New Principal Drake Shelton to Take Over Next Year

Next school year, students and staff will be greeted by a new principal, Drake Shelton.   Shelton is currently an assistant principal at Parkrose High School. Shelton, a native of Portland and graduate of Grant High School,  comes to Gresham with years of experience. He previously worked at De La Salle High School and Alliance High School. While working as an assistant principal at Alliance High School Shelton was named the 2016 Oregon Assistant Principal of the year.   Shelton has excelled in creating intervention systems to keep students on track to graduate.

According to the Confederation of Oregon School Administrator’s website, “Shelton is recognized for his high energy, commitment to equity, building strong relationships with students and staff members, and for positively changing the school climate”.

 In the search for a new principal, the district solicited advice from students, teachers and community members to choose someone that would be the best fit for this school.  Principals play a big role in a high school. They have the job of managing all events and activities while still managing students at the same time. Students and teachers have mixed ideas on the qualities that would make the best principal for the school.

  “I hope our new principal is polite to others, supportive and encouraging to everyone,” junior Luis Hernandez said.

  Many believe the principal needs to be supportive of the students and attend events to show that support.

  “Whenever there is a football, volleyball, or baseball game, I’d hope that they come to support,” Hernandez said.

  Others believe that the new principal should represent the growing diversity of our student body.

  “I hope that our new principal is colored. I’ve only ever had white, old, bald men. I’m tired of that being regular, it’s time to mix it up,” sophomore Makyah Lenz – Johnson said.  

  Students often feel that they don’t really have a voice when it comes to picking their principal.  But overall most students just want a leader that can connect with students.

  “I want the new principal to be nice and aware of all the students here,” sophomore Stephanie Owuor said.

  The Gresham motto is, “ hate is not a Gresham value” so that should play a role in who our principal will be and how they act.