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Principal Praises School

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By DEREK MAUL

Tribune correspondent

Published: June 18, 2008

PLANT CITY - Dina Wyatt taught at Walden Lake Elementary from 1991 through 1999. She was voted teacher of the year twice and - most importantly - fell in love with the community.

She spent a few years as assistant principal at Plant City's Wilson Elementary before taking the same position at Walden Lake Elementary in 2003. She moved into the principal's office two years ago.

Q. What gets you up in the morning?

A. I love my job, seeing these children every day, seeing their smiles, hearing them call my name. Seeing the changes; listening to their questions; seeing their desires; helping children find their strength.

Q. When did Walden Lake open?

A. I helped open the school in 1991. Barbara Franques now the Hillsborough County School District's Area IV director was principal; she hired me to teach fourth grade.

Q. What's it like to be principal at your old school?

A. Exciting; I learned a lot from Ms. Franques. She truly was my mentor. She pushed me and encouraged me to go back to school.

Q. Have things changed over the years?

A. I've seen this school grow, but it has the same character. We now have an enrollment of 840, with 101 on staff. We'll have 48 homeroom classrooms next year, and we're opening a new 16-classroom wing. Then, in August, my child will be in kindergarten, so I'll be a parent here, too.

Q. What makes Walden Lake Elementary so good?

A. Our parents; community involvement; everyone working together.

Q. Can you articulate your vision?

A. "Together we will do what it takes to make a difference." It's all of us; the administration, teachers, secretaries, parents, the community.

We're all responsible, and we have to be a team.

Q. Are you still a teacher?

A. I will always be a teacher. One of my goals this year was to be in the classrooms. I'm in every classroom probably four to five days a week; the kids love it.

Q. What makes a good teacher?

A. The desire to grow a child no matter what - to know there are no boundaries.

Q. Are you optimistic?

A. Oh, yes. We're shaping tomorrow's leaders. These are my future doctors; they're going to be taking care of me. It's amazing to see how much a child grows. I'm in awe of what happens here, and I wouldn't be anywhere else.

Q. What are some challenges?

A. Time - always the need for more time; just slowing down a bit - we live in a fast-paced world. What else I can do to make tomorrow a better day, to motivate children; finding ways to make them want to be at school. Then sometimes we need to take care of basic needs - food on the table, clothes.

Q. What makes Plant City great?

A. I've lived here since 1989, and people help each other. When Dover Exceptional Center was raising money for their playground, every school in this community collected money. That's what Plant City's about. My children will be raised here, and one day I'll retire here.

Q. Where were you raised?

A. I was born in 1966 in Chicago. We moved to Lakeland when I was in first grade. I graduated Lakeland High in 1984.

Q. Did you always want to teach?

A. Yes; but I went to USF University of South Florida on a music scholarship as a violinist. I switched to elementary education after two years but continued to play in the orchestra and my High Strings Quartet. I earned my degree in 1989, then my master's in ed leadership USF in 1996.

Q. Do you still play?

A. I play with string quartets; I play at church; and sometimes I play at school.

Q. Are you married?

A. I married Bill Wyatt in 1985. My maiden name was Butorac - it's Yugoslav and Czechoslovakian. We have a 5-year-old, Corbin, and Anelise is 2. They're great; they're just blessings, let me tell you.

Q. What do you do for fun?

A. I love to be outside. I played fast-pitch softball in high school and almost went to college on scholarship. Then I play golf with my husband.

Q. What keeps you grounded?

A. My faith. And the kids; knowing that I'm doing this for children. I never thought I'd say this, but I understand it more now that I'm a parent. I don't take my job lightly.

Q. What do you wish people knew?

A. I want people to know how much we appreciate them trusting us with their children. We truly are a family here.

This is an occasional series spotlighting community leaders. Dina Wyatt is principal of Walden Lake Elementary School, 2800 Turkey Creek Road, Plant City. The school's telephone number is (813) 757-9433 Derek Maul can be reached at derekmaul@gmail.com.

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