By DJ Resch
Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Assistant Principal David Broman here at Nordonia High School. As many of you know, he is retiring at the end of this school year. Mr. Broman will certainly be missed after 23 years of guiding students, informing students of the following class period, keeping parents and students informed with all calls, attending sporting and academic events, and directing student traffic safely and bravely at the end of the day. Mr. Broman’s upbeat energy will be missed. We wish you a happy retirement!
My questions are in black and his answers are in red below:
-How do you plan to keep busy during retirement? Where can we buy a Mr. B bobblehead?
I hope to continue traveling around the country and world, enjoy family time, and take advantage of all the free time I will have. The bobbleheads will always be circulating around.
-What is your teaching background? Was there a specific subject you taught before you became a principal?
I started my teaching career during the fall of 1979 at Crestwood Middle School in Mantua, Ohio. I taught middle school science to seventh and eighth-grade students. I became a high school assistant principal at Crestwood High School in the middle of my fourth year of teaching due to administrative changes that occurred over the Christmas Break. I have had the pleasure of being a high school principal since February of 1983 serving at Crestwood High School then Nordonia High School.
-How many years have you been an assistant principal/teacher here at Nordonia High School?
I began at Nordonia High School in the fall of 1996 as an assistant principal and have proudly served in this position for the last twenty three years.
-What is your typical day here at Nordonia as an Assistant Principal?
I love this job because every day can be different, there is a lot of spontaneity and you are constantly interacting with people. To be successful, you have to effectively do the highest priority responsibilities at any given time. Typically, the school day flies by and you never get bored. Plus, I get to laugh a lot with all of the students and my colleagues!
-Over the years, what have the students taught you?
The students have taught me two key things over all of my years. The importance of respect and integrity. Relative to respect, you cannot demand it, you have to deserve it and operate in such a way that you will receive it. Relative to integrity, regardless of the relationship, never, ever take away someone’s integrity. If you take away someone’s integrity, you lose the opportunity to receive respect.
-What’s the greatest memory that you have here?
There are just so many great memories, it is hard to just narrow it down to one thing. I think it all boils down to the relationships that I was able to establish here with so many people and how supportive people have been on a daily basis. Coming to school daily was not a chore, but another chance to support people, laugh and be productive. I must admit, though, that some of my Lip Sync performances are right up there in the memory bucket!
-Any advice for upcoming educators?
Educators are immersed in people every day. If you do not like people, you would be in the wrong business! That being said, establishing healthy, positive, supportive relationships as much as possible is key. This is important for all constituents including students, professional colleagues, classified staff, parents/guardians and anyone else that you make come into contact with in the performance of your job responsibilities. Always being your “A” game with you to the best of your ability! Believe me, people notice!
-Is there anything that you think makes Nordonia High School stand out from, other Schools?
I may be somewhat biased having been here for twenty-three years, but I really feel that the school culture is very functional, student-oriented, positive and enjoyable. Teachers and support staff are simply outstanding and they really care about making our high school a great place to learn and be, both during the school day and in extra-curricular programs. Even more importantly, I think there is a high degree of respect that we all have for each other, regardless of what we do here. Because of that respect, we support each other daily to insure that our high school is a great place for our students and staff. For me that is a “BOOM!”
-Are there any significant changes that have occurred throughout the years?
I have has the pleasure of watching this high school evolve in an extremely positive way over a prolonged period of time. I think the two key constituents that impact the efficacy of a high school are the students and the teachers. Not that everyone else is unimportant, but when you add up the numbers, students and teachers make up the majority of our school population. Clearly, when you have exemplary students and teachers, you have an exemplary high school. My observations are that we have continually progressed in this realm over the last twenty-three years. May it continue for many more, Nordonia!
-What will you miss the most?
Everything! Everything that I discussed in the previous answers. The Nordonia school community has given so much to me for so long! I have been such a lucky man to have had this opportunity for the last twenty-three years! I leave thankful and proud of what I have been able to be a part of for so long! And we all did it together, through thick and thin, through the ups and downs that life naturally brings. What a ride! GO KNIGHTS! FOREVER!
