Important Leadership Update from Springfield Prep

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Message from the Executive Director

September 8, 2025

Dear Springfield Prep Community,

I hope the school year is off to a great start for you and your family.  I love the energy of these first weeks and have truly enjoyed seeing everyone after the summer.

I am writing to let you know that after a great deal of reflection, I have decided that this will be my final year leading Springfield Prep.  

For the past ten years, it has been my honor to work with all of you — our students and families, our dedicated teachers and staff, and our many community partners.  Springfield Prep has been my home, and working alongside you has been a privilege.

Looking back, I am reminded of how close we came to never opening our doors.  It took two years before we received our charter, but the perseverance of our founding team never wavered. That spirit of collaboration and determination still defines Springfield Prep today — in our students’ drive to excel in the classroom, in the courage and camaraderie they show on the field and stage, and in the extraordinary care and high expectations that our teachers and staff bring to their work every single day.

There is never a perfect time to step away from an organization you love, but I believe now is the right time.  Springfield Prep is in a strong position: we recently celebrated our tenth anniversary and received our second unconditional five-year charter renewal, and we have an experienced board, leadership team, and faculty and staff that are ready to lead the school into the future.  I am confident that our next decade will bring even greater success for our school.  

For my part, this is the right time for me to pursue my next professional chapter.  I do not yet know what that will be, but I am as committed as ever to ensuring that every student has access to a great education and a life of opportunity.  I hope to remain very close to this work. 

Right now, my priority is ensuring that everyone has an excellent school year this year.  Over the course of this year, I will work closely with the Board of Trustees and our Leadership Team to make my transition a seamless one.  Below is a message from Sherriff Balogun, Board Chair, and Anne Malone, Vice Chair and Chair of the Succession Committee, with more information about the path forward.

Thank you for entrusting me with the leadership of this school and the education of your children.  It has been the greatest privilege of my career.

Sincerely,

Bill Spirer

Founder & Executive Director

Message from the Board of Trustees

September 8, 2025

Dear Springfield Prep Community,

On behalf of the Springfield Prep Board of Trustees, we write today with gratitude for what we’ve built together and deep care for what lies ahead to share important news: at the end of this school year, our Founder and Executive Director, Bill Spirer, will step down from his role.

From the moment he knocked on doors to recruit families for Springfield Prep’s first kindergarten and first-grade classes, Bill has embodied the values that define our school. He translated his vision into something families trusted from day one, inspiring others with his determination to do whatever it takes for students. 

Over the past thirteen years, he has grown Springfield Prep from a single hallway of 108 students and a team of 15 into a diverse and thriving K–8 community of nearly 500 scholars, more than 90 dedicated staff members, and a growing community of more than 150 alumni. 

Bill has led with clarity and care through moments of urgency and challenge — from the construction of our permanent home on Roosevelt Avenue to the unprecedented disruptions of COVID — always knowing when to press forward and when to pause to reflect and hear from more voices. 

Under Bill’s leadership, and in partnership with our teachers and staff, families, and students,  Springfield Prep has consistently been among the highest performing schools in Springfield and exceeded state averages in achievement and growth. The school has been recognized for its exceptional performance among schools serving high needs students and was named a Massachusetts School of Recognition in 2019 for high growth and exceeding state targets.

It is impossible to overstate the impact Bill has had on our school community. We are profoundly grateful for his vision, his leadership, and his unwavering belief in what our students can achieve.

As we begin this transition, the Board of Trustees is committed to ensuring that what makes Springfield Prep special will not change. Our mission, values, and community remain our foundation. This fall, the Board will engage with families, staff, and other stakeholders to inform our selection process, and we will communicate transparently as we work to identify Springfield Prep’s next Executive Director.  Our goal is to hire a new Executive Director with time for Bill and his successor to work together on a smooth transition for the organization.  Soon, we will be in touch with you about opportunities to share your input — we look forward to hearing from you. 

We are honored to celebrate Bill’s many contributions with you throughout this year, and we look forward to building on the strong foundation he has helped create as we begin our school’s next chapter. 

With gratitude,

Sherriff Balogun
Chair, Board of Trustees

Anne Zummo Malone
Vice Chair, Board of Trustees; Chair, Succession Committee