Popular Renaissance teacher finds sadness as she leaves Citrus County

Photo caption: Wanda McClellan ended her last day as a teacher at the Renaissance Center on Wednesday and will teach at Gulf High School in Pasco County where her family has moved. Above, she receives a hug from Brian Pommill, a junior at the school. McClellan has taught Pommill for six years at the school and he said she brought fun into learning for him. Photo by MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle.

By MIKE WRIGHT

It is fitting that on her last day in a Citrus County classroom, Miss Mack was still reaching out.

As she has done every school day for the past four years, Wanda McClellan spoke directly and honestly to her English students at the Renaissance Center.

"This is my last-minute message about life," she said. "You can only control you - what is the right thing to do, what gets you on the right path."

McClellan, or Miss Mack to her students and co-workers, resigned Wednesday. She and her family moved to New Port Richey in August to be closer to her husband's job. The commute, she said, was too much for her to handle.

Today, she begins a new job as a math teacher at Gulf High School.

One of Citrus County's most popular teachers and the 2002 district Teacher of the Year, McClellan is known for the positive approach she uses with Renaissance students.

Like a minister, McClellan uses her classroom as a pulpit in the hopes her words will steer these children toward the right path.

Students cherish her and are caught in her spell right off.

"She gives us advice and helps us make smart decisions," said Tiffany Rosio, 14, a freshman who has been at Renaissance for seven days. "She's been a really good influence on me."

Brian Pommill, a 17-year-old junior who is in his sixth year at Renaissance, said he was failing classes and disinterested before meeting Miss Mack.

"She's the structure of the Renaissance," Pommill said. "Miss Mack encouraged people to do what they need to do. She changed my life, no doubt about that."

Students are sent to Renaissance from their home schools for behavioral problems, but many thrive in the small classroom setting.

The students in McClellan's class are spontaneous. As she was explaining the reason for her leaving, one student abruptly got up, walked toward the open back door and yelled to a friend across the street.

"Excuse me. Excuse me! What are you doing?" McClellan said to the boy. "What have I told you about manners? That was rude. You chose to do that."

Making the proper choice is a McClellan standard.

"I'm not going to be here to hold your hand to make the right choices," she told her students. "I wish you guys were built like a video monitor with a pause button so that you would stop and think of your options before reacting."

The students hung on every word.

"Look at your options," she said. "Ninety percent of the trouble you guys get into is because you don't look at your options."

Tiffany, the freshman, moaned.

"What are we going to do without you, Miss Mack?" she asked.

McClellan looked her in the eye.

"I don't know," she said, "but I pray it's the right thing."