Loveland, Ohio - Loveland High School has hired Mr. Dave Spencer as its new principal. Mr. Spencer comes to Loveland with more than 25 years of experience as an educational administrator, most recently serving at Turpin High School in various capacities for the previous nineteen years.
Spencer fills the position vacated by Mr. Adam Reed, who left Loveland this past spring to take an opportunity in the Mt. Healthy City School District Board Office. While at Turpin, Spencer was an assistant principal for eleven years, working alongside former Loveland High School principal Ms. Peggy Johnson, before moving into the principal role for the previous eight years after Johnson came to Loveland.
Spencer, a 1991 graduate of Tri-State University (now Trine University) in Fort Wayne, Indiana, described his career path as “unusual,” saying, “When I finished college, I stayed to work as a coach and teacher, but I was at that stage of life when I was looking to do something different. My wife and I moved to a new state with new jobs and few expectations.”
That first position in Ohio was the assistant principal and athletic director roles at small, rural Whiteoak High School in Highland County, located an hour east of Cincinnati. Despite the new challenges of the position, Spencer said that he experienced countless valuable lessons in his five years at Whiteoak.
Along with those valuable lessons, Spencer discovered his passion for administration at Whiteoak. In an interview with The Loveland Roar, Spencer said that his “favorite part of the job is that there is no blueprint. Every day is different. You work with scheduling, discipline, athletics, special education, you name it. You witness young adults mature and grow while realizing their passions. It is a fulfilling job.”
Spencer then settled down at Turpin in 2004. He was very complimentary of his employer of nearly two decades, saying, “I loved Turpin so much that I thought I would retire there. But I began to feel a sense of complacency, which I felt could potentially hinder our collective progress.”
With its position opening, Loveland became an attractive destination for the well-respected and experienced Spencer. He stated, “the Loveland student body, parents, and staff are very similar to that of Turpin. They are hard-working and caring, and they have very high expectations for their school district.”
He continued to say that he had always been impressed with the spirit that the Loveland community had shown at various events during his tenure at Turpin, and how he believes that spirit speaks volumes about a school.
Spirit is just one part of an ideal school culture according to Spencer. He added, “an involved student body is integral to a successful and positive school culture. We also want students to have a voice and be the catalysts for change. All in all, we want graduates to have enjoyed their four years.”
Spencer concluded by saying that he believes he is entering a good situation surrounded by exceptional students and staff. He said, “I want to be an active listener. I want to find ways to support students and allow them to have a safe space where their opinions can be heard.”
If you see Mr. Spencer in the halls throughout your first few weeks back, be sure to say hello and welcome him to Loveland High School!