Chris Brown, principal of Homer Flex High School, has been named the 2020 Region III Principal of the Year. The Association of Secondary School Principals has recognized Brown for his pivotal role in student success.
He stepped into leadership at Flex five years ago, following five years of teaching in the school. He focuses on professional development opportunities to keep staff engaged. His attention to staff-needs and policy changes equates to 100 percent staff retention spanning more than four years.
Principal Brown: “Homer Flex High School respects student choice to live an adult life; therefore, we require that they accept the responsibilities required to be a successful adult. It is our mission to facilitate students’ academic, vocational, and social and emotional skills toward success in their post-secondary lives. We encourage self-motivation and self-direction, respect for self, respect for others, and respect for the world in which we live.”
Brown worked with the National Council and the Southern Kenai Peninsula Resiliency Coalition to implement Trauma Informed Practices in school, and is a strong advocate for small schools and under-served populations. He focuses on incorporating and prioritizing mental health in schools and is a Youth Mental Health First Aid trainer.
According to the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, Brown is instrumental in introducing Restorative Practices to the district, and Superintendent John O’Brien says: “I applaud the leadership Principal Brown has shown in the area of restorative justice—his leadership has positively transformed the culture of Homer Flex. He is the epitome of a student-centered educational leader and a tireless advocate for his students. Regional Principals of The Year are eligible to be in the running for the statewide Alaska Principal of The Year, and I wholeheartedly hope this additional recognition is awarded to Principal Brown—he would be an excellent choice.”
