Mr. Torres
By: Willa Sabelko
Mr. Torres says it best himself, “I firmly believe that having the opportunity to work with kids on a daily basis is the best job. It truly is. It brings joy; it fills my soul; it’s the best job.”
The former intervention specialist’s priority has always been supporting, educating, and advocating for kids. His new assistant principal position has allowed him to advocate for kids on a higher level and support teachers, which has always been very important to him.
According to Mr. Torres, transitioning to his new role was a smooth process because of the great administrative team, school counselors, and school psychologist. He expressed that everyone has been super supportive and is always looking out for each other, which made him feel comfortable asking others when he has questions. Also, he spent most of July in the building to get a head-start, so when August hit and students filled the building, he felt prepared.
One of the staff members who has helped him navigate through the process and helped him as he solidified into his role is Mr. Hayes. Mr. Torres declared working with Hayes as “...awesome! Mr. Hayes is a very high-energy guy, and I’m mid-to-high energy, so at times… I try to match his energy, but I’ve noticed in the first few weeks that it’s nearly impossible. But I will tell you that one of the best things about working with him is that he is such a huge advocate for kids and for people and for staff, and so am I. So, we share that passion, and with that, it’s been incredible…I think working alongside him and Mr. Baker is going to be just awesome.”
Torres had all positive things to say about his colleagues, and they only had positive things to say about him: “It has been an absolute pleasure working, learning, and growing alongside Mr. Torres. He brings an unparalleled passion to his work with a sincere desire to do all he can to best support kids…” Hayes continued, “... I’m excited to see how Mr. Torres will continue positively shaping our Greenhouse climate and culture for years to come!” With Torres, Hayes, and Baker at the head of The Greenhouse, this school year will surely be smooth sailing.
Furthermore, when asked what his goals are for The Greenhouse, Torres had an insightful plan: “I care so much about the climate and culture in The Greenhouse that I want to do everything I can to enhance it. I think in year 1 as an administrator, if I keep my sole focus on advocating for kids and supporting teachers, I feel that I can do that.” Moreover, he described the reason he wanted to pursue education administration as “an opportunity for me to support teachers and continue doing what’s best for kids while making systemic change and enhancing the culture and climate that we have.” Undeniably, Torres has a real passion for doing everything possible to do right by kids.
Sticking to that theme, when asked what his favorite part of his new role is, Torres described, “...being able to stand outside in the mornings from 7:00-7:40 and greet kids as they come through the door…waving ‘hi’ to parents, fist bumping kids as they’re coming through, and just meeting them there with a smile; greeting them and wishing for them to have a great day.” Mr. Torres cherishes all his opportunities to be around kids and support them and their educations. The Greenhouse’s students have already taken notice. Sticking to that theme, when asked what his favorite part of his new role is, Torres described, “...being able to stand outside in the mornings from 7:00-7:40 and greet kids as they come through the door…waving ‘hi’ to parents, fist bumping kids as they’re coming through, and just meeting them there with a smile; greeting them and wishing for them to have a great day.” Mr. Torres cherishes all his opportunities to be around kids and support them and their educations. The Greenhouse’s students have already taken notice.
As the former baseball coach, Torres has already impacted much of the student body in many ways. Senior Rory Kilway described Torres as “...an outstanding individual who was always there when you needed him. Through my injury, he kept me in the right mindset and encouraged me and the team to be the best on and off the field. Since Mr. Torres has moved on to his assistant principal role, it has been a delight to fist-bump him every day and talk to him every morning.” Mr. Torres expressed how hard it is to part with his coaching role since he enjoyed forging those relationships with learners in an alternative forum; however, he plans to be around the program as much as possible in the spring and how his new role provides him an opportunity to help more kids on a systemic level.
Overall, Mr. Torres’ passion and dedication are exemplified daily as he interacts with students, staff, and teachers. These values are also displayed as he works towards enhancing The Greenhouse’s culture and climate and supporting students and teachers.