Introductory Letter

Dear Parents and Students,

    As many of you know Mr. Wheeler has reconfigured his schedule to become Sebastopol Union’s full time superintendent. This has allowed me the opportunity to be hired as the new Brook Haven principal. My name is Kent Cromwell and I have been working in our community and with our schools since 1998. I began working in this community through West County Community Services as a teacher at Analy High School and Laguna Continuation High School. I then found a home as a full time science teacher at Laguna. I taught there until June 2006.

    I began my administrative career last year at Healdsburg High School as their Dean of Students and their Continuation High School Principal. I truly enjoyed working in their community and had many positive experiences there. In March of 2007 I heard about the opening at Brook Haven and decided that if there were any place that I could choose to work, it would be at this school in this community. Needless to say, I am extremely excited to be here now.

    I am already familiar with our school and our terrific staff because my daughter spent the past three years attending Brook Haven. This has allowed me an opportunity to get to know many of the staff members already. It also has given me the opportunity to observe how the school operates. I have had only positive things to say about Brook Haven during that time.

    This year will be a great year. We will have many exciting things happening on campus and off. Our athletic programs, drama, band, and clubs will allow for many extra curricular activities for all students and let’s not forget about the school dances. We will also have the after school homework club for students who want a quiet place to get help with their homework. For those parents who wish to be involved, we will be electing a few new site council members this year. We also can use volunteers to help out with a variety of activities through out the year.

    I am truly looking forward to working at Brook Haven and with our community. I am expecting great things for this year and I am glad to be a part of such a strong team. If you wish to contact me for any reason please feel free to do so. Let’s have a fantastic year!

    REMEMBER - ALL WEDNESDAYS HAVE A 2:05 DISMISSAL!!!!!

Sincerely, Kent Cromwell – Principal

Our principal is in the news!

Taken from the Sonoma West Times & News

SEBASTOPOL - If home is where the heart is, then Kent Cromwell, Brook Haven Middle School's new principal has at least two homes, his own and the big bright one filled with students, teachers and staff on Valentine Avenue.

"This is where I want to be," offered the 35-year-old principal as he looked around the campus with anticipation of the upcoming school year.

Cromwell, initially interested in physical therapy and who graduated from Sonoma State University in 1998 with a BS in Kinesiology, may well be a natural at his new post.

"I come from a long line of educators on my Dad's side," he said. "My great-grandfather, Dean Cromwell, was a 40-year track coach at the University of Southern California, the track is named after him, and my grandfather and my father taught and coached in the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles."

Cromwell said he found himself attracted to education after he began teaching job skills to at-risk kids at Laguna Continuation High School in Sebastopol while working for West County Community Services back in 1999.

Two years ago Cromwell enrolled in a course for administrative credits at Sonoma Statue University, which then led to a stint last year as dean of students at Healdsburg High School and as principal of that district's Marce Becerra Academy continuation school.

"I went to Healdsburg to get my feet wet in school administration," Cromwell said, "and although I liked Healdsburg, I always thought of moving back to this town."

His chance came, he said, "when I learned of the opening at Brook Haven. Coming to work here was actually a long-term goal. It just happened sooner than I thought it would." His wife, Deanne, is a cheer coach at El Molino High School in Forestville. They have Kyra, 9, and Alysia, 13, who not only graduated from Brook Haven but will be a student this fall at Analy High School.

"What's great about Alysia graduating from here is that I'm already familiar with most of the teachers and the program," he said, adding "I established myself professionally here while working with West County Community Services and I always felt I wanted to be in this town. One thing was I always participated in community events and joined Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, I was always planning on moving here."

As principal, Cromwell said he wanted to be just the opposite of the school administrator he had as a school aged youth.

"When I went to middle school in Los Angeles I never saw the administration. For me that doesn't wash," he said.

"I believe in establishing a community at your school," Cromwell said. "School is part of the community."

He said he intended to create a "school culture where everyone wants to be here, the students, the teachers, and do that by being an approachable leader who communicates and works on trust but one who also understands that not everyone will approve every decision."

"But," Cromwell added, "Everyone will know that their opinions were listened to and considered."

With students, he said, he wants to ensure they had a principal who was "open and friendly and who could let them know that he wants to be around them and on the campus." Health and healthy student lifestyles will also be a big part of his program, Cromwell said, "I have a strong appreciation and physical fitness, and not just athletics. It really means having a life that is filled with physical activity and a stake in promoting health and healthy attitudes."

As an example, he showed off the school garden, a richly green plot of earth behind the school and which he credited in large part to 7th Grade English teacher Pat Corcoran, an Occidental resident.

"It's amazing what he has done and how much time he has put into it," Cromwell said, adding that the garden, and some additional landscaping which will be part of a major art education project and will greatly enhance the school's already attractive potential and ambience, something he hopes to share with faculty, staff and students indefinitely.

"I hope I'm here a long time," he said.

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Article courtesy of SONOMA WEST TIMES & NEWS