Marable gave a short interview following her appointment. Following are some of the questions she was asked and her responses:
TDT: What would you say is the state of the district from what you’ve seen in your first several days?
Marable: I don’t think Temple is broken. I’ve not come to do a repair job, I’m just going to continue toward improvement, which is where we all should be all the time, working toward excellence all the time. We may never get there but we want to always continue to take that next step.
TDT: What has the district been doing right and what areas do you see need improvement?
Marable: The main thing that I noticed, before I came, just looking at it on paper, we have some student achievement areas we really need to tackle. We need to work on attendance. That’s how we pay for people to do the teaching, I think a lot of the facilities are in need of tender loving care. I know that a bond has been passed and that’s going to help tremendously. Just normal things that you could probably go to any school district in Texas and see. I’ve been very pleased with the openness of the staff and the principals and the support of the classroom teachers that I have had contact with.
TDT: What do you hope to accomplish in the following weeks and months?
Marable: The first few weeks I’m just going to try to get my feet on the ground, but the other thing is getting people get to know me and understand me and understand that I’m here to be part of the team and work with them. I want to find out as much as I can as fast as I can and get involved in curriculum, because that is my first love and not waste a single second.
TDT: Is this a temporary posting for you or do you intend to apply for the permanent superintendent position?
Marable: My contract will be for three months and it will be month to month after that. I intend to stay as long as they don’t tell me I’m going to leave the next month. I’m not anxious to go anywhere else.
The beauty of this part of the process is I get to see (if I want to stay and apply). If I’m a good fit I would not be at all surprised (if I apply).
Right now I’m comfortable with the month to month. I think it is important for the board not to lock themselves into anything with me.
TDT: How would you compare Temple to Longview?
Marable: It’s about the same size within 100 or 200 kids. Financially, Temple is in much better shape than Longview when I got there, but when I left Longview was in better shape. But Temple is very solvent. I’ve never gone to a school district that was this solvent before and I’m looking forward to having money in the bank.
From what I’ve heard about Temple there is a real school spirit and a lot of support in the community for the school district.
TDT: How do you plan to boost morale in the district?
Marable: I haven’t found (low morale). They all seem pretty excited and happy to have me. I’ve been so very well received.
I’m kind of one of those people who doesn’t believe in low morale. I’m the person that controls that, and I don’t have time to be unhappy and I certainly hope that TISD will not have to have to time to be unhappy. We’re going to do what’s best for children.
TDT: What are you looking forward to most about being at your new job?
Marable: Just being here and being part of all of it again. It’s the most exciting job in the whole world. It’s the one place in the world where you really deal with the most valuable commodity, and that’s children. And I’m so glad to be back in it.
TDT: Did you intend to become a superintendent again after leaving Longview (in August 2006)?
Marable: I always knew I was going to work some more, I just didn’t know exactly what. I had a university that was wanting me to come back and teach, and a friend of mine called and said Temple is looking for an interim. I would have been crushed if they hadn’t chosen me, because I really wanted this job. It felt right, it just felt right, and I thought this would be a great board to work with and great people to be friends with.
TDT: Over your years in education you have no doubt dealt with your share of crises and controversies. How do you deal with these situations and the concerns of the people involved?
Marable: I get very personally involved because I care for the people I work with, and so I’m not able to stand back and not get involved. You learn to laugh with them and cry with them and lament with them, but you just go ahead and do your job, the thing you have to always do is what’s right for the children first. When you make any decision you have to base it on what’s best for the boys and girls. You just can not base decisions on anything else but them. And there are tough decisions, but there many many joys.
kchandler@temple-telegram.com
