Scott Spera, Candidate for School Board
http://speraforboard.carrd.co/
Mental health problems are on the rise among adolescents and young adults. According to a recent study published by the American Psychological Association, rates of mood disorders and suicide-related outcomes have increased significantly over the last decade in these age groups. What should the school system do to help students who are suffering from loneliness and depression?
I will address challenges in student mental health by:
Enhancing Professional Resources
I support enhancing our investment in licensed counselors, our partnership with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and our parental liaison resources. I will urge the Administration to review utilization rates and expand services when children face barriers to accessing needed care.
Expanding Student Engagement
Student clubs and activities are crucial for fighting social isolation, building empathy, and boosting self-confidence. I will encourage the Administration to expand offerings and ensure strong adult leadership creates a positive experience.
Broadening Athletics
Athletics provide essential mental health benefits, fostering friendships, structure, and resilience. I saw these benefits firsthand with my own four children. I will advocate for equitable funding across all sports, recognizing the value of “open recruitment” programs (like Cross Country) that allow students with less experience to easily engage and benefit.
What would be your definition of Inclusive Education and what are your views on inclusive education and examining the intersection of race, disability, gender, and sexual orientation and school policies to determine the impact on student performance?
For me, inclusive education is the mindset that all students belong in WCS, and the belief that the education system must adapt to meet their diverse needs, regardless of ability or background. It is a shift from forcing students to fit into the system to the system welcoming every child to fully participate in school life.
Moving in this direction requires a clear vision and evidence-based review and reflection. I will prioritize:
Encourage the Administration to invest in professional development, ensuring educators have skills to differentiate instruction across the spectrum of learners.
Advocate a review of all curriculum and learning materials to ensure they reflect the diversity of our students and the wider world, affirming and respecting every student’s identity.
Advocate for diverse hiring practices that accelerate an inclusive culture and boosts the achievement of all demographics.
Leverage the flexible, accessible learning spaces in the new elementary buildings.
Student access to resources and opportunities within the schools is an important value in the Wyoming community. According to the recent WCS Citizens Advisory Committee report on Gifted Education, a common challenge for US schools is that there is a lack of proportional representation in Gifted Education for groups differing in racial, cultural, linguistic, and economic factors. If you were elected to the Wyoming Board of Education, what steps would you take to ensure all high achieving/gifted students are appropriately identified?
I strongly believe equitable access to resources in WCS is a crucially important issue to address. I will urge the Administration to analyse identification data to uncover which stages in the process contribute most to this lack of representation, and to research approaches with fewer negative impacts. My graduate training in psychology, and projects I’ve led in my 30+ years in business often focus on evaluating tests to identify candidates for hiring and promotion. In these situations, the choice of tools must always balance their effectiveness with fair treatment. These priorities are clearly relevant when identifying students for gifted programs.
I am committed to ensuring that resources for gifted education are not a limiting factor for our students. I will work to make sure there is always space in those classrooms for students who truly want to challenge themselves.
The WCIA survey from 2021 found that while two-thirds of residents acknowledge that incidents of racism, harassment and discrimination have occurred in the past, only one-third think they have been dealt with appropriately. If elected to the WCS Board what would you do to prevent racism, harassment and discrimination in our schools and to address them appropriately when reported to administration?
The WCIA survey results regarding the prevalence of racial events and the response from authorities is concerning and demands attention. I will encourage the Administration to adopt practices that attempt to discourage these events from happening and build trust in the process to address these behaviors when they occur.
With the “Culture Blueprint,” the Administration has established positive behavioral expectations for students and educators, and I will urge increased formal support with training and recognition programs.
As a member of the Board of Education, I will advocate for:
- A transparent, clearly communicated, and consistent reporting and investigation protocol for all bias incidents.
- Disciplinary action, including restorative practices, to foster understanding and repair relationships.
- Annual public reports (while maintaining confidentiality) on incident data, response times, and resolutions to rebuild community trust in the Administration’s commitment to accountability and equity.
How can Wyoming hold true to its values to promote DEI even if the Ohio Department of Education, the US Department of Education and lawmakers at many levels take strides to continue to make this more difficult? What would you do to support educators and administrators hoping to live up to those values?
I believe WCS can hold true to its values by focusing on practical, legally defensible educational principles already rooted in our mission and strategic plan. I will encourage the Administration to continue to link inclusion practices to non-controversial goals like closing achievement gaps, improving school climate, addressing unfair disciplinary practices, and preparing students for a diverse global economy. In doing so, we will simultaneously live out these values while performing duties that state and federal laws already require of WCS.
We should also continue to invest in professional development centered on how our varied students learn best, and leverage the School Board’s local control over curriculum and materials to reflect the needs and experiences of the whole of our student body. By adopting these approaches, WCS will continue to build a sense of belonging without running afoul of state restrictions on DEI programming.
If you are a new candidate for the School Board, what have you done in your community or professional life to advance diversity, equity and inclusion?
My training as an Organizational Psychologist often centered on advancing fair and equitable treatment of all employee groups, while boosting their capability to succeed, which has carried throughout my 30+ year professional career. I use analytic tools to eliminate hidden biases in processes to ensure fair outcomes. I also teach a Master’s-level course in the University of Cincinnati College of Business, where I train HR professionals to conduct their own data analytic investigations with DEI issues in mind.
I have worked with WCIA for the past 5 years to directly advocate for systemic change. I’ve partnered with the Wyoming city government, the police, and WCS to improve diverse hiring in those organizations. In addition, I co-led a WCS Belonging and Inclusion Collaborative (BIC) session where I reinforced the need to utilize data analytics—not anecdotes—to accurately identify and correct disparities along racial and other demographic lines in discipline, academics, and programming.
What strengths and experiences would you bring that would enhance the Wyoming City School Board and what is your vision for the Wyoming City Schools for the next 3 years?
For the past 30 years I’ve demonstrated my commitment to Wyoming by coaching, leading Boy Scouts, and facilitating church youth groups. My engagement with neighbors and advocacy as a leader in WCIA have prepared me for BOE collaborative work, prioritizing:
Academic Excellence and Visibility
I’ll use my analytic skills to identify successful programs that drive our top school rankings and ensure they continue. I’ll push the Administration to clearly communicate our progress and strategies.
Fiscal Stewardship and Building Program Guardrails
I’ll diligently monitor the elementary school building program to ensure it stays on schedule and under budget. I’lll prioritize a balanced financial approach to manage the uncertainty of state funding while supporting all students.
Inclusive Culture and Whole Child Support
I’ll encourage educators to use varied strategies that engage every student’s unique strengths, ensuring all learners reach their full potential and are prepared for life after graduation.
