Students’ faces always brighten up when they see him walking down the hallways, a smile to greet them with and a joke waiting to be spilled. Any conversation with him is never a dull one, and every ounce of him exudes confidence and kindness. So, it is saddening to hear that one of Brookfield Central’s beloved Associate Principals, Mr. Matt Schroeder, will be taking another course starting next September.

Mr. Schroeder has received the opportunity to undertake the role of Principal at Wisconsin Hills Middle School, a role that he claims is a bright opportunity full of promise. “As I’ve gone along in my role as AP at BC, gaining a variety of experiences working with students and staff here, I was starting to think about becoming a principal. There was an opening for a principal position here in Elmbrook Schools, so I applied for it. I was fortunate to be named as the principal at Wisconsin Hills through that process,” he states.

However, Mr. Schroeder’s journey isn’t one that has only lasted at Brookfield Central. His educational versatility and love for the learning community has led him to take on many different aspects of what it means to be an educator in the Elmbrook community. Before becoming associate principal at Brookfield Central, a position he has carried out for the past four years, Mr. Schroeder was a Spanish teacher at Pilgrim Park. From there, he moved to his primary high school positions at Brookfield East as a Spanish and English teacher and an AVID educator. Furthermore, he assisted “at-risk students, facilitating reading interventions and working as an Instructional Coach.”

Not only is Mr. Schroeder involved in the leadership processes here at BC, but he also continues to show his care and concern for students and families in the community, by being one of the primary leaders of the HOPE Squad training program, the first student-led suicide prevention and awareness program in the state of Wisconsin.

Though Mr. Schroeder’s departure to Hills is a saddening one, his arrival at the middle school will ensure connectivity in the school community, along with organization and new ideas to improve the school’s sound foundations. As Schroeder himself states, “The systems in place there are great, so my goal is to build as many relationships with students and staff as possible right away. I plan to [be] visible, approachable, and accessible, and I plan to make sure I am a really good listener as I am getting to know what the building is doing well, and what it needs.”

Congratulations Mr. Schroeder, and good luck for the next step of your leadership journey!