From Small-town Roots To Leading Sauk Rapids-Rice Schools

The story of Sauk Rapids-Rice Superintendent Brad Bergstrom began in a small town in northern Minnesota just south of International Falls...Ericsburg.  Bergstrom describes Ericsburg as a town with a church on one side of the town and a bar on the other.

His Dad was a Logger

Brad's father was a logger just like his father and brother.  He eventually became a jobber for Phillips 66 Mobile before going into building pallets for the paper mill in International Falls.  Brad's mother was the bookkeeper for the logging crew before handling payroll and accountants payable for his father's oil crew.  Brad credits his mother for doing the heavy lifting when it came to raising he and his 3 brothers because his father was away working quite a bit.

Oldest Son

Brad is the oldest of 4 boys who are very close in age with approximately 1 year difference in each son.  He recalls his mother saying they weren't bad kids but were very active.  Brad says their parents gave them such a good foundation due to how they were raised.

Early Interests

Brad's early interests included water skiing, fishing, hunting, muscle cars and playing hockey in the winter.  He enjoyed and was successful in school put also was involved with baseball, football and most of all, hockey.  He recalls hockey in International Falls was the think to do.

College Years

Brad wanted to go into the logging business to follow in his father's footsteps.  He was encouraged by his parents to go off the college first.  Brad was a hockey goalie and quite good at it.  He had the opportunity to play college hockey and set his sights on  Concordia-Moorhead, where he played hockey for 3 years.  He was injured at the end of his junior year and wasn't able to participate his senior year.  While in college Brad was still focused on returning to the International Falls area to work in the logging industry.  Brad majored in education and business at Concordia with the idea he would also do some coaching as a backup plan if the logging job didn't work out.

Going to Work

After college Brad intended to return to International Falls and go into logging.  His father told him he needed to go into teaching for 2 years.  Brad said this led to a disagreement but he listened to his Dad and took a job teaching in a small town about 35 miles from International Falls.  He met his future wife while teaching there for 8 years and realized she didn't want to stay in International Falls and be the wife of a logger.  Brad found himself doing lots of things at this small school from teaching, coaching, driving the bus and janitorial.  He was also the school's Athletic Director.

Fergus Falls

Brad left the International Falls area after 8 years to take a teaching job and hockey coaching job at Fergus Falls High School.  He was a social studies teacher there before becoming the Dean of Students.  He spent 6 years at Fergus Falls and led the hockey team to the state tournament in all 6 years.  Bergstrom says they never won a state championship but it was an awesome experience.  He was in Fergus Falls from 1996 - 2002.

Austin

Brad and his family moved to Austin, Minnesota in 2002 where he took an Assistant Principal job.  He held that role for 2 years before being promoted to High School Principal, which he was for 9 years.  Bergstrom says he loved being a High School Principal.  Brad became the Human Resources Director in Austin after a discussion with the Superintendent there.  He credits the Superintendent for giving him that opportunity.

Thief River Falls/Sauk Rapids

In 2016 Brad had the opportunity to become a Superintendent and he took the job in northwest Minnesota, Thief River Falls.  He held that position for 4 years before accepting the Superintendent job at Sauk Rapids-Rice.

Brad recalls the Sauk Rapids-Rice job was appealing to him due to the proximately to the Twin Cities where their 2 grown daughters were living.  He says he and his wife wanted to be close to their kids and grandkids.  Brad says the Sauk Rapids-Rice job was also a good fit for him based on the district and the opportunity it presented.  Bergstrom recently recommitted to stay with Sauk Rapids-Rice through the 2028-2029 school year and will forego retirement for the time being.

Hockey Official

Brad had also been a high school hockey official for 16 years.  He recalls working state tournaments which is unique because he played, coached and officiated at the state tournament in his life.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Brad Bergstrom, click below.