PHOTO COURTESY OF UMATILLA SCHOOL DISTRICT
A teacher’s chair is empty at McNary Heights Elementary today as the staff, students and community mourn the loss of Elisabet Flores who died in a car accident over the weekend.
Crisis Flight Teams from the InterMountain ESD are available at all three Umatilla schools today to counsel students and staff over the loss of Flores, 39, a first-grade teacher. Flores was involved in a single-car accident late Saturday night and died of her injuries at Good Shepherd Medical Center. Her husband and son, passengers in the vehicle, were not injured, and the cause of the crash is unknown.
Flores taught in the Umatilla School District for more than a decade. She was one of the first teachers involved in the district’s bilingual education program when it launched in 2000. The transitional language program helps Spanish-speaking students learn core concepts in Spanish while they are learning English skills. Students receive two reading lessons a day – one in English and one in Spanish – and Flores never hesitated at putting forth the extra effort.
“Mrs. Flores, what embodied her was her love and care for our students and the community, especially the families,” said McNary Heights Principal Bob Lorence on Monday. “Her gift was getting kids to read. She knew how to meet their needs and provide them a great start.”
Flores also helped form bridges between the school district and the community, especially with Spanish-speaking families.
Umatilla School District Superintendent Heidi Sipe called the loss heartbreaking. Sipe pointed to Flores’ mix of a sharp sense of humor, a caring heart and a fearless defense as the makings of an incredible person and educator.
“She was just amazing,” Sipe said. “The mix of those three is what made her so incredible. She advocated for students but she did so in a way that was really positive. She was a great mom, a great teacher, and a part of the community.”
Flores had numerous volunteers and substitute teachers who worked in her classroom, so students will see familiar faces for some continuity through the remainder of the school year. Lorence said a substitute teacher who worked closely with Flores in the past will fill in until the end of the school year.
The district hopes to hire a new native language literacy teacher for the 2015-6 school year to maintain the program.
“Children were her world, and she worked very, very hard to ensure that they had as many opportunities as possible,” Sipe said. “Her children are truly wonderful individuals as well. She will be missed.”
In addition to her students, colleagues and friends, Flores has children and stepchildren in the Umatilla School District. Lorence and Sipe each said the district will continue working to support Flores’ family in their time of loss.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston, Oregon is in care of funeral arrangements, and a memorial service date has not yet been released.
