Kristy Spann recalls, as kindergartner, dreaming of teaching someday.
‘I would fill out those books that ask ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?? and I always wrote ? I want to be a teacher,?? said Spann, 37, a Clarkston resident. ‘The one exception was fourth grade. I wanted to be a farmer.?
Spann’s early ambitions toward education will reach a new pinnacle this fall following her appointment by the Brandon School Board Monday night as H.T. Burt Elementary School principal. Spann will replace Deborah Rader, who retired this month after 13 years.
Achieving this position will be the latest in a long line of Spann’s successes.
A Waterford native and Waterford Mott High School graduate, Spann received her undergraduate degree from Eastern Michigan University, hoping to teach blind and visually impared children.
‘Then I went to Oakland Community College and Oakland University and took classes for fun,? Spann laughed. ‘Chemistry and biology. That was a good time.?
After receiving her master’s degree from Marygrove College in Detroit, Spann is working on getting her Education Specialist degree at Oakland University.
‘It’ll be the first two years of my PhD,? she said.
Spann smiled, speaking of her schooling. It was her passion for being educated that led to her passion for educating.
Spann has worked in the Brandon School District for 12 years. Before that, she worked in Pontiac, teaching adults. She is also a licensed paramedic with American Medical Response.
As she closes in on her newest challenge of being a school administrator, Spann cannot help but have mixed emotions.
‘I am so excited, but at the same time, it will be difficult going from being a colleague to the staff here to being their boss,? Spann said. ‘I’ll need to pivot our relationships a little and do it in a way that is comfortable for all of us.?
Spann’s relationships with the students at Burt will need to be shifted, as well.
‘I teach on a third-fourth grade loop, so I have the same kids for two years,? Spann explained. ‘You become quite the little family. I’m going to miss that.?
Even without the close-knit relationships, Spann understands that, as principal, she will have a greater opportunity to connect with all of the students in the school.
‘The school’s students will all be my students,? said Spann. ‘Even if the relationships are less personal.?
Spann’s plans for the school are to continue to work on the North Central Accreditation goals of reading, writing and arithmetic.
‘Those fundamental skills are hugely important for the students and we need to continue to work on them,? Spann said.
Spann is also interested in familiarizing the students with technology.
‘We want to get them comfortable with applications like Microsoft Word and Powerpoint,? Spann said.
She also hopes to more fully utilize equiptment like the SMART Board and the AlphaSmart keyboards, which meld teaching and technology in hands-on lessons.
‘One of the perks of being a principal will be my ability to walk into a classroom and help teachers with their technology lessons. It will be nice to get everyone comfortable with that,? said Spann.
Spann is currently the President of the Brandon Education Association (BEA), where she represents about 190 teachers. She is resigning and will leave the position at the end of the month. For the time being, the Vice President will be acting in her place.
‘It has been a real honor to be these teachers? representative-to be chosen by them,? Spann said.
With multiple aspects of her work and life changing, Spann looks at her evolving career as another page in her life to be written.
‘Nobody wants to put down a good book,? Spann said. ‘It’ll be hard to close this chapter of my life, but I know it will be wonderful.?