Hofman Returns To Help Area Students As Superintendent
Brockton School
The long and interesting life journey of Fred Hofman has led him to a school leadership position in Brockton. The 1990 Culbertson graduate, who was once a successful attorney and later a teacher in Brockton, starts this school year as superintendent at the school.
“This is kind of my last stop,” Hofman said last week. “This is full circle for me.”
After receiving his high school diploma in Culbertson in 1990, Hofman went on to earn his teaching degree from Dickinson State University.
He then decided to pursue a career in law and graduated with a law degree from the University of North Dakota. His experience included practicing law for the largest law firm in North Dakota, becoming the Roosevelt County Attorney and then serving as the city prosecutor in Billings. Although rewarding financially and being successful, Hofman found that a law career wasn’t for him.
He tells of a hearing in Billings that featured a woman who was facing charges for the third time in six weeks. “The judge was blasting her,” Hofman said. Although the judge wasn’t wrong, Hofman felt like he wanted a more meaningful path in his life – that he was dealing with these people too late. During that hearing when a probation officer tapped Hofman and teased, “Are you sure you want to do this?” Hofman replied, “No, I think I want to quit.”
Instead, Hofman sought to make a difference in the education field. He explains that about 70 percent of the people he saw charged with crimes didn’t have high school diplomas.
He described a scene where more and more people are in need of life jackets to be saved, but the person throwing out the life jackets is getting too tired to help them all.
“The diploma is a life jacket,” Hofman explained. “Our goal is to teach them to swim, but at least they need a life jacket.”
He started his quest to help students as a history teacher in Brockton during 2007. He also coached some of the school’s athletic teams during that time.
From there, he became Poplar High School’s principal because he felt he could help more students in an administrative role.
After gaining his superintendent endorsement in Absarokee, he served as the superintendent in Harrison for nine years and then became superintendent in Chinook. When the position became open in Brockton, he decided to return to his roots in eastern Montana. He now lives only 29 miles from the family’s farm.
He noted that Brockton is where he learned how to teach again so he’s happy to be back in the school district.
“I feel in some respects, Brockton gets a bad rap sometimes,” Hofman said. “I really like the kids here.”
He’s happy that Brockton has the most consistent teaching staff it has experienced in many years.
“I truly enjoy working with the kids,” he stressed. “The sad thing is a lot of them experience trauma. I worry about some of their circumstances, but I absolutely loved the kids when I taught and coached here.”
He said it’s important to provide avenues for the students to be successful.
Brockton’s first day of school was Tuesday, Aug. 18. Hofman is pleased that long-time educator RaeAnne Edmisten is the new K-12 principal for the school district.
Hofman explained discipline is important, but it’s also vital to know what a student is going through in their home life. Hofman was taught from a mentor of the importance of compassion for students.
“There are great people here,” Hofman said. “I understand issues the community faces and what our kids face. We need to do our best to take care of the kids. I think we will have a great year.”
