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Dr. David Baker
It was 1991. George W. H. Bush was president. The first Gulf War started off the New Year and the dissolution of the Soviet Union ended the year. Four Los Angeles police officers were indicted for beating Rodney King which sparked national outrage. In sports the Chicago Bulls won their first NBA crown and the USA Women’s soccer team won its first global title.
And in that same year, at Centennial Elementary School on West Wetmore Road, David Baker entered a fourth-grade classroom to begin his teaching career. He didn’t know where his initial steps would take him on his professional journey but he knew he wanted to be in a classroom, to share his knowledge and enthusiasm for learning with his young charges.
Thirty years later, with all but two years teaching and working in the Flowing Wells Unified School District (he spent two years in the Amphi School District), David Baker can look back and see his seasoned road which took him from the classroom to the superintendent’s office. It was a road well traveled.
“I think our district has stayed connected,” he said in response to the question of what was one of his major achievements as the Flowing Wells superintendent.
Dr. David Baker will end his 30-year career at Flowing Wells on June 30, capping a career in which he and the Flowing Wells community witnessed and experienced growth and achievements. In those three decades the community bore fruit with the expansion of Curtis Park, the Flowing Wells Library and the construction of Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center, to name several.
 The area we know as Flowing Wells, much of which is in Ward 3, is a vibrant, historically rich and diverse community. But at its core, the bonds that keep the community together, are the schools. The identity of Flowing Wells is tied directly to the neighborhood schools, said Dr. Baker.
The schools have defined Flowing Wells and established the connection, Dr. Baker said. They give Flowing Wells “a sense of place,” he added.
And Dr. Baker was key in maintaining and strengthening those connections, said Kevin Daily, a member of the of the District’s governing board.
“David Baker enhanced collaboration and communication at Flowing Wells leading to the highest levels trust by all stakeholders. The level of trust between employees, parents, students and community has never been stronger,” he said. “David has tirelessly sought connections between community partners, students and families that have resulted in making our community better including Habitat for Humanity, the faith community, non-profits and service organizations.”
For his leadership and dedication, Dr. Baker was awarded the 2017 Arizona School Administrators All Arizona Superintendent Award in the Large School District category. That same year school district voters strongly approved a $24 million bond proposal to finance the wholesale renovation of Walter Douglas Elementary School, and improvements at seven other schools: replacing old air-conditioning systems, removing old portable buildings, replacing roofing and restoring athletic fields and playgrounds, and constructing new classrooms.
Another critical area where Dr. Baker used his roll-up-the-sleeves leadership skills were the schools’ student-focused academic programs.
He made a personal commitment to boost the number of Flowing Wells High School graduates to pursue their studies at four-year and two-year colleges and universities on scholarships. That commitment was formed early in his teaching career when he saw and dealt with the inequalities that his students had to deal with daily. His promise has lead to 65 percent of Flowing Wells students moving on to higher education, in addition to students who enter the military and trade schools after graduation.
“His connections and efforts have provided countless scholarship and extracurricular experiences for needy as well as all students,” Kevin said. “David will be remembered as a legendary superintendent at Flowing Wells.”
For his next journey, Dr. Baker has no firm plans. He suspects he’ll continue to be active in his community. But one thing is likely:
“I plan to travel with my dad and visit baseball stadiums,” he said.
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