Washington Elementary School in Winslow is starting the new school year with a new principal. Sal Hernandez has taken over the position of principal at the school, which serves fifth and sixth graders in the district.
Hernandez may be in a new job but he’s a familiar face as he has worked at the district for 18 years, serving as a biology instructor at Winslow High School for most of that time. “From there I became the assistant principal at the high school,” he said, a position he spent six years in. Hernandez has also served as the athletic director at WHS.
Hernandez was hired as the school’s principal following the retirement of John Summerville in May. “The staff here is amazing,” said Hernandez, “and they know I’m coming from the high school, so they are patient with me and the learning curve.” Even with the learning curve, Hernandez is excited for the new challenges he faces as a new administrator at the school. “I’m excited to get going, and to work with this staff.”
What he is most excited about is building relationships. “I am known for fostering positive relationships with students as well as their families. One of my strengths is definitely the rapport I develop with students. Sometimes, these kids need a role model in their lives and I hope to be one of those to show them that anyone can succeed with hard work.”
In his Principal’s Message on the Washington Elementary School website, Hernandez wrote, “As educators, we can create better experiences for our students if we can make a true connection. To do this we need to be intentional in learning more about our students.”
His goals for the year include tapping into student’s passions and knowing where they come from. He said, “One of the quotes that I live by and I try to get across to my staff as well is, ‘don’t let failure be the ending, make it the beginning.’”
Hernandez intends to maintain an open-door policy as principal stating, “I encourage parents to reach out to me. I would rather talk face to face and keep that communication wide open. Building connections and developing relationships with our educational community is crucial to our Bulldog family. We must work together to achieve a sustainable culture of learning.”
The school year began for the Winslow School District this week and Hernandez is eager to have a positive impact on those students entrusted to his care.
