DMPS Names News Principal for The Downtown School

Des Moines Public Schools is pleased to announce the appointment of a new principal for the 2015-16 school year at The Downtown School.

Stephanie Flickinger joins us from Redwood Falls, MN, where she currently serves as principal of Reede Gray Elementary School in the Redwood Area School District.

Flickinger officially begins her new role on July 1, 2015, although she will be working on transition planning with current Principal John Johnson between now and then.  Johnson will be retiring at the end of the school year.

“We are fortunate to have Stephanie Flickinger join our leadership team,” said Dr. Thomas Ahart, superintendent of DMPS. “She brings with her decades of experience as a teacher and administrator that is both deep and broad, making her an excellent choice for The Downtown School, where the best practices in elementary education are employed from around the nation.”

Stephanie Flickinger has been principal at Reede Gray Elementary School since 2009. Before that she served as principal of Cedar Mountain High School in Morgan, MN. Flickinger started her career as a teacher in 1987, and since has held a variety of leadership roles in the school districts and the community.  Flickinger is a Rotarian, where she has served as chairperson of the International Service and Youth Exchange committees. She received her BA in Teaching from the University of Northern Iowa and her MA in Education from Saint Mary’s University in Minneapolis.

The Downtown School is located at Central Campus, where teachers keep small class sizes, and employ an integrated curriculum in multi-age classrooms. Teachers create an environment that encourages children to learn by doing.  Students then share their learning with the class and parents at culminating events throughout the year. All conferences are three-way, with students leading the discussion as they share their accomplishments and develop goals with their parents and teacher.