Framingham principal Elizabeth Simon to retire after nearly half a century in schools

FRAMINGHAM – On a recent morning, Hemenway Elementary School Principal Elizabeth Simon assured a first grader she'll keep an eye out for her missing purple water bottle.

"If I see it, I'll come find you," said Simon.

Later, in a fourth-grade classroom, Simon praised a student for answering a question correctly about natural disasters.

"Wow, Pedro, I'm really impressed -- you were really listening," said Simon to a student.

Simon said the goal at Hemenway is to "never let a child pass us by without at least saying hi."

"This is their family away from their family," said Simon. "This has to be a place where they feel they belong and they matter. We've worked really hard to create that atmosphere."

After 46 years in education, Simon, 70, will retire at the end of this school year. The bulk of her career was spent in Framingham Public Schools, with the last six as Hemenway principal.

She's "agonized" over the decision for a few years, said Simon in an interview in her office, and has told district officials she would be interested in working in a lesser capacity after retirement.

"I love what I do and it's so much a part of who I am that's hard to think of leaving. But I'm at a point in my life when I have grandchildren and both of my parents are in their mid-90s. I feel as though I have to have time to spend with the people I love," said Simon.

Being a principal is a 24/7 job, said Simon. 

"That's the only way I'd want to do it – giving it my all," said Simon. 

How she got to Framingham

Simon began her career as the first inclusion special education teacher at Woburn High School in 1975. Then, educating children with disabilities in general education classrooms was a new concept. 

She was in Woburn for a few years, before she realized that she should get a job working with younger children to make a substantial difference.

"This was back in the early days of special education being part of the mainstream of education," said Simon.

Her next job was in Malden teaching K-5 students with special needs. In the course of that work, she found her passion was counseling and the "social-emotional piece of working with kids."

In the mid-80s, after getting a second master's degree at Boston College, she got a job as a guidance counselor at Barbieri Elementary School.

"Once I went to that school, I said, 'This is it. I have to get this job,'" said Simon, recalling the interview.

She served in that role for five years. But when the school district combined the two high schools in the 1990s, five guidance positions were cut based on seniority. Simon's position was eliminated, but a job for a self-contained special-needs classroom teacher opened at Hemenway.

Simon took that position in 1991. The next year, she became the guidance counselor at Hemenway.

"That was my dream job," said Simon. "It was working with kids, and problem-solving and people problems and working with teachers. It was great because I felt like having been in the classroom I could relate to what it was like to run a classroom but I also felt like I could work with teachers on how to support kids social-emotionally within the classroom so they could be productive members."

Then, elementary schools did not have assistant principals but "head teachers." Simon became Hemenway's head teacher in 1994, in addition to her guidance counselor position.

In 2012, the district established a vice principal position at Hemenway. Then-principal Lucia Laguarda encouraged Simon to apply and she got the job. 

"I feel like this is my school, which is really selfish to say, but I've been here and I feel so much a part of the fabric," said Simon. "It's a wonderful place to go to school."

'Warm, welcoming, caring education'

When COVID-19 shuttered schools in early 2020, teachers had to reinvent education on the fly. Simon recalled being "astounded" by how her own staff adapted.

"They were so worried: 'How are we going to get to know these kids? We're only meeting them over the internet,'" said Simon. "And then to see how well they knew their kids when it came to their learning style and their needs. They were totally able to do it," said Simon.

The Framingham school district remained remote for most of the 2020-21 school year, before they shifted into some in-person learning at the end. This year, students have been in classrooms full-time.

While it's a relief to be back, said Simon, the challenges of returning have been unexpected.

"What we realized when kids came back to school is they're having a harder time than we might have expected," said Simon. "Working together as (a) group, coming back together. They're happy to be back in school, it's no question of that...it's more working out the people problem."

Simon called it a privilege to have spent most of her educational career in Framingham, saying she always tells parents "thank you so much for entrusting us with your children." 

"I really feel strongly that this community will go forward under the next leadership. They'll work together to provide the same kind of warm, welcoming, caring education," said Simon.

When the pandemic first upturned schools, Simon said she was not ready to leave her career. Then, it felt important to stay because there was too much going on.

She'll be 71 when she retires in June.

"That feels good to me. It gives me years to do some other things," said Simon.

Zane Razzaq writes about education. Reach her at 508-626-3919 or zrazzaq@wickedlocal.com. Follow her on Twitter @zanerazz.