Retiring principal reflects on 21 years of progress
And Helen Marston is sure that St. Cecelia Interparochial School will continue to flourish under a new guiding hand.
By TERRI D. REEVES
Published May 20, 2004
CLEARWATER - When St. Cecelia's principal of 21 years retires June 30, where will she go?
It is the subject of much speculation, judging by some second-grade essays that adorn Helen Marston's retirement table:
She's headed to Las Vegas in a limo where she will win $10,000.
She is going to Disney World.
She will travel to the Bahamas to swim and play golf.
But the 61-year-old administrator says she is not planning any exotic trips just yet. She wants to relax a bit, spend some time with her husband, Robert, who just had knee surgery, and then plan for a late-stage career, perhaps as a teacher.
"After 21 years, I've thought all my thoughts," she said. "It's time for the school to have some fresh ideas and time for me to have a new challenge. I am very humbled and grateful for all the years I've had here."
Mary Beth Scanlon, assistant administrator for the middle school at the St. Cecelia Interparochial School, will take her place.
Marston became the school's principal in 1983 and has served the longest tenure in the school's 56-year history. She has overseen several construction projects including a new chapel and middle school.
During her reign, St. Cecelia's curriculum has enabled the school to score the highest test scores in the state for private schools on nationally normed standardized tests.
"Over 99 percent of our students score at or above grade level and that includes the learning disabled students," she said. "It's one of the things I am most proud of."
Her biggest strength she believes is "being able to draw an excellent staff and keep them," she said. About 75 percent of the current staff are alums or have children at the school.
"There is an extraordinary level of commitment here," she said.
Twenty-one years ago, St. Cecelia's had about 500 students. Now the population has swelled to nearly 700. However, the biggest difference, she said, is not the number of students but the number of their worries.
"I see children weighed down by today's issues and events," she said. She cites exposure to indecency in the media and on the Internet, as well as the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 and the conflicts in Iraq as the main reasons today's children are insecure.
"We have to devote much more time and money to addressing issues that you barely heard of in the '80s," she said.
As far as the Internet, it's a double-edged sword, she said. If left unchecked, it can rob a youth of innocence, but its technology makes teaching and learning much easier.
"You just have to have good filtering software," she said.
When she first arrived at the school, it had only two Texas Instruments computers. Now it houses more than 100 state-of-the-art computers in two computer labs. Excel, Word and PowerPoint are a basic part of the curriculum.
Over the past two decades, Marston has overseen her share of renovations and new buildings.
Not only was the existing school at 400 S Hillcrest Ave. remodeled, but also a new chapel, primary building, middle school and administration building were erected on the 13.6-acre campus.
The 2,000-square-foot chapel, built in 1995 at a cost of $200,000, sits in the center of campus. Its focal point is a soaring brick alter which appears to reach toward the heavens. Sunlight filters into the building through 10 stained glass windows.
"This building is a dream because we are about 2 miles from St. Cecelia's Church and now we can have Mass three times a week," she said. "We love our parents to come (to Mass) too because we want them to feel welcome and like they are a part of the school community."
The 6,000-square-foot primary building was also built in 1995. It houses six classrooms for kindergarten, first and second grades.
A $2-million dollar administration and middle school structure was built in 2002. The 20,000-square-foot building houses nine classrooms, a science lab, a computer lab and administrative offices. Marston said her staff totals about 60.
Fred Casale has been safety director for the school for eight years. He oversees operation of the school's security system, which includes 19 cameras, four monitors and a 10-foot fence that surrounds the campus.
"I am going to miss her so much," he said. "I adore her. She cares for everyone and will do whatever she can to help you. Both of my children went here and now my grandchildren will go here."
Choking back tears, maintenance supervisor Joe Danieleski said, "She's our blessed mother, she's hard to replace."
In the cafeteria, the children shared warm thoughts about their principal.
Oceane Vincent, 11, said she feels safe at the school. "Mrs. Marston knows how to take care of us," she said.
Justin Homburg, 9, likes her management style. "She's supportive, fair and always very nice to us," he said.
"She treats every single child like a member of her family," added Breann Walters, 11.
And Tina Kalke of Palm Harbor said her principal was "awesome."
"Everything is under her control and you hardly ever hear any bad words in the school," Tina said.
Marston said parents who send their children to St. Cecelia's should not expect perfection.
"Parents want the best for their children, but they are going to make mistakes. It's better if they do it when they are young. If they make a mistake, it's not the end of the world; it just means they've learned something."
If someday, Marston does decide to travel to Las Vegas or the Bahamas or beyond, she knows she will always be welcome back home.
Clearwater Mayor Brian Aungst gave her a key to the city during a recent retirement ceremony.
"She is very well thought of in the community," Aungst said.
"The school has an excellent academic record and she has built some very nice buildings, but her real legacy will be turning out motivated and educated students that will come back to make a positive contribution to the community."
