Letter to the Editor: Lessons from the new superintendent

Dear Editor:

When I heard that Roger Brossmer would become superintendent of Downey Unified, my thoughts returned to my own time as a student. Long before he held any title, he was my 9th-grade biology teacher. I noticed how he paid attention to every student. He cared about how we carried ourselves, and he pushed us to grow as people. He invested in us, and that kind of investment endures.

The following year, I received a lesson that has guided me ever since. Our Downey High basketball team faced Dominguez, the number #1 team in the country. After the game, I walked toward the visitors to ask their star, Tyson Chandler, for an autograph. For me, it felt like excitement. For Roger, it became a moment to teach. He showed disappointment, and he reminded me of loyalty.

At the time, I struggled to see why a small act mattered. With time, I learned the depth of the lesson. Loyalty means standing with your team, honoring your community, and valuing the people beside you. Loyalty builds character, and it shapes how you carry yourself when the spotlight shines elsewhere. That single conversation planted a seed that grew through the years, shaping how I think about commitment, family, and community.

That memory stays with me because it shows who Roger is at his core. He leads with values. He looks for chances, even in small moments, to shape the people around him. He sees potential in others and pushes them toward lessons that last beyond the classroom or the gym. Those lessons carry weight because they come from a place of authenticity. Roger lives by the values he teaches.

This is why his appointment as superintendent feels meaningful. It asks for a leader who can carry forward the academic progress of the district, while remembering that schools are more than numbers and test scores. Schools are places where young people learn who they are and who they can become. Roger understands this because he has spent his career walking alongside students as they make that journey.

Our children face heavy challenges, and parents look to schools for guidance, stability, and hope. A leader who has lived these values for decades, as a teacher and a mentor, brings something priceless to that work. Roger offers steadiness in uncertain times. He offers loyalty to the community that raised him and shaped him. He offers leadership that builds trust, tested and proven in classrooms, on courts, and across this city.

For me, that basketball game says it best. A student eager for a signature, a teacher who paused to deliver a lesson, and a value that became a compass for life. That is leadership that lasts. That is leadership that transforms schools.

Downey Unified gains a leader whose life reflects loyalty, care, and dedication. His story belongs to this city, his values reflect this community, and his lessons live in the lives of students like me.

Now it is our turn as a community to walk with him. Together we can support his vision for our children, and together we can carry forward the values that have shaped this city for generations. Roger has given his heart to Downey. We can give ours in return.

Joseph Manacmul
Downey