Northumberland Schools Superintendent Clint Stables was chosen NAPS Distinguished Citizen for 2007. He has demonstrated outstanding leadership for Northumberland County Schools during the 6 years he has held the office of Superintendent. Not only has he encouraged a number of innovative programs within the schools, targeting at risk students, but he has lead the movement to replace totally two aging structures and provide the children of our county with state-of-the-art facilities, appropriate to the educational needs of the twenty-first century.
The award was presented during the NAPS Fall Social, September 22nd. Stables has served the county since 1983, starting as Assistant Principal at the Middle School and subsequently holding positions of Middle School Principal, General Supervisor, Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent. This year he has been honored by his peers with the award of Regional Superintendent of the Year.
Under Stables’ leadership, the schools have implemented a number of successful and nationally recognized programs: Reading Partners, Read Aloud Virginia, Peer Mediation and the Northumberland High School Teacher Advisor Program. Each of these programs aims at targeting groups of students who are, in some way, falling behind, and assisting them to realize their potential through early intervention. Standards of Learning (SOL) scores throughout the school system have shown marked improvement during Stables’ term of office, as have graduation rates and the number of high school seniors continuing to further education. However, Stables’ most memorable achievement will be the construction of a new academic campus for Northumberland County.
Recognizing that renovating ancient, crumbling and inefficient buildings could, at best, represent a short-term economy, Stables pushed for the construction of a combined high school/middle school building to serve the community for many decades to come. Persuading all parties and the community at large of the wisdom of this move was a major undertaking. Leading county officials through the process of financing the undertaking and then selecting all elements of the new buildings was an even greater challenge. As the walls of the new schools take shape, Stables’ vision is becoming reality, and Northumberland County can look forward to a day – not so far away – when our children can attend classes in a building that demonstrates the value we place on education. In addition, the county’s citizens can anticipate enjoying those facilities which the new schools will make available to the community at large.
The NAPS Distinguished Citizen Award is given annually to a member of our community who has made a significant contribution to the goals of NAPS. One of these goals is to encourage economic growth that will promote jobs. The product of our schools is the future manpower of our county – jobs become available in response to the presence of potential qualified employees. Without quality educational facilities, producing graduates with the skills to function efficiently and productively in today’s world, a region can only anticipate stagnation or decline. The NAPS Education Committee believes that Northumberland County will benefit from the impact of Stables’ leadership for many years to come.
