NEW FACE

Superintendent hired for Greenbrier district

By Sara Greene

LITTLE ROCK — Scott Spainhour is a little nervous about the first day of school at Greenbrier, but this newcomer won’t be carrying a backpack full of textbooks.

He is the new superintendent for the Greenbrier School District. Spainhour, 40, replaces Mike Mertens, who retired after 10 years with the district.

“Mike did a great job and he was wellrespected by his peers around the state. He left the district in a position to keep moving forward. Greenbrier has a history of academic achievement, and our teachers and support staff work hard to do what’s best for this district,” Spainhour said.

Spainhour has been an educator for 14 years and spent the past three years as superintendent for the Sheridan School District in Grant County. During his career, he has coached and taught physical education, health and study skills for remedial education at the middle and high school level.

Spainhour has also been a principal at Magnet Cove High School and served as superintendent for that district. He said education runs in his family.

His father, Frank Spainhour, is a highschool teacher and coach in the Ouachita School District in Hot Spring County; his older brother Kip Spainhour is an assistant principal at Hot Springs Middle School;

and his younger sister Amy is a paraprofessional at Gardner Magnet School in Hot Springs. His mother and stepfather, Linda and Ricky Blooer, live in Hot Springs.

“Our parents always stressed to us how important education is. School has always been a natural part of our lives,” Spainhour said.

A graduate of Hot Springs High School,Spainhour received a bachelor’s degree at Ouachita Baptist University and his master’s degree and education specialist certificate from Henderson State University.

He has been on the job in Greenbrier for four weeks. Spainhour said the challenges of running a school district are similar to those faced by businesses, but schools face their own set of unique circumstances.

“It is a huge challenge to produce students who can compete globally and find quality teachers for public schools. Research shows that a lot of teachers leave the profession by their fifth year,” Spainhour said.

He said one reason some teachers leave the profession is job-related stress of meeting federal and state accountability requirements.

“We have to make our working environment one that they’re proud of and want to continue to work in,” Spainhour said.

His goals for the school year include evaluating programs and making sure facilities keep pace with enrollment. He said Greenbrier is a geographic area that is attracting a lot of businesses and families. Spainhour said the Greenbrier School District has grown 20 percent during the past four years. He also hopes to get to know more people, not just in the school but in the community.

“I’ll be getting to know theteaching staff and families of the district to create those partnerships needed to continue leading the district forward,” Spainhour said.

He said his leadership style is one of distribution.

“Education as a whole is toolarge for one person to do everything, but I understand at the end of the day, I’m the one who is held accountable, so I try to give others opportunities to be active participants,” Spainhour said.

When he’s not at school, Spainhour likes to spend time with his family. His wife, Shannon, is a occupational therapist. They have four sons, Ryan, 13, twins Matthew and Michael, 10, and Steven, 8, as well as Leo, a miniature dacshund. The family enjoys being outside, whether it is doing yard work, hunting and fishing, or just relaxing by floating a river or visiting a lake.

Although superintendents don’t always have the day-today interaction with students that teachers and principals do, Spainhour said he is inspired knowing his decisions impact students.

“I think a lot of times people think superintendents are more concerned about the financial than student achievement and that we’re unapproachable. We’re just regular folks trying to do a job,” Spainhour said.

On the first day of school, Spainhour will probably be seen at the elementary schools.

“I enjoy going to elementary school and seeing the faces of the kindergartners and firstgraders. There is just something about the newness of it all and the anticipation of what’s coming in the new year,” Spainhour said.

River Valley Ozark, Pages 123, 133 on 08/03/2008