Huff talks leadership and issues facing Elkhart Community Schools
ELKHART — Every culinary chef needs the right ingredients and staff to deliver a tasty meal, and Larry Huff, superintendent of Elkhart Community Schools, believes he has the right ingredients and staff to make Elkhart Community Schools a destination location.
Huff, while not a culinary chef, did go to culinary school at one time and does continue to practice the culinary arts in his spare time. He particularly enjoys making French and Southwestern cuisine.
"I would love to say that if I got invited on a show with Bobby Flay, I would be able to give him a pretty good run for his money," Huff said. "I spent a little bit of time in culinary arts school when I was younger, and I worked throughout high school all throughout kitchens and I have very good experience and very good training."
Huff is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio. He began his professional career in social work as a crisis counselor. He has degrees from the University of Indianapolis, Marian University in Indianapolis, Lamar University and Oakland City University.
Prior to being selected as superintendent at Elkhart Community Schools, Huff served as chief academic officer of the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township in Indianapolis. It was at the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township where he worked under the tutelage of Larry Young, superintendent of that school district.
"Dr. Larry Young really took me under his wing to provide me with opportunities should I ever have the chance to be a superintendent that you could speak from a level of experience and when you're in a side seat," Huff said. "He invested in me for over 10 years on how you lead from superintendency, while not leading in the superintendency."
Huff also cited other leadership influences for himself including Nathaniel Jones, Pike Township's first Black superintendent, Colin Powell, who served as United States secretary of state, and TV icon Fred Rogers, better known as Mister Rogers.
Jones' focus on excellence resonated with Huff. Powell served as an archetype for leadership and discipline. While Huff watched him on TV growing up, Rogers showcased the importance of showing kindness to others.
"I probably spent as much time with Fred Rogers as I did with my own family growing up," Huff said. "But just to watch how he spoke to kids like myself and did it with a level of grace, where I could really understand, as an adult, particularly as a male adult, caring for children is important."
Even within his short tenure so far, Huff is overseeing some changes to Elkhart Community Schools. One change is moving the sixth-grade students into the three middle schools.
Three forums will take place to inform parents and community members about the transition. The first forum was scheduled for Tuesday night at the Pierre Moran Middle School gymnasium. The second forum was scheduled for 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Elkhart High School cafeteria and the third will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Beardsley Elementary gymnasium.
"There's a lot of work to be done to make sure that transition occurs, but these are exciting times," Huff said. "Over the next few months, you'll see me communicate with the community about all the changes and activities to make sure that they're happening and not just happening but happening well for our students."
Huff acknowledged that there are parents who may be concerned about their children leaving the elementary schools, but he reassured that Elkhart Community Schools is being intentional and thoughtful about how the students will be transitioned.
Huff said he hopes to be at Elkhart Community Schools for a long time. When asked about what he thinks his legacy will be, he said it is not as complex as it may seem.
"Did that man care about every child that was under his watch?" Huff said. "I won't know them all. But could you tell? Yes, he did because he championed these types of practices, policies, and he made sure his teachers had access to all the things they need to have an outstanding learning environment."
