At the School District of Lancaster, we don’t just grow educators, we grow leaders. Leaders who listen. Leaders who show up. Leaders who believe that the most powerful tool in education is a genuine relationship. This year, we are proud to welcome one of those leaders into a new role.
Brett Hoffman, a longtime SDoL educator, has joined Wickersham Elementary School as a Principal Resident, and his story is one that reflects not just where he’s been, but where he’s going.
A local Heart With a global perspective
Brett was born and raised in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, alongside his identical twin brother. As premature babies, Brett entered the world at just over three pounds, he and his brother shared an early bond that would shape much of Brett’s identity. Learning how to share, how to adapt, and how to navigate life together with limited resources. “We didn’t grow up with much,” Brett recalls. “But we always had each other. That taught me a lot about connection and compromise.”
Though college wasn’t always seen as the default next step in his community, Brett and his twin became the first in their family to attend college, a milestone that felt natural to him at the time but, in hindsight, stands out as a formative achievement. “I thought that’s just what you do after graduating high school, go to college. But now I realize how rare and special that was.”
He attended Millersville University, where he majored in elementary education and played wide receiver on the football team. Athletics, he says, taught him discipline, structure, and how to work toward something greater than yourself.
Discovering a calling in a kindergarten classroom
It wasn’t until high school, though, that Brett truly discovered his love for education. As a multi-sport athlete, he found himself in the classrooms of his elementary teacher-coaches during baseball season, volunteering with younger students. “Honestly, I just signed up so I could get out of class,” he laughs. “But the moment I walked into that room, something clicked. It just felt right. It felt like home.”
That moment launched him into a lifelong path of service, relationships, and learning. He began asking questions: ‘How do I become a teacher? What do I need to study?’ and set his sights on Millersville. After graduation, he began student teaching at Lafayette Elementary School and never looked back.
His first official position was as a long-term substitute in third grade, and by summer, he was offered a permanent role teaching kindergarten. “I didn’t hesitate. They asked, ‘Do you want to teach kindergarten?’ And just like that, Brett became affectionately known around Lafayette as “Kindergarten Cop” a title he wore proudly.
15 years of building relationships at Lafayette
For nearly 15 years, Brett made Lafayette his home. He taught third grade and kindergarten but what remained consistent was the environment he created. A classroom where students felt safe, seen, and celebrated. Where a handshake or fist bump was more than routine, it was a relationship. “I’ve always believed in the power of connection. Every kid that walked through my door got a greeting, something personal. Something that said, ‘You matter.’”
More than an educator, Brett was a partner to families and a mentor to students. His classroom was known as a place where kids could show up as they were and be met with compassion, structure, and support. “I had teachers who gave me a voice when I was young. I try to do the same.”
One of those formative voices was his third grade teacher, Mrs. Gladfelder, who understood Brett’s insecurities and chose to build him up instead of calling him out. “She gave me responsibilities that made me feel capable,” he reflects. “That stuck with me. That taught me what it means to empower someone.”
A break from the classroom and a call back home
After the birth of his son and amid the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brett made the difficult decision to step away from teaching. During that time, he launched a successful home improvement business and spent two years creating with his hands remodeling homes, building furniture, and transforming his own garage into a CrossFit gym.
But the heart of education kept calling him back.
That call came, literally, from a former colleague, now a school leader, who asked, “What would it take to get you back?” Brett’s return to SDoL began at Hamilton Elementary, where he taught fifth grade. “It felt like coming home,” he says. “The classroom had changed, but the relationships? They were just as powerful.”
From classroom to leadership: the residency begins
Now, Brett is beginning a new chapter through SDoL’s Principal Residency Program, an innovative leadership pipeline built by Dr. Hopkins and Mrs. Suarez to develop the next generation of school leaders from within the district. The program pairs aspiring principals with seasoned administrators and offers graduate-level coursework alongside real-time, in-building experience.
Brett has been placed at Wickersham Elementary, under the guidance of Principal Rivera. “This program is one of a kind,” Brett says. “It makes too much sense not to do it. You’re applying what you learn the very next day. There’s no other program that offers that kind of intentional learning.”
He is particularly excited about Wickersham’s status as a RULER spotlight school, committed to emotional intelligence, equity, and whole-child development. “Academic growth matters, but so does emotional wellness. Helping students understand themselves, regulate their emotions, and build empathy, those are life skills. That’s leadership.”
A new vision for a new role
In his role as Principal Resident, Brett’s first goal is to listen, observe, and learn. “I want to be a leader people trust, someone staff want to work with, someone families know they can count on, someone students see as a real part of their school.”
He’s already in conversations to bring back Student Council, but with a twist, it won’t be just for the students with the highest grades. “Leadership should be accessible to every student who wants to grow, speak up, and get involved.”
He also hopes to work with staff and families to build opportunities for engagement spaces where all voices are welcomed and valued. “There’s no better feeling than helping someone feel seen. That’s how change begins.”
What families can expect
Brett is a familiar face to many in the district, but for Wickersham families, he’s a new presence. And he’s ready to show up.
“I want families to know that I’m here. That I’m listening. That I genuinely care. You’ll see me at arrival and dismissal. You’ll get a handshake or a personalized fist bump. My job is to make sure your child feels like they belong here. Because they do.”
He offers a message to families entering a school year full of new faces and fresh ideas:
“Let’s grow together. Let’s learn together. Let’s make this year a joyful ride.”
Carrying a legacy forward
When Brett reflects on the people who shaped him, one name always comes first: his grandfather. “He believed in me before I believed in myself. He told me nothing was out of reach if I was willing to work for it. That’s who I carry with me every day.”
He’s also a cancer survivor, now six years in remission. A quote that’s carried him through life, and still guides him, is: “Be kind. Everyone is fighting battles we know nothing about.”
It’s a mantra that fuels his leadership style: empathetic, realistic, and grounded in optimism.
The dream ahead
Brett’s dream is to one day lead a school of his own. “If I’m going to do this, I’m all in,” he says. “I want to lead a building that values joy, voice, and community. A place where people want to work. Where kids want to learn. Where families feel like partners.”
For now, he’s exactly where he’s meant to be learning, leading, and growing at Wickersham Elementary.
And in his words: “I may be an older millenial, but I’m not done learning. I want more. I want to grow. I want to be better for myself, for my family, and for this district.”
Final thoughts and a favorite book
When asked for one final note, Brett lights up when he mentions his favorite children’s book:
“Oh, the Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss. A gift from his mentor, Becky Nace, who now works as a reading specialist at McCaskey, the book has become a tradition in his home. He reads it often to his 4-year-old son, passing down its message of hope, courage, and endless possibility.
“It captures everything I believe in,” he says. “We’re all on a journey. It won’t always be easy, but it’ll be worth it.”