For first time, a member of SPS Hall of Fame is interested in running for school board
Susan Everett Provance is the eighth person to pick up a packet to run for the school board that governs Springfield Public Schools — and the first potential candidate who is a member of the SPS Hall of Fame.
"I have been a champion for kids my entire life, both working with the schools and with the park board and I hope that I can work for the kids if I am elected to the board," she said Thursday. "I've always been a team player and I want to work with the schools and try to provide kids with the opportunities to succeed in life."
She added: "The schools have to be successful."
Provance was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015 alongside Anthony Hlavacek, a doctor and humanitarian, and Steve Edwards, former president and CEO of CoxHealth.
The 1971 graduate of Glendale High School spent three decades teaching physical education and health, mostly at Parkview High School.
She also coached girls basketball, volleyball, softball and boys and girls tennis.
An office assistant for P.E. teachers at Glendale, she was asked to help teach golf while still in high school. She has a degree in health, physical education and recreation from the University of Tulsa.
She spent four years teaching and coaching in Willard before taking the SPS job. In retirement, she taught classes at Southwest Baptist University.
In 2006, she started a second career with the Springfield-Greene County Park Board. In that role, she continued to work with student athletes from SPS. She is still involved with the archery program.
Provance said all three of her children went to SPS and her young grandchildren live in the district.
"Kids need a reason to come to school. My kids were blessed because they had that special teacher or that special coach that really connected them to schools, that made them love going to school," said Provance, adding she wants that for each child.
Provance said she felt compelled to run after years of working "hands on" with students as a teacher and a coach.
She said the ugliness of recent school board races − with candidates subjected to negative TV ads, flyers and videos − was a concern as she explored a campaign.
"The priority ought to be the kids," she said, adding that she is "nonpartisan."
"In this nasty world of politics, I consider myself part of the silent majority that now needs to step up and not be silent."
Two members of the SPS Hall of Fame were inducted after they served on the school board: Tom Prater in 2018 and David Harrison in 2023.
Three spots on the school board will be decided April 2. The seven-member board sets policy, approves a spending plan, and hires and evaluates the superintendent.
Potential candidates can drop off petition packets starting Dec. 5. The final day is Dec. 26.
More: Springfield school board will fill 3 seats in April. How many incumbents will run again?
Seven individuals picked up a packet to run for school board on Oct. 31, the first day they were available:
Incumbent Scott Crise is the manager of gas plant operations at Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. He is currently school board vice president;
Incumbent Danielle Kincaid, a partner at Elder Law Group, currently serves as school board president;
Landon McCarter, CEO and co-founder of Secure Agent Marketing, is an entrepreneur who unsuccessfully ran for school board in April 2023;
Incumbent Maryam Mohammadkhani, a retired pathologist at CoxHealth, is former board vice president;
Charity Jordan Rex is a prevention education coordinator at Harmony House;
Chad Rollins, a pharmacist and facility director for Healthdirect in Ozark, unsuccessfully ran for the school board in April 2023;
Kyler Sherman-Wilkins is an associate professor of sociology at Missouri State University.
Claudette Riley covers education for the News-Leader. Email tips and story ideas to criley@news-leader.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: 8th person interested in school board race is part of SPS Hall of Fame
