Stillwater Public Schools names Uwe Gordon as Superintendent

Michelle Charles, Stillwater NewsPress, Okla.
·2 min read

May 27—A familiar and popular face has been selected to serve as the next superintendent for Stillwater Public Schools. During a special meeting Thursday, the Stillwater Board of Education offered the job to Stillwater High School Principal Uwe Gordon.

Gordon earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Oklahoma State University and began his teaching career in Stillwater, serving as a social studies teacher at Stillwater Junior High. He began working as an administrator while still in Stillwater, serving as Assistant Principal at SJH from 1994-2000, according to the district. He left in 2000 to become a principal for Yale High School and served in the same role at Hennessey High School for a year before becoming that district's superintendent.

Gordon served as superintendent at Hennessey Public Schools for three years before returning to Stillwater and taking the position he's known for at SHS.

Gordon said leaving the high school after 16 years is hard for him because he's grown to love the place and the kids, but he was ready for a new challenge and is excited to be working with a great district administration and great principals at the school sites.

Board of Education President Tim Riley told the News Press they initially had a field of 12 candidates to choose from and narrowed it to three before choosing Gordon.

Riley said his knowledge of the community, his reputation as a respected leader, his demonstrated commitment to the student experience and his connection to the community were all factors in the decision.

"We chose Uwe based on extensive community outreach, staff outreach, parents and business leaders and just kind of assess what everybody really wanted in our next leader," he said. "And I think we found that in Uwe."

Although former SPS Assistant Superintendent Gay Washington stepped in to serve as interim superintendent after Marc Moore's contract was terminated in December, Gordon's name was among the list of possible candidates mentioned for the interim job by former board president Camille DeYong.

When the search for a new superintendent was launched in March, Washington — who had retired from the district in 2017 after 30 years — announced that she would not be applying.

Gordon officially begins his new job July 1 but he and Washington said they will be working together closely in the meantime.