Episode #9 - Mental Health Programming for Students and Staff

In this episode, we talk to Gerrett Spears, high school principal of Burlington High School in Northwest Oklahoma. As a former D1 basketball coach, Gerrett understands the importance of mental health programming for players to be at their best. Gerrett walks listeners through how to implement mental health programming for the overall wellness of the school to ensure mentally healthy students and staff members.  

Gerrett Spears was raised in small town Oklahoma. He graduated high school in 2005.  Gerrett went to a junior college and played basketball.  Soon after he went to the University of Oklahoma continuing his education degree and working with the men's basketball team.  The next year he was given an opportunity to coach a junior college, during that time he finished his education degree at Pittsburg State University.   He then went on to be a graduate assistant at Wichita State University where he obtained his masters degree in sport administration.  Later he decided to move closer to home to teach and coach at the high school level.  After four years he went back to school and got his masters in Education at Northwestern Oklahoma State University to become certified as a principal.  Two years later, he took his first principal's job at Burlington Public School, where he is now.  He is married to Rachael, has two kids, Benaiah (age 5) and Asher (age 1).  His focus as a principal is to provide a well rounded education to all students, no matter the background or where they are now.  It is his belief to meet the students where they are and help them to become the best they can be!