Sessions of 2025 Midwinter Leadership Conference, Feb 5 - 7, 2025: Dr. Scott Spurgeon
Dr. Spurgeon, Dr. Scott
Superintendent
West-MEC School District #402
Dr. Scott Spurgeon, Superintendent of the Western Maricopa Education Center (West-MEC) and educator with thirty plus years of experience serving communities in rural, suburban, and urban school districts, and has background in Career and Technical Education (CTE) that dates back to his high school educational experience. Dr. Spurgeon retired from Missouri as a school district superintendent and began his new position as Superintendent/CEO at West-MEC on July 1, 2022. Dr. Spurgeon was recently awarded the 2023 Arizona Capitol Times Leader of the Year in Public Policy, 2023 COGNIA Circle of Excellence Award and was previously honored with the 2020 Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA) Superintendent of the Year Award. Dr. Spurgeon serves on numerous boards including GPEC, ABEC, AEEC, GPEMC and the Glendale Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Some additional noteworthy accomplishments of Dr. Spurgeon include being named an Innovative District of the Year by the International Center for Leadership in Education in 2016 and 2018, received proclamations from the St. Louis County Executive and Board of Directors, was honored as the most improved district in 2015 by Governor Jay Nixon and gained enough points on the Annual Report Cards (APR) in 2015-2018 to be classified as fully accredited for points. His previous district regained provisional accreditation on January 4, 2017 after nearly ten years of being classified as an unaccredited district and has retained that accreditation level for five consecutive years. Dr. Spurgeon’s experience includes his current role of Superintendent/CEO at West-MEC, eighteen years of senior level leadership including nine years as Superintendent of the Riverview Gardens School District, assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development in Northwest RI School District, associate superintendent for curriculum and school leadership and interim superintendent in Rockwood School District, and superintendent in Belleville High School District #201. He has been an administrator at the elementary, middle and high school levels, including alternative education. Additionally, he has taught graduate courses for Lindenwood University. Dr. Spurgeon has also been an educational consultant providing leadership training and professional development to more than 100 school and districts across America. Dr. Spurgeon earned his educational doctorate degree in educational leadership from St. Louis University. Prior to Dr. Spurgeon’s career in education, he was drafted and played professional baseball with the Houston Astros organization and has been inducted into the Northwest Missouri State University M-Club Hall of Fame and in June 2022, he was inducted into the MIAA Hall of Fame. He is married to Dr. Julia Spurgeon, assistant principal at Sandra Day O’Connor High School and is the proud father and grand-father of four children, Alysia, Austin, Connor and Emily, one grandson, Ryan, and three granddaughters, Alivia, Aida and Alaina.
Sessions:
Revolutionizing Work-Based Learning Through AI: A Strategic Implementation in CTE Programs
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Prescott Resort
Artificial Intelligence is transforming education, and at West-MEC, we're strategically integrating this technology to expand access to authentic work-based learning experiences. Through our implementation of Immersion Labs' MetaCoach AI technology in our Medical Assistant and Aesthetics programs, we're pioneering a scalable approach to hands-on career preparation. Our initiative demonstrates how AI can democratize access to immersive learning through interactive training sessions, virtual workplace scenarios, and advanced 3D modeling of professional environments. By bringing traditionally external experiences inside our classroom walls, we're creating a blueprint for expanding equitable access to career preparation – particularly valuable for rural communities and programs facing clinical site shortages. Join us for an interactive demonstration and explore how AI-enabled learning environments could help your program scale quality work-based learning opportunities. Experience the technology firsthand and discover how emerging tools can break down barriers while maintaining industry standards.
