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Published June 2008
Jason Sternberger just completed his first year as Superintendent of Clinton Public Schools. Sternberger came to Clinton from Medford Public Schools, where he was named District 9 Superintendent of the Year. He has also served as the principal of Watonga High School, and taught and coached in Fort Gibson and Enid Public Schools.
He has strong roots in the area, which prompted his application for the Clinton job when it came open. "Being from western Oklahoma (he graduated from Weatherford High School in 1988), I wanted to raise my family here," he explained. Sternberger's family includes his wife, Jackie, who teaches American History at Clinton Middle School and coaches high school volleyball, high school track, and junior high basketball. The couple has three sons: Jace, who will be a sixth grader; Jett, who will be in the third grade; and Jaxon, who is three.
In assessing the local school system, Sternberger cited many positives, including growing student numbers, quality educators, great site principals, and good parental involvement. Concerns include constantly changing state and federal mandates, and aging buildings. "In order to attract new families that move into this area, we must continue to remodel or build new facilities," he asserted. "People want to be proud of what they have and we must make sure that all of our facilities are in excellent condition."
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| Jason Sternberger |
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"The Clinton school system is known for its excellence in academics and extracurricular activities across the state," Sternberger continued. "And the best thing Clinton schools has going is our students. We have an excellent student body that gets involved with many different activities." He added, "We also have the well-rounded student - for example, we have high school band and vocal music students that also compete in athletics. This does not happen in many places."
Sternberger has two main goals for the Clinton Public Schools. "Obviously, the biggest obstacle and primary goal is to operate the school within the boundaries of our financial obligation," he said. "Another goal is to work with the principals and teachers to find ways that will challenge and encourage every child to reach their fullest potential. Kids and issues in education are always changing, and it's a constant challenge to keep up, but we, as educators, can't get complacent with our duties."
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The duties of being Superintendent of Schools in Clinton seem to suit Sternberger well, although he does have a complaint. "The worst part of this job is that I don't get to interact with the students or teachers as much as at other districts I've worked in," he said. "I got into education because I enjoy working with kids, but in this position I don't get out to the school sites as much as I would prefer."
However, it seems the positives are more than enough to counter this negative. "There are so many things that have made the job great this year," he continued. "One of the first things that comes to mind is the support that the people and businesses in the community give to the school system. No matter what the event is, we have a good turnout and people are willing to lend an extra hand to get things done for the school.
"i have always had a great amount of respect for the people of Clinton and knew this is where I wanted my kids to grow up," he said. "My family and I love wearing the maroon and gold and calling ourselves Red Tornadoes."
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