Brian Schoenfelder: 'It's a great feeling knowing you've made a difference'

Nearly 25 years ago, a chance encounter led Monterey Peninsula Unified School District’s assessment and student information specialist Brian Schoenfelder on an unexpected adventure to becoming a key asset on the data and assessment team at MPUSD. Brian is passionate, dedicated, and a committed to making a difference.

 

Following college graduation in London, Brian sold his car, packed a suitcase and found himself on the way to the Central Coast of California. As if his undergraduate degree wasn’t enough, he enrolled at California State University Monterey Bay to pursue his masters degree. While completing grad school, Brian was looking for part-time work and landed a role as a campus monitor at Seaside Middle School. He soon leveraged his degrees to transition into the district’s Business Services office. After four years, he found his true calling in the data and assessment department.

 

When asked about the most important aspects of his job, Brian highlights his work with the student information system. He does everything from managing student testing to building schedules and tracking daily attendance, and his role touches nearly every aspect of school operations. "I get to deal with everyone at the school site—principals, office staff, teachers. It feels like I’m making connections at the school sites without being there," he says.

 

Brian is confident that he and his team are experts on the student information system, helping build and optimize it to meet the needs of school sites. He prides himself using student information to achieve the best outcomes, guiding and supporting school staff in the process. Even though his work is not directly seen by students and families, Brian finds motivation from the profound impact he feels he is making. "I ultimately know that everything we do, even if not seen, affects them. It's a trickle-down effect—helping site admin(istration) helps teachers, who help students, who in turn help their families,” he says.

 

Brian takes great pride in the collective goals shared by his colleagues. "You can really see, especially in the last seven to eight years, the upward trajectory we’ve been on. Everybody has the same idea of what we should do and the same goal, and it’s really inspiring."

 

 

One of the reasons Brian chose MPUSD is the diversity and resilience of its community. "There are some really tough stories here, and these families need all the help they can get. People here are in their corner, fighting for them and providing the tools to help them succeed. It’s a great feeling knowing you’ve made a difference."

 

Brian also highlights his team. From newer members to experienced colleagues like Nathalie Gutierrez, who handles student records, and Ellen Brown, who shares a similar role, to their department leader Allison, who maintains a positive attitude and looks out for everyone’s needs. "It’s just like a family. It’s a wonderful place to come to in the morning."

 

Outside of work, Brian enjoys camping, hiking, and has been a professional disc golfer for 30 years, competing on the CSUMB team, across the state, country, and abroad. He's also an avid pub trivia enthusiast, often two nights a week enjoying the camaraderie and mental challenge.

 

Reflecting on his career, Brian sums it up perfectly, "there are some jobs where you dread going in, but I wake up every morning looking forward to work. I've never once said 'I don’t want to do this today. It’s just a great place to be.'"