMPA - At a Hillsborough County School District board meeting Dec. 9, Superintendent MaryEllen Elia announced that Ellyn Smith intends to step down from her post as principal at Alafia Elementary School in Valrico by the start of the new semester Jan. 6.

Division at the school, Smith said, has become "a major distraction."

Smith's departure heralds the end of a monthslong dispute by a group of Alafia parents who said Smith's ineffective leadership led to poor morale, a lack of student safety and high teacher turnover.

Dissatisfied with a mentor and training program the district recommended for Smith and implemented in November, disgruntled parents collected hundreds of signatures on a petition prior to last week's meeting asking the school board to overturn the plan and instead oust Smith.

Smith did not attend the board meeting, but her husband, Ashley, a retired principal, was there to hand out copies of a statement that said his wife made the decision to step down because she "does not want the students to have to continually suffer through all the emotional stress that they have had to endure from all the harassment and lies."

School district spokesman Steve Hegarty said Elia will review Smith's request for a transfer during the district's holiday break.

Reporters Adam Emerson and D'Ann Lawrence White contributed to this report. Reporter Laura Frazier can be reached at (813) 657-4523.

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