Departing principal looks fondly on tenure

Bill Mullane has been Harding High School principal since 1997.
BY AMANDA GARRETT
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A carved statue of a grinning African witch doctor reprimanding a child sits in the corner of William Mullane's office.
The outgoing principal of Warren G. Harding High School is busy clearing out the space, but he hasn't packed his art collection quite yet.
"It's called a principal effigy," he said. "The theme of a witch doctor restraining an unruly child was meant to serve as a warning. I thought it was appropriate because it reminds me of a principal on hall duty."
The witch doctor will probably be stored in Mullane's basement when he moves on to a new job after more than 30 years working at Warren schools.
On Tuesday, Mullane will become supervisor of school improvement and community relations at the Ashtabula County Educational Services Center.
At Ashtabula, Mullane will divide his time between working at the center and working with the Jefferson School District.
"The prospect was very appealing," Mullane said of his new job. "Having worked as a principal for all these years, I'm going to be able to look at things from a districtwide perspective. Also, it will be interesting as an urban educator to work in a more rural and suburban district."
Replacement
The school board will vote on Monday to confirm Ruth Zitnik, the acting superintendent of the Maplewood School District, as the new Harding principal.
Now is a good time for a leadership transition at Harding, Mullane said.
"This is a perfect opportunity for the superintendent and new principal to build a new team and lead them into a new building," he said. "Ten years is the time to have some new perspective on the district and see what worked and what didn't."
Harding's new principal will face many challenges, Mullane said, speaking before the announcement of Zitnik as the new principal.
"With all the mill closings and factory closings, we've experienced shrinking enrollment," he said. "When parents are losing their jobs or worried about losing their jobs, that anxiety rubs off on kids and makes it more difficult for them to learn."
One of the biggest challenges facing urban schools is the rise of standardized testing under the No Child Left Behind Act. The tests are difficult because they measure how a child performed and not the reasons why they did poorly, Mullane said.
"Some students do poorly because they don't bother to get up out of the bed and come to class," he said.
Mullane began working as an actor and puppeteer during his summer vacation from Youngstown State University, where he was an art student.
After graduation, Mullane eventually moved into teaching art for the district.
"After college, there is the realization that you can't make a living as an artist," he said. "Also, I found out I really enjoyed teaching. There was something invigorating about looking at art through someone else's eyes. Most artists, including myself, have a tendency to avoid discussing their work. I found that through teaching I see things differently -- It's made me a better artist."
After serving as a teacher for 11 years, Mullane moved on to become an occupational work experience coordinator and then principal of Turner Middle School and Western Reserve Middle School.
In 1997, he took the job at Harding.
"Administration seemed like a logical extension," he said. " I was able to look at an entire system's operation structure instead of just one facet."
Mullane enjoyed his years in Warren because the city and school district are unique, he said.
"Warren is an urban district, but it's the Mayberry of urban districts," he said. "I was able to work closely with the superintendent and local leaders, which would have never happened to a principal in, for instance, the Manhattan school district."
He and his wife, Patricia Lathan, plan on remaining at their home in Warren. In his rare free time, Mullane enjoys spending time with Lathan, painting and traveling.
In recent years, Mullane has taken up a new hobby. "Lately, I've been incessantly planting flowers," he said of his passion for gardening.
Mullane said he is proud to have served Warren and Harding High through the years.
"I graduated from Western Reserve High School," he said. "Having been educated in the district, I respect and love Warren and am honored that I had the ability to contribute to the community."
Preserving Harding's place in the community was one of the greatest privileges of heading the high school, Mullane said.
"Attending Harding is a huge link that so many people from the city have in common," he said. "I felt a real responsibility to the history and the tradition. I realized that this wasn't just a job -- it was preserving a beloved institution."
agarrett@vindy.com