El Dorado High School is pleased to announce the hiring of Summer Ford as its new Assistant Principal/Activities Director. Ford brings more than two decades of experience in education, leadership, and student activities, along with a passion for building strong relationships with students, staff, and the community.
Ford most recently served as a Special Education Teacher at Eisenhower High School in Goddard, Kan., where she provided instructional support in social studies, coached Scholar’s Bowl, and served as a sponsor for the National Honor Society. She also contributed to her school’s Behavioral Social Emotional Learning Committee and helped develop the building’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) model. In addition, she served as a Summer Learning Site Coordinator for Goddard USD 265, managing multiple learning sites, supervising instructional staff, and collaborating with administrators to support student success.
Throughout her career, Ford has been deeply involved in student support systems and instructional leadership. During her time at Scott City Middle School, she served as an Enrichment and Intervention Teacher and Student Intervention Team Leader, where she co-created and led the school’s MTSS model, coordinated testing programs, and worked as the building’s Instructional Planning System (IPS) Coordinator. She has presented on both the IPS and MTSS models at state and national conferences, sharing strategies for supporting students academically and socially.
Ford is also a trained trauma-informed resilience coach, leading professional development sessions to help educators better support students’ emotional and behavioral needs.
Beyond the classroom, Ford has an extensive background in activities and coaching. She spent 20 years as a Forensics coach at Scott City High School, guiding students to consistent state competition appearances and national-level participation from 2013 to 2023. She has also coached youth athletics, served as a Scholar’s Bowl coach, and co-founded the Scott City Elite Traveling Softball Club, organizing teams, tournaments, and fundraising initiatives.
Ford holds a Master’s Degree in Building Leadership from Kansas State University and a Master’s Degree in Special Education from Fort Hays State University, along with additional graduate coursework in education administration and an ESL endorsement from Emporia State University.
Ford said El Dorado’s culture and leadership drew her to the position.
“As this will be my first administrative role, I was looking for a place with a positive culture and strong leadership,” Ford said. “I was also looking for a place that would allow me to use my skills and talents and add to the great things that they already had in place. I found all of these things at El Dorado.”
She added that the interview process helped confirm her decision.
“During the interview process, I had the opportunity to meet and spend time with lots of different groups, one of which were students. That spoke volumes to me,” Ford said. “I walked away feeling the extreme pride that everyone has for the high school, as well as the community of El Dorado. It made it a place I wanted to be.”
As she prepares to begin her new role, Ford is excited to join the Wildcat family of students and staff.
“I’m looking forward to being a part of such a diverse community and one that looks to find success for every student,” Ford said. “My teaching background allows me to understand the daily realities teachers face and positions me to provide practical, meaningful support to staff.”
Please help us welcome Summer Ford as she becomes #PartOfThePride and joins the high school’s commitment to student success, leadership, and community pride.