Good Neighbor Podcast: Auburn and Opelika

Ep.#48: The Springwood School Experience Fostering Intellectual and Spiritual Growth

• Susannah Hodges at Village Centre Press

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As an independent college and career preparatory school, Springwood School is dedicated to providing a quality education in a nurturing environment, focusing on mind, body, and spiritual development.

Springwood School seeks to develop the wholeness of every student through academic excellence in a Christ-centered culture so that they are fully equipped to impact the world as compassionate, thoughtful, life-long learners.

In this interview, Dr. Michael Plank the Director of Development and Campus Life tells us about Springwood School in Lanett Alabama.  Dr. Plank gives us a tour of this faith-based, private school that prides itself on nurturing not just the intellect, but the spirit and the body as well. From the classroom to the football field, Springwood offers a variety of experiences that mold students into well-rounded individuals eager to imprint their positive mark on the world.

www.springwoodschool.org


Speaker 1:

This is the Good Neighbor podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Susanna Hodges.

Speaker 2:

Welcome to the Good Neighbor podcast. With me is Michael Plank of Springwood School in Lynette. Welcome, Michael. It's a pleasure having you on the show today.

Speaker 3:

It's very nice to be asked to be one of your guests today. Thank you.

Speaker 2:

So tell me a little bit about Springwood School.

Speaker 3:

Sure, sure. So Springwood School is located in Lynette, Alabama, which is, for folks that may not be familiar with the area it's right on the state line of Georgia and Alabama. I mean, we're not quite on the bank of the Chattahoochee River, but about a mile from it. So we draw students from both states East Alabama, West Georgia. We are a college and career preparatory school that is committed to excellent education that inspires the mind, trains the body and nourishes the spirit. We are a faith-based, Christ-centered school and committed to developing the wholeness of all students in that Christ-centered culture, because we really want them to be fully equipped to impact the world as compassionate, thoughtful and lifelong learners once they leave us.

Speaker 2:

Okay, so you know, I had the pleasure of seeing you guys a few days ago and the campus is gorgeous. Tell us a little bit about how the campus is and what life is like at the school.

Speaker 3:

Yeah Well. So I feel like Springwood is tucked away almost in the woods when you turn in the drive. It's this really long, beautiful drive lined with kind of ancient pine trees. As you come up it's really laid out in some ways like a college campus because there are a lot of separate buildings that house our primary, our elementary, our junior high, our high school. There's a gymnasium, there's a fine arts center and then we have an international program that is a boarding program as well. So multiple buildings that are all connected by breezeways. So, in addition to the campus being beautiful, you're really kind of forced to be in nature as you transition between your activities during the day.

Speaker 2:

It's very nice, just beautiful setting. I love the way the school was designed. So tell me a little bit about your academics there and also about the sports.

Speaker 3:

Sure, well, we have… a very I don't know how to say it a lot of emphasis on our academics, lots of AP courses that are here, our sports programs because the school is smaller and we have football, baseball, basketball, cheerleading, track, tennis, golf. There's even a fish and a quake. I mean, just about anything you could find at any other school and I think one of the benefits of being a student here is because we are a smaller school just under 300 students. There are kids that have the opportunity to try out lots of different kinds of sports.

Speaker 3:

One thing I can say personally is I have three sons. All three of them have gone to Springwood from kindergarten all the way up through graduation and two of them in college now. One of them is a junior this year and as they were growing up in school here, there would be moments that they would sort of bemoan the fact that their cousins were playing football at these big seven A schools. And it's one of the things I would try to remind them of is that if we lived in a larger area or at a bigger school, you might not be getting the play time that you're, you're getting here here you get to have a lot of play time and try out lots of different sports.

Speaker 2:

I like it. So tell me a little bit about you, michael. What has your career path been like that's led you to be the director of development and campus life at Springwood school?

Speaker 3:

Well, it's been an interesting journey for me. So I spent 30 years in full-time ministry first. So I'm a graduate of Point University, which is local in our area, and a graduate of Full Earth Theological Seminary. And then I did my doctoral work at Biola University in California. All along the way of doing that education, being involved in student ministry, and then as an associate pastor and then a worship pastor.

