As an educator, Dave Estabrook was known for his ability to look at issues from various vantage points and collaborate with others to solve problems and help people thrive.
On Oct. 2, his contributions to education and to the Land O’ Lakes community were honored at a ceremony to dedicate the first phase of the David R. Estabrook Center for Collaboration at Charles S. Rushe Middle School on Mentmore Boulevard in Land O’ Lakes.
Rushe principal David Salerno, who followed in Estabrook’s footsteps at two points in his career, described Estabrook’s leadership style.
“Immediately, I observed a leader who made it his mission to seek input from many stakeholders — as many stakeholders as possible — when making decisions,” he said. “Not only that, he specifically sought out people that he thought may have a different point of view. He believed in the importance of considering all aspects of problems before recommending a solution.”
Estabrook hired Salerno to be an assistant principal at Pine View Middle School after Estabrook moved up to become the school’s principal. Salerno would later follow Estabrook as principal of Rushe.
“I learned from him that the best way to effectively collaborate, to bring about a meaningful change, is to build strong relationships centered on both communications and trust,” Salerno said.
The ceremony to honor Estabrook was carried over the school’s closed-circuit television. Superintendent Kurt Browning, Assistant Superintendent Ray Gadd and Chief Financial Officer Olga Swinson were there. So was school board member Joanne Hurley.
Estabrook’s wife Lori, his daughter and son-in-law Mallory and Chris Mullis, and Lori’s daughter and son Amy Harris and Geoff Hartwig, were there, too.
The ceremony marked the dedication of the David R. Estabrook Center for Collaboration.
“This is quite an honor,” Estabrook said. “It was quite an honor to be the first principal of Rushe Middle School, too. It was truly significant serving in a school that was named after someone who was just an outstanding leader — Chuck Rushe — and a friend of mine, as well.”
Opening and managing a school presents many kinds of challenges, Estabrook noted.
“We worked through them and worked collaboratively, and made this a great school. And it continues to be a great school under Principal Salerno’s leadership,” he said. “Collaboration, to me, is not exclusive to just adults. It should be incorporated into the teaching and learning process.”
Salerno said it is fitting that Rushe’s media center be renamed in Estabrook’s honor because the retired educator was a master at collaboration.
In keeping with his desire to help others to grow and thrive, Estabrook and his family donated $19,000 to help create the center for collaboration that now bears his name. The Pasco Education Foundation matched that gift.
Helping students collaborate with each other is precisely what the new center aims to do, Salerno said.
“About a year ago, we decided we wanted to do something with collaboration and technology,” he said. “We received input from teachers, students and parents, and the overwhelming consensus is that we wanted to make sure that we increased technology and made sure that we have students collaborate.”
Many people remember the old school library, Salerno said.
“In those school libraries, it often was forbidden to utter a sound,” he said. “You were hushed and sent to the principal’s office. You found yourself sent back to class.
“Fast-forward to today, where our goal is to see places like this, and it’s alive with learning.”
The goal is for students to lead study groups, Salerno said, and use technology to help them research real-world issues. The center now has collaboration stations that are equipped for students to work together to tackle a variety of challenges.
They can go to websites and use different apps to develop various skills. For instance, there’s a Crime and Puzzle app that aims to help them learn to make inferences, to form a hypothesis, and to analyze evidence.
Other learning opportunities focus on improving vocabulary and grammar skills, and becoming skillful of supporting each other’s efforts. They also are given opportunities to develop their research skills through challenges that go beyond reading from a single source.
The center is just in its first phase, Salerno said. He expects to add more equipment later, as funding allows.
He envisions a place where students want to visit, not just during class, but before and after school.
He pictures it as being a place that welcomes students to gather — kind of like having a Starbucks or a Barnes & Noble on campus — but without the snacks and coffee.
Published October 8, 2014
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