New face in the principal's office at Crosswinds

• Bryan Bass

Bryan Bass

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Crosswinds East Metro Arts and Science Middle School has a new, but familiar, face in the principal’s office.

Bryan Bass has officially taken up the position at Crosswinds after he served as interim principal for the past month and a half.

“I’m proud to be here,” Bass said. “I’m proud to serve.”

Bass, who previously served as principal for Brooklyn Center High School, was hired as the interim principal early last month at Crosswinds after former principal Anne Andersen notified The East Metro Integration District 6067, which oversees Crosswinds, that she will be leaving the school for a job in Washington.

Bass’ life in education dates all the way back to when he was a student in school. His mother was a teacher and he often times visited classrooms with her.

“I was often times brought along to school and sat in on some of her classes.” said Bass, of Edina. “I really got to see what a day in the life of a teacher was like.”

However, Bass didn’t make the decision to go into education until he worked with students at St. Olaf College through the Upward Bound program.

Upward Bound is a mentor program for first generation college students.

Bass switched his major from pre-law to secondary social studies education and political science.

“I really felt like this was what I was meant to do with my life,” he said.

Bass received his bachelor of arts in political science and his secondary education licensure from St. Olaf College and his masters of arts degree in education from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. He is pursuing a doctorate in education from St. Cloud State University.

During his career, Bass has taught at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis and North High School in North St. Paul, where he also served as principal.

An important career

Bass said he enjoys watching students learning and growing.

“We are a learning community that is like a village that is charged with an enormous responsibility to educate young people,” he said. “That is a responsibility that I take very seriously because I think it’s one of the most important pieces of work.”

Bass said he believes in a holistic approach to education, one which Crosswinds embodies with its emphasis on the arts and the International Baccalaureate Middle Year program.

“What I appreciate about Crosswinds is that there’s a commitment for all students and all learners,” he said.

Bass plans to continue to develop the IB program at the schools, continue to work on student achievement and to provide learning opportunities for teachers.

“I’m definitely a life long learner,” he said. “I take education very seriously.”

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