Meet the new principals of Newport-Mesa schools

Local schools welcomed in some new faces this fall.

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District hired five new principals — four elementary, one middle school — to take over as their predecessors were promoted, retired and moved out of state last year.

With kids heading back to school Tuesday, here is a look at the newest heads of California Elementary, Pomona Elementary, Killybrooke Elementary, Newport Heights Elementary and Ensign Intermediate schools.

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Matt Broesamle, California Elementary School

The Costa Mesa native didn't know what he wanted to do after college.

With a bachelor's in business and a job coaching baseball lined up after graduation, Broesamle found a job at Andersen Elementary School in Newport Beach as a K-6 instructional aide.

But what started as a job to fill in the morning hours turned into more.

"I enjoyed working with those kids," he said.

His time at Andersen lead him to get his teaching credential and eventually to work his way up from substitute to teacher.

Now Broesamle is about to start his first year as principal of California Elementary — a move he sees as helping make a larger impact.

"I think I can affect more kids," he said. "Just in teaching you work with the 30 kids that come in your class. At a grade level you might get to 90 kids in a school year, but as a leader, as an instructional leader, as a principal, you can really work with the whole entire student body."

"You can affect, and positively affect, so many more kids, and that's why I wanted to take the job."

Broesamle's goal for his first year at the Costa Mesa campus is to get out in the community and build relationships. He said he wants to be visible and accessible to parents — and out on the playground.

"My goal for this year is — just in talks with teachers and even some of the parents in the community — really building a community feel around the school," he said.

One challenge will be learning every student's name at California Elementary. It's a lot more names than when he was a teacher.

"First day of school, I can remember 28 kids in my classroom no problem," he said. "I don't know if I can memorize 415 the first day of school."

Hobbies: Golfing, spending time with his wife and two sons

Favorite Book: "Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action" by Simon Sinek

Trivia: Played baseball during high school and college

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Megan Elsten Brown, Pomona Elementary