Biography

The current Superintendent of Schools in the Tolleson Union High School District and former principal of Carl Hayden Community High School, Kino Flores has had a lengthy career dedicated to helping Arizona’s at-risk student population. While principal of Carl Hayden Community High School, he formed a Foundation that brought together for the first time the 15 separate block watch organizations in their attendance zone. This marked the first time that these diverse community groups committed to a common mission for the benefit of the students and families in the community.

Dr. Flores helped create the Carl Hayden Community Recreation Center, which provides West Phoenix residents with a variety of social and recreational services. (He is still an active member of the Board of Directors). Another program created by Dr. Flores was the Carl Hayden Community Partnership that attracted more than 25 large and small businesses to share their personnel, personal resources, and more than $150,000 in financial resources for the students. As Superintendent of the Tolleson Union High School District, the TUHSD Business Education Partnership Foundation was also formed and has raised over a million dollars in scholarships that provide assistance for students to continue their post high school educational pursuits.

The mission at Tolleson Union High School District is to "Guarantee Higher Levels of Learning for all Students." Dr. Flores is responsible for the District’s partnerships with Salt River Project and Arizona State University in joining forces to prepare students for college. The District’s Advanced Placement program makes it possible to take higher level courses in subjects including calculus, English and science as well as to prepare for the AP exams, which gives students credit or advanced standing at most of the nation’s colleges and universities. Dr. Flores’ leadership also introduced the District’s new University High School, a campus within Tolleson Union High School providing a rigorous curriculum driven by the Advanced Placement curriculum.

Dr. Flores believes that the responsibility of the District is to convince every child in the system that they can overcome the most daunting obstacles to learning. He feels that this can be accomplished if every adult in the school community will take an interest in the future of all children; will help create a place where students feel safe to learn in their own way; and to convince students that they bring their own, unique gifts to their communities. It is his personal and professional belief that programs do not change people, relationships change people. The biggest challenge today is to inspire people; put the emphasis on the positive, and always remember that, "As the school goes, so goes the community."