Gregg Schneider, Sean Leavy announce candidacy
By HILLARY GAVAN Senior staff writer, Beloit Daily News, January 6, 2021
Leavy Schneider
BELOIT — Four candidates are running for two spots on the Beloit School District Board of Education—incumbent Spencer Anderson and newcomers Gregg Schneider, Christine Raleigh and Sean Leavy, the husband of current board member Amiee Leavy.
The deadline to file candidate papers was 5 p.m. Tuesday. The open seats include those of Anderson and Board President Kyle Larsen who said he is not seeking re-election.
In an interview Tuesday evening, Sean Leavy confirmed he has been the husband of Amiee Leavy for 18 years. The two met at Beloit Memorial High School. He said it may be a first for spouses to serve on the same board but doesn’t believe it would be any conflict and hasn’t found any information stating it’s not allowed. He noted he would not serve on any three-person committees with his wife. Sean Leavy said he and his wife are comfortable with having different opinions on matters and are secure in themselves.
“It’s different and may be a first, but there are two capable people from the community who want to help,” he said.
Sean Leavy said he hopes to bring his professional experiences in education and leadership to the school board. His most pressing priority would be having a return to in-person learning that is based on science.
His other priorities would be getting the district a strategic plan and a vision for the children of Beloit.
He said there are wonderful things in the district such as the high school’s jazz orchestra and the Rising Knights Historically Black College and University tours, which need to be celebrated and supported.
Sean Leavy, is a 1995 of Beloit Memorial High School graduate. He has an undergraduate bachelor’s of science degree in education from Mississippi Valley State University, a historically black college and university. He also has a master’s of arts degree in educational administration from Ohio State. Currently, he’s completing his district administrator’s license at Viterbo University.
He is in his tenth year as associate principal at Central High School District of Westosha. He has also worked in the Beloit School District from 2006-2009 and in Columbus, Ohio. He also coaches youth basketball at the YMCA and has attended school board meetings for the past decade.
Sean Leavy said education can be transforming.
“We need to be a school district that defies what people think of us based on our demographics, and we need visionary leadership that will lead us in that direction,” he said.
He said there needs to be educational opportunities for kids irregardless of their skin color or socioeconomic background.
In an interview Monday, Schneider said he is running to increase transparency, run meetings more efficiently and to foster creativity in the classroom.
“We have great teachers and administrators, but we need to change the system to make it work better for students,” Schneider said.
Schneider said he’s been watching board meetings for the past year and has become concerned with the long length of meetings as well as items which are posted to be discussed in closed session that don’t meet the open meeting law requirements for closed session.
Schneider said he would need more information on safety procedures in order to reopen schools safely.
“There are a lot of pieces that need to be figured out so when it does open it will be best for students in the long run,” Schneider said.
Schneider retired as the Beloit School District’s transitions specialist for students in the special education program in January of 2018. He was previously a program manager for special education; an English co-teacher; worked with the 18-21 year old transition program and was a supervisor of special education. Before moving to Beloit in 2007, he was the transitions specialist for the school district of Durham in North Carolina where he worked for five years.
Today, he serves on the Rock County Aging and Disability Resource Center Advisory Committee, is a member of League of Women Voters, a member of Kiwanis and a deacon in the Episcopal Church. He is working to establish a branch in Rock County of the Poor People’s Campaign, is a member of Democracy Defenders which works to get out the vote and a member of Immigration Task Force of Beloit. He is married to Susan Adams.
The Daily News interviewed candidates Anderson and Raleigh in December.
Incumbent Anderson said he hopes to bring stability to the board. He is a pilot for Skydive Milwaukee with a bachelor’s degree in flight operations from the University of Dubuque. He said his priorities remain teacher retention and student achievement.
Doing a slow reopening of school will be the safest and best option, he said.
Raleigh is a married mother with four young children. Her main priority for running is to get kids back into in-person schooling in the district as families deserve a virtual and in-person option during the pandemic.
She said she lives on the West Side of Beloit, and she wants to stand up for what is best for youth and can speak from a parent’s perspective.
Raleigh has managed a small in-home clothing boutique since 2017. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Waldorf College, now known as Waldorf University.