Speaker 3:

When I moved to Lynette, alabama, 18 years ago to be a part of worship ministry, that was the point at which my children were enrolled here at Springwood, so I was on the parent side here for a very long time, became very familiar and involved with the school. At one point a few years ago, was asked to join the board here. So that's an opportunity for those listening that are a part of boards. That's a big peek behind the scenes of what's really going on. And so I served on the board for three years and during those three years and in my probably about my 25th year in ministry, I just started having this sense that God had something else. There was like there's a new chapter coming.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 3:

I didn't. I wasn't disgruntled with ministry at all, I really loved it, but just had this sense that something was coming. I didn't know what it was and just was praying about that and didn't wanna leave ministry until I felt the next calling in my life Okay, bye. And so it reached a point where there were post COVID, there was some turnover at the school and I knew that they needed to hire some more people, and so I just called one day and said hey, I don't know exactly where God is leading you to build your team, but having been on the board, I see a lot of things that the school needs and I think I have the gifts to be able to assist with that. Could we have a conversation? And so it started there and then I ended up working here as a result of that.

Speaker 2:

Very cool. I love the way the Lord works when he opens doors and closes doors along your life, and that just sounds like a beautiful open door for you.

Speaker 3:

It really was, really was.

Speaker 2:

So you mentioned your children grew up at Springwood School, so I know most of your life revolves around children. But what do you do for fun when you're not working at Springwood School?

Speaker 3:

Well, I would like to think of myself as a runner. I know there are people that are way better than me, but I love running five Ks and 10 Ks. I'm not in shape to run a half marathon right now, but I've done several of those and those are. They're really fun. I like the community that is around the running community and I really love gardening, so I'm thankful that the weather's beginning to get warmer and I get out in my yard.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely. The weather's been real nice these last few days. Well, tell me a little bit about private school world. Is there any misconceptions that people have about private schools, or maybe about Springwood School in particular? That may not be something that they realize or is necessarily true.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, the first thing that comes, or the main thing that comes to mind, I think, when people hear private school is that would be nice, but we would just not be able to afford that.

Speaker 3:

So one of the things that I notice with families that are considering an alternative for their children once they come and visit our campus even if they've got that thought in mind most of the time, they're pretty convinced that they've got to find a way to make this happen.

Speaker 3:

So I think one of the misconceptions is that private school is just for wealthy families. But what I can say is that in the realm of private education, what we offer is very affordable, as you compare other schools with us, and I would say also, about three-fourths of our kids are on some level of financial aid. So when you apply to a school like Springwood, you go through a process that would be similar to FAFSA, if there are families listening that do that sort of thing for their kid to go to college. So it's just a snapshot of a family's financial situation, and then there is aid that is available. So I see a lot of families with financial aid support and a lot of families that are able to work things around in their family budgets to be able to make it work for their kids, because the product's just so good for what they are paying for.

Speaker 2:

So, speaking of Springwood School in particular, what is one thing that you wish people knew about the school that they may not realize?

Speaker 3:

I think I'd mentioned the phrase before tucked away. I wonder if, particularly in the Opa Laica, northern Lee County area, we may be kind of a best kept secret, but it's really not very far off the interstate and we just love for people to know that we exist and that there are other other options for those families that might be seeking an alternative to their children's education. Well tell me how to get in.

Speaker 2:

Tell me a little bit about how to find out more information about the school. Can you come for a tour? What are some ways that you can get in touch with you?

Speaker 3:

You absolutely can come for a tour anytime, just schedule it in advance. The easiest way would be to just check out the school website, which is springwoodschoolorg. The direct line to the school is 334-829-4000, and people will be welcome to reach out to me, or our admissions counselor is Maryal Key, and we would be more than thrilled to set up a campus tour with anybody that would like to come check things out. Whether it's in the garden K4 all the way up through 12th grade.

Speaker 2:

Alright. Well, thank you, michael. I have enjoyed having you as my guest today. Thanks so much for joining me.

Speaker 3:

Thanks for having us.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor podcast, auburn. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GNPauvernecom. That's GNPauvernecom, or call 334-429-7404.