With the Cleveland School Board approving his contract during its meeting on Monday, Dustin Bosshart has been hired as the new school superintendent, replacing Brian Phillips, who is retiring after 19 years as superintendent and another nine as principal.
Bosshart grew up in Jackson, MN and graduated from high school there.
He is the youngest of seven children and has four brothers and two sisters. His parents both worked in education: his dad as a teacher and head coach and his mom working in food service.
He received a B.S. degree from St. Cloud State University, where he majored in History, Geography and coaching. Later, he went on to do graduate work and earned a Master's in Educational Leadership, receiving principal's and superintendent's licensure.
Along with his parents, with a wife, two brothers, two sisters, two sisters-in-law, and a brother-in-law all in the educational field of teaching and coaching, education runs through his family’s veins.
During his career, he been a social studies teacher, a dean of students/activities director, a K-12 principal, and for the last 18 years the 7-12 principal at St. Clair.
He also enjoyed coaching track and wrestling along with being a head baseball and head football coach. For the last 10 years, he ran the St. Clair/Loyola football program.
Bosshart decided to apply for the superintendent position at Cleveland because he likes the small-town atmosphere.
“I’m a small school educator who has never desired to be in a larger school where the staff and students are just faces or numbers. I love being in a smaller school, especially a Pre-K-12 building where relationships can be built and everyone takes a vested interest in the district, looking out for each other.
“Working with all age groups is rewarding, and there is no better way to do it than under one roof. I knew at some point that I wanted to move to the next step in my career and become a superintendent, and an opportunity presented itself with Cleveland.
“My family enjoys the area and has no desire to leave it, so when Cleveland posted the position, we felt it was a great opportunity and a perfect fit for us, so I applied.
“I like all the small-town/school qualities that Cleveland has to offer and want to be in a place where I can know the students, staff and community on a more personal level.”
Bosshart will start his duties on July 1.