Superintendent Nick Brossoit’s arrival at the Edmonds School District became official July 1 as he took over full time after the retirement of Wayne Robertson. With Brossoit’s experience and enthusiasm, many people, Brossoit included, look forward to what the district’s future may hold.
“The people in the Edmonds School District have cause to be proud of their schools,” Brossoit said. “At the same time, [we need to] take a breath and realize there’s work to be done.”
Brossoit has spent the past 10 years as superintendent of the Tumwater School District. Brossoit graduated high school in Ephrata, Wash., before attending Pacific Lutheran University for his bachelor’s and master’s degree. He received his doctorate in educational leadership from Seattle University.
Brossoit began his career by substitute teaching before teaching social studies at a high school in the Peninsula School District. Brossoit also coached football and baseball.
He worked in the Burlington-Edison School District for seven years as an assistant superintendent and director of secondary programs and high school administration before arriving in Tumwater in 1994.
Brossoit said he looked up to school faculty while growing up.
“My life would’ve turned out a lot worse if it hadn’t been for teachers and coaches,” Brossoit said. Adding, “I had a very bumpy experience growing up.”
Around the age of 20, Brossoit said he was looking back on his childhood and realized what a large affect teachers had on him. That was when he decided teaching was the direction he wanted to take his life.
Brossoit said he believes the influence teachers have with one student can, in turn, affect many others. Although his responsibilities have changed throughout his time as an educator, what influences and drives him has always remained the same, he said.
He said he thinks it is important for adults in the community to be involved in the schools, and he looks forward to working with parents and community members in the district.
“We as the responsible adults are responsible for the education in the district,” Brossoit said. He added that it does not matter if you have children in the schools, all adults can be role models to children.
Brossoit, who enjoys spending spare time with his wife and two children, will implement a monthly Superintendent’s Roundtable next fall. That will be an opportunity for parents and educators to discuss important issues with him. He utilized this communication method while with Tumwater and was pleased with the feedback, he said.
“We really want parent and teacher voice to be apparent,” he said.
Brossoit said he will focus on a couple of different issues to begin his time in Edmonds. He said he would like to focus and coordinate the curricula from the elementary to middle to high school levels. This would create more continuity in goals and focus as students get older.
He said he would also like to begin discussing the Lynnwood High School facility and its need for improvement.
Brossoit said he is enthusiastic about the future of the district.
Brossoit’s wife, Joyce, is an educator and administrator with the North Thurston Public Schools. She described Brossoit as being honest, straight forward, thorough and a big-picture thinker.
“He’s focused on what’s best for children,” Joyce Brossoit said.
She said he is an excellent communicator, which helps him connect with the community. She also said he is especially looking forward to working with the Edmonds schools.
“He brings with him additional energy, on top of the energy he always has,” she said.
Kathy Chambers served as a parent on the interview committee for the superintendent position, and she said he was personable and easy to talk to.
“I’m excited to see what will happen next in the Edmonds School District,” Chambers said.
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