Entering the school year, students and staff welcome the new freshman principal, Dr. Joshua Flores.
Flores said his goal in the upcoming year is to create relationships with the freshmen as they both adjust to a new school.
¨[My biggest goal is] getting to know them as much as I can. It’s been helpful being new just like them and having a relationship where we understand we both don’t always know what’s happening. It’s just fun to go through this process of learning together,” Flores said.
Flores nearly strayed away from education after he was accepted into Washington University for a physical therapy degree. Before attending any classes at WashU, Flores worked a semester-long teaching position at Eureka and later a position at Summit as a maternity substitute. It was during this time that Flores knew he wanted to stay in education and quickly resumed his teaching career. Flores said it was the familiar community and school pride that he is passionate to get back to.
“I was an eight week maternity sub for Mrs. Steele, which is funny. I learned a little bit about the school then, and I loved it. So I’m not excited for a specific tradition but just to be back at a place that has such a connection with a community and students,” Flores said.
It was Flores’ previous and ongoing admiration for the school that gave him the tools to return to Summit. The hiring process he went through consisted of three rounds; first is a screening to narrow the candidate list, which is followed by an interview with a larger committee consisting of head principal Dr. Emily McCown, staff, parents and students. The final interview process was more personal between the candidates, McCown, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Gary Jansen and Superintendent Dr. Curtis Cain. McCown said it was Flores’ drive and preparation for these interviews that separated him from other candidates.
“What stuck out that the committee was able to see right away was that he connected well with the students on the committee and he also connected well with the staff and the parents, so there was that immediate sense of ability to build relationships. When it got to the second round he really came prepared, he had looked at new information about Summit, he talked about the Falcon Way, which just really showed he wanted to be here,” McCown said.
He has continued to show these qualities thus far in the school year, according to freshman Karson Baumgartner, who said he has already enjoyed his time with the new principal.
“I like that he’s very personable, [he] says hi to you everytime he sees you, and he really tries to connect with you. [What i’m looking for in a principal is] someone who isn’t sitting around in an office all day, [I want someone] who’s out there walking around at lunch, talks to you; someone who’s for the good of the whole school,” Baumgartner said.
