Principal's Message

Hello,

My name is Kelly Flora and I could not be more excited to be a part of the NHES Waverider family. I have been in public education for 25 years. My true passion, however, is the role of principal and being involved with all aspects of learning. I am honored to have the opportunity to lead a school with such persevering students, a dedicated staff, and a supportive school community. 

I will always be an educator at heart. Let’s rewind a little so you know more about my educational background. I attended Barton College for my undergraduate work. I graduated from Barton with a Bachelor of Science degree in the areas of K-12 Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Elementary Education K-6. From there, I began my educational career with Chesapeake Public Schools as an EC teacher for one year and then as a second grade teacher for 13 years before moving to the North Carolina Public School System. While in Chesapeake, I received my AIG certification from the University of Virginia.

I taught first and second grades in Currituck County and became certified in Reading Recovery before joining the administrative team at Jarvisburg Elementary School. As a classroom teacher and a reading specialist, I obtained my Master of Arts in Elementary Education from Gardner-Webb University. I served as an assistant principal for two years before being named the principal. I served in the role of principal for two additional years before coming to Dare County. During my tenure as the assistant principal, I received my Educational Specialist degree with a focus on Educational Leadership from Liberty University and became certified in Singapore Math from the University of Tennessee. I also served as the Director of Elementary Education for Dare County Schools for nearly four years. 

On a personal note, I have been married to my husband, Brad, for 20 years and we have four boys. My oldest, Zack, is a senior at the University of North Carolina Wilmington; my twins, Ben and Nate are current seniors at First Flight High School and the baby of the bunch, Jacob (affectionately known as Bird), is a freshman at First Flight High School. 

In what free time I have, I can be found at the beach, loving all things 80's related, reading, and being outside digging in my garden! I am also an avid Mini-Brands collector and can most likely be found on the sidelines watching my kiddos play sporting events around the county and beyond!

I cannot wait to begin our journey into a new school year together. Change is scary and beautiful all at the same time. It is time to embrace the magic of new beginnings and get ready for a great year ahead!