Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 12, 1995 TAG: 9506120112
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Mary Lee Hunt had to keep reminding herself that it was the last day of school.
She passed out graduation certificates, outstanding attendance awards, spelling bee honors and other awards to 100 fifth-graders at Glen Cove Elementary School.
The gymnasium of the northwest Roanoke County school was filled with proud parents recording the moment with cameras and video recorders.
Hunt was so busy Thursday that she didn't have time to be sad. But later she fought back her emotions and feelings for the pupils.
"They are such a wonderful class with so much talent. They are so respectful, so mannerly," she said.
Hunt is just as proud of the children as their parents are.
It is the final class that Hunt, who is retiring after 22 years at Glen Cove, will send to middle school. She has been Glen Cove's principal for 10 years, and was assistant principal for 12 years.
The children feel just as strongly about Hunt as she does about them.
"She is so caring - just like a friend," said Justin Allen, a fifth-grader.
"She's so considerate. I wish she wasn't retiring," said Daniel Bussey, another fifth-grader.
Another pupil, Jodi Chappell, said Hunt was too young to retire.
"When we were in Virginia Beach for the [Odyssey of the Mind competition], she took us to a museum," Jodi said. "She's always so nice."
Amy Journell said Hunt was sincere and devoted to the children. "She is always there when we need her," she said. "I have never seen her get angry."
Fifth-grader Sabrina Washington describes Hunt as "fantastic and nice."
Hunt, who has been a teacher and administrator for 32 years, said she was retiring because she wanted to spend more time with her husband, Bob, who is retired, and the rest of her family.
"I hope my life will be less scheduled now so I can read, play golf, travel and have fun with my grandchildren," she said.
She never planned to become principal when she went into teaching. Her goal was to become a guidance counselor. But she was encouraged to apply for the assistant principal position at Glen Cove when it opened in 1973.
Hunt was assistant principal when Berkley Lucas was principal. She succeeded Lucas when he became personnel director for Roanoke County schools.
Hunt praised the teachers at Glen Cove for their cooperation and work during her tenure as principal.
"This has been a wonderful staff to work with," she said. "If you nurture your staff and make them feel important and special, you can have an outstanding staff and they will transmit that quality to the children."
George Seymour, a music teacher who has been at Glen Cove since the school opened 24 years ago, said Hunt has been the mortar that has held the faculty together.
"She guides us. She has been our mentor in educational professionalism," Seymour said. "She has never said that `you can't do this or that,' but she guides you down the right path."
He praised Hunt for being an advocate for all children, not just the academically talented. She shows just as much concern for special-education pupils as for the gifted, he said.
Glen Cove, which has 500 pupils, is an open-space school without walls between classrooms. Team teaching and the mixing of classes is encouraged. Hunt said she tried to keep the school in the forefront of educational innovation.
Despite critics who lament the poor condition of the nation's public schools, she believes the educational system is better than it was two or three decades ago.
"We are serving more children more - and serving more with problems who used to drop out of school," she said. Teachers are better and children are brighter now, she said.
Hunt said that much misleading information about schools has been spread during recent years.
She said children aren't as obedient and are less respectful of authority now. But that is a cultural problem, not an educational issue, she said.
Hunt said the toughest part of her job was not having time to do everything that had to be done - and still be free to spend time with the children. She had an assistant principal, but he also had a teaching assignment.
The most satisfying thing for a principal is watching children succeed, learn and accomplish their goals, she said.
"It is a time-consuming process, but it is rewarding to see the fruits of your efforts," she said.
Hunt's retirement is like losing a family member, Seymour said.
"It's like death or divorce," he said. "We are going to miss her and it will take time to get over it."
Shelby Thomason, principal of Glenvar Elementary School, will succeed Hunt. Thomason has been a school administrator and teacher in Roanoke County for 26 years.
MARY LEE HUNT
Retiring Roanoke County educator
Age: 60
Hometown: Roanoke
Education: University of Richmond, bachelor's degree; Hollins College, master's degree; graduate work at Virginia Tech, University of Virginia, Radford University and George Washington University.
Professional: Taught at Virginia Heights Elementary, Oakland Elementary and Cave Spring Elementary; assistant principal at Glen Cove Elementary, 12 years; principal at Glen Cove, 10 years.
Family: Married, husband, Bob.; six children; and 10 grandchildren.
Community: First Baptist Church, Roanoke; Phi Delta Kappa, Educator of the Year Award for Western Virginia.
Quote: "Teachers are better and more creative now. Education is no longer controlled by textbooks. Now teachers have more freedom to try new things and not be bound by the books."
by CNB