Deborah Flores, a 54-year-old with seven years of experience as
a school district superintendent and more than 15 additional years
of experience as an administrator, has been chosen as Gilroy’s new
superintendent.
Gilroy – Deborah Flores, a 54-year-old with seven years of experience as a school district superintendent and more than 15 additional years of experience as an administrator, has been chosen as Gilroy’s new superintendent.
Flores is the superintendent of the Lucia Mar Unified School District in the southern California city of Arroyo Grande. She will start at the Gilroy Unified School District this summer, provided the board of trustees does not find anything objectionable during her reference and background checks, and the two parties can agree on a contract.
Flores is a solid choice because she has experience leading a district, negotiating with teachers and monitoring construction projects, said trustee Francisco Dominguez.
“When you take all (three) facets and you take a look at our needs, I think it’s an excellent match,” he said.
The district is struggling or has struggled in all three arenas in the past year. There is a chance the district will be without leadership as two assistant superintendent positions will be vacant come July; the board gave 7 percent raises to teachers and administrators earlier this year in the face of perennial complaints of low pay; and rising costs of land and construction have pushed the new Christopher High School over budget.
Flores – who said she has a stack of research on the Gilroy district about six inches thick – is not daunted by these challenges.
As superintendent for three years at Lucia Mar and four-and-half years in various administrator roles at Santa Barbara school districts, Flores made numerous district hires, negotiated a pay increase with teachers despite animosity on both sides, and oversaw the construction and opening of an elementary school, the reconstruction of a high school, and the redrawing of district boundaries.
Her performance at Lucia Mar has earned her the respect of students, teachers, administrators and board members, said Dee Santos, Lucia Mar board president and former mayor of Grover Beach.
“I hate to have to lose her,” she said. “You guys are getting somebody outstanding.”
Before ascending to superintendent, Flores served as deputy superintendent, assistant superintendent and part of the child development division in Santa Barbara. She also was pupil services director and a special-education resource teacher in school districts in California and Massachusetts, where she earned a master’s degree and completed the bulk of her doctorate.
Previous to hearing about the job in Gilroy, Flores only stopped in the city to eat at Fresh Choice on her way to San Francisco. She was surprised when, as part of her research on the district, she found the city to be much more than outlet malls.
“I was just struck by the growth and the size of Gilroy,” she said. “I didn’t realize it was such a large town.”
If hired as superintendent, Flores will move to the city with her 8-year-old son, Julian, and her husband, George.
“When your child is enrolled in the schools, I think you have a different perspective,” said trustee Denise Apuzzo. “I think that’s important for me personally.”
Deborah Flores met her husband – an award-winning high school science teacher in Santa Barbara – in high school 37 years ago. Her husband, who is bilingual, is not worried about finding a position in neighboring school district, she said. Julian, when informed of the change of scenery, was not as certain he would adjust.
“We told him a few days ago and he cried for about two hours,” Flores said.
The Flores family also includes an adopted daughter, Christina, now in her junior year at University of California San Diego. A former baby-sitter for Julian, Christina was welcomed into the Flores home when relationships with her birth family turned sour.
For Flores, the hardest part of leaving Lucia Mar will be saying goodbye to her running partners. However, the former marathon runner was buoyed by the presence of area running groups.
Flores and the Gilroy board – who have been in negotiations since it informed her that she was their preferred candidate last Friday – hope to draw up and sign a contract by early next week.
Her compensation package will be comparable to those of superintendents at similar districts in Santa Clara County, the board decided at a March 29 meeting. The average salary in the county is $187,430, a board subcommittee reported. Former Gilroy superintendent Edwin Diaz’ compensation package included $187,250 in salary, 22.5 vacation days, health care coverage and an $8,000 contribution to a retirement account.
This will be a raise for Flores, who made about $165,000 at Lucia Mar.
When contacted about the candidate selection, the other trustees either did not return repeated phone calls or gave no comment. Board President Tom Bundros, the spokesperson for the superintendent search, also did not return phone calls.
There is hesitancy to speak about the superintendent because a contract has not been signed, said trustee Javier Aguirre. The board plans to approve a contract and announce the next superintendent at a special meeting before its regular board meeting May 17.
“We’re still completing the process,” Aguirre said.
