Gary Mazzola, long-time principal of Parkway South High School in Manchester, won't let the grass grow under his feet after he retires this summer.
Doing mechanical odd jobs and building things is a hobby he's loved for a long time, and he's known for his willingness to help colleagues and neighbors.
"Not to brag, but I can do some extensive work and enjoy being able to fix things and save somebody some money along the way," Mazzola said.
But the real reason he's retiring is to make his schedule more flexible.
"My dad, Harry, is 82 and my mom, Ann, is 81; they're now living in Phoenix, and I wanted the option to vacation together or hang out with them while they're still active," he said. "Also, I want to see both my sons who are working out of town. Michael is a pharmacist in Columbia, Mo., and Matthew is a computer engineer for Microsoft in Dallas."
Though he's been principal at South full time for 13 years, Mazzola boasts 31 years with the Parkway School District.
"I love Parkway, that's why I've stayed so long," he said. "Everything I can attribute my success to has its roots in Parkway. I was educated in Parkway, I met my future wife in English class at Parkway West High, and even my son Michael's fiancee is a 2004 Parkway South High graduate."
Mazzola recently talked about education, his career and his plans for the future.
QUESTION: Why did you want to be in education? Any family members who were teachers?
ANSWER: None of my family was in teaching. My dad worked for Straubs Markets as a departmental manager. I really felt like, because of my years in Parkway, my strongest connections to adults other than my parents were with Parkway teachers, and they had a lot of influence on my life. I felt I had some ability and a strong desire to want to help do something significant for kids, whether it was in the classroom or as a coach. I love my relationships with people in education. In what other job could you have as much satisfaction to interact with people on such a deep level and have such an impact on kids' lives? I can't think of anything more important to want to do.
Q: You and your wife graduated from Parkway West High in 1976. Who was your principal then and what did you think of him?
A: Al Burr was my principal at West. I remember specifically an incident that happened with him that had a big impact on me. I was walking into the cafeteria and he shook my hand and said, "How are you, Gary?" I thought later, "How the hell did he know my name?" West at the time had 2,300 kids in grades 10 through 12. And he knew my name. That meant something. Also, Mr. Burr signed every diploma and any certificate that went through the school. Now, I've done those things. I've worked hard to know as many kids by name as I can. And every diploma or recognition or athletic certificate or anything with my name on it, I've signed it. That's stuck with me as being significant and personal, as I was trying to create a high school built on the strength of relationships and academics.
Q: How did you come to Parkway School District to teach?
A: When I graduated from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. There was a long-term substitute teaching position in the district because of a maternity leave, and I started at what was then Parkway South Junior High in February 1981. Then there was a permanent business teacher opening at West Junior High and I went there in the fall of that year. At the time, Don Senti, who was later Parkway's superintendent, was the principal of South Junior High. He hired me for both those jobs and had been assistant principal at West Junior High when I was there as a student. So you wonder why I wanted to stay in Parkway! There were so many incredible people who were influential in directing me to do something significant. For instance, Bill Meyer, who was my social studies teacher at West High School, was later principal at Parkway Central High for many years and eventually assistant superintendent. People like them had a huge impact on my thinking about the importance of school.
Q: What's special about Parkway South High?
A: We have an awesome staff; teachers I've been able to hire over the last 13 years, who are relationship builders, completely invested in the success of kids and outstanding teachers in the classroom. South has been elevated to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with high-achieving public high schools like the other three Parkway high schools, Clayton High, Ladue High and Lafayette High (in Rockwood District). And that's what I'm most proud of. Prior to me hiring these teachers, I'm not sure people thought of Parkway South as a high achieving institution but because of test scores and more, I think they do now.
Q: What makes a good principal?
A: The job of being principal is incredibly complex. You have to be a motivator of people and organize your school around core values, of what matters most. At Parkway South, it's teaching and learning; it's student needs; it's motivating people around expectations and not around rules; and it's providing a well-rounded experience. But teaching and learning are the most important things we do. Toward that you hire great teachers and focus on giving them the resources and opportunities to do a great things.
Q: What's your favorite movie about education?
A: There are several. The one that pulls at my heart is "October Sky," about what a difference a teacher makes in the life of a student. It's the true story of a boy who lives in the coal mines of West Virginia and who, without the inspiration of a teacher, was destined to become a miner like his father and grandfather. The teacher saw something special in him, and she inspired him to continue his education. It's a great movie.
Q: What do you feel is your finest accomplishment at South?
A: We did what every school should be doing, focusing on student achievement. And we did it in a way so that kids knew they were loved and cared for. We did things that went beyond the academic classroom things, to provide a great experience for kids as a result of teachers and administrators who are 100 percent immersed in making this a great school. I really don't know what my life is going to be without being at South. It'll be a big change.
Q: What do you plan to do in retirement?
A: In addition to time spent with my parents and my sons, I love motorcycle touring, and I'm a member of an owners group that offers all kinds of rides and tours. In the past, I couldn't take advantage of most of them because they were either during the school days or on weekends when there were football games and other athletic events where I wanted to be. Now, I'll take advantage of these opportunities. Also, my son, Michael, and I are going to do Auto Cross, short, timed courses with regular cars that you set up on a big parking lot, including Sports Car Club of America sanctioned events out in St. Charles. My son did a little of that last summer and we hope to do it together this summer, to see if the younger Mazzola can beat the older one in a controlled environment, to see who's the better driver.
Q: What will you most miss about South?
A: Even having the opportunity to spend more time with my parents and kids won't completely negate the loss I feel at not being able to say that I'm principal at Parkway South. What I'll absolutely miss the most is the daily contact with the kids and adults in the school. I mean, it's killing me to know someone else will put the juniors' names on their diplomas. I had them three years, so I feel I should be able to sign their diplomas, too. But I hope whatever new principal is selected will know my heart wants to support this school and not meddle in running it. I want to volunteer at school, such as next year with the South robotics team. And it would be nice to mentor some students. You know, for 44 of my 54 years, I've started each school year in a Parkway school, as a student or an employee. I'll forever be thankful to Parkway for the experiences and opportunities this district has provided me over my entire life.
