New superintendent a familiar face

When the recess bell rings at Pleasant View West, the students are not the only ones who can be seen kicking a soccer ball or throwing footballs on the playground. School Principal and District Superintendent Mark Odsather can also be found joining right in with the students and ruining more good pairs of dress shoes and dress slacks than he can remember, which is why he now keeps a pair of soccer cleats under his desk, he said.

“This is my favorite time of the day,” Odsather said Thursday morning. “I love this fact about small schools. They’re the reason I never left. I get to watch them grow up. Then I get their brothers and sisters, get invited to family events and eventually become part of their extended family. I’ve connected with the kids and their families.”

Two schools make up the Pleasant View Elementary School District. Odsather had been the principal of both schools as well as and District business manager for the past three years. He took over as Superintendent following Collin Bromley’s retirement in June. Pleasant View Elementary is a kindergarten through second-grade campus and Pleasant View West is the third- through eighth-grade campus.

Odsather has always been an athlete but the Valley was not always his home.

Originally from Belleview, Washington, Odsather attended University of California, Irvine on a basketball scholarship. While there, he met a track and field star — a Porterville High graduate who would later become his wife — Michelle Merritt. After playing professional basketball overseas, Odsather returned, married Merritt, and moved to Porterville.

With a goal of eventually coaching, Odsather taught fourth grade for two years, junior high math for three years, and in 2003 became vice principal and business manager simultaneously at Pleasant View.

Along the way, Odsather also assisted for Porterville College men’s basketball coach George Nessman, helping him in take the Pirates to a Central Valley Conference title and the school’s first California Community College championship in 2000. He also assisted Porterville High boys basketball coach Lance Wallace.

Odsather enjoyed his time on the sidelines but his greatest connection came outside of the gym.

“The longer I stayed out here, the more I fell in love with the kids,” Odsather said. “Now, every day, I’m out there with these kids — recess, P.E. and after school. We don’t have a lot of discipline problems out here because the staff, me included, get involved.”

Odsather has also been known to spend some of he weekends in Poplar, playing football with students on an open field.

“I’ll take a cooler full of sodas out into the middle of town and start a game with eight kids. Before I leave, there are 60 kids out there. They’re hungry for sports and things to do. Many of them can’t afford to be on teams or don’t have transportation to the games.”

For a short time, Odsather and his wife opened their home to a teen.

“I look at myself as part of these children’s family,” Odsather said.

He also praised the school district and his staff of about 24 teachers, including some with 25-plus years of service, seven who were former graduates and a couple who were his students.

“When I started here, our school’s API — academic performance index — was 425. Last year it was 743,” Odsather said. “Through different grants, it has allotted for me to bring academic coaches on campus to make sure teachers are doing everything they’re supposed to be doing. We’ve also created several intervention programs designed for specific educational needs. The academic environment is much more challenging for the students and now we are working on getting the parents to understand it and become a part of it.”

Parent involvement is essential, he said, especially since Spanish is the primary language spoken in 60 to 70 percent of the students’ homes. But the relationship between teachers and parents has been building through the years.

“I think this carries over to school and the students and parents feel comfortable approaching me. If there are discipline issues, they are more receptive,” Odsather said.

Teachers and other staff were just as quick to praise Odsather, describing him as down-to-earth and always willing to try new ideas, and never forgetting about students — sometimes following their progress after they enter high school.

“He’s one of the reasons we here are going in a positive direction. We share the same philosophy, making the students come first,” said Juan Garcia, the school’s vice principal, teacher of Community Day School, and a former graduate of the school. “He’s fun to work with.”

Carolyn Moshier, consultant with Tulare County Office of Education, also praised him.

“He’s always looking for ways to improve the programs,” Moshier said. “He’s not ever satisfied. He always says it can get better and he’s always looking for opportunities for kids to learn.”

Contact Esther Avila at 784-5000, Ext. 1045, or eavila@portervillerecorder.com.