Jan. 10, 2024
"My time working in education in another state was valuable for both me and my family. It provided me with the opportunity to take a career risk to grow my skill set in another area, as I served as an Assistant Professor in Educational Administration at the University of Wyoming. However, we moved back for two reasons. First, the school district where we lived did not come close to offering the variety of programs Springfield Public Schools has to offer across the K-12 spectrum -- student experiences, choice programs, A+, summer school, athletics and activities, GO Caps, Launch to name a few.
I knew my children would benefit greatly from attending SPS throughout their K-12 career, and we moved back to Springfield when my oldest child started kindergarten.
Second, I was able to work again with leaders, teachers, and support staff who put students first. My entire educational skill set has been grown by SPS and supported by the leaders with whom I have had the privilege to work. I learned to become a teacher and principal with the support of SPS. I am learning to be a central office administrator with the support of SPS. Home for me is Springfield and SPS.
I am a product of SPS schools (Mann, Pershing, Kickapoo). I choose to stay with SPS because I believe and support the mission and strategic plan of the school district. I enjoy working with SPS employees as they have a clear purpose for their work.
Since I began working with SPS in 1997, I have been challenged to take on many roles that have pushed me to learn new skill sets. I’ve been a teacher, coach, administrative intern, principal, Coordinator of Elementary Operations, Director of Elementary Learning, Executive Director of Student Services, and now, Chief Human Resources Officer. With every role, I have found the work rewarding and challenging and SPS has always provided me the support and guidance to do my job. I just had to ask for help or seek out a mentor. My wife, who also teaches for SPS, has found this to be true, too.
In my current role, I help our district attract and retain the best educators. This work is critically important and multifaceted. Over the last few years, the board of education’s commitment to the teacher salary schedule has pushed SPS to be the highest paid in the region on all the schedules created. This is the most important work we can do and is directly attributed to the board.
Second, the district continues to provide a competitive benefits package. SPS clearly understands salaries and benefits are important for a standard of living throughout all employees' careers. Third, SPS offers many opportunities for promotion should employees be interested in advancing their careers. Fourth, my team assists other departments with professional development for teachers and leaders to grow their capacity. This includes everything from classroom management to setting the expectation for leaders to provide feedback and coaching for improved performance.
We know that we have a better chance of retaining employees if we offer employees opportunities and time to grow and implement professional learning that supports their desire for continuous growth. That’s what my career has been at SPS, and we’re working hard to ensure that SPS is the district of choice for educators looking to grow."
