(Stillwater, Oklahoma) Superintendent Uwe Gordon has announced the assignment of Dr. Janet Vinson, current Chief Human Resources Officer for Stillwater Public Schools, to the role of Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, pending approval by the Stillwater Board of Education. In this role, Vinson will oversee the departments responsible for the district’s curriculum, counseling, special education, health services, and federal programs. Current Assistant Superintendent Dr. Cathy Walker is departing the position in July to become Superintendent of Newcastle Public Schools.

“I’m excited to build upon the solid foundation that Dr. Walker has built,” says Vinson.  “I look forward to fostering strong communication with parents, teachers, post-secondary education partners, and the community.”

Dr. Vinson joined Stillwater Public Schools in August of 2022 in her current role. She has been an educator for more than 30 years, having served as a classroom teacher, an assistant principal, an associate superintendent of instruction, Superintendent of Broken Arrow Public Schools, and Deputy Superintendent of Teacher Recruitment and Retention at the Oklahoma State Department of Education. She holds three degrees from Oklahoma State University - a bachelor’s in English education, a master’s in school leadership, and a doctorate in curriculum and educational leadership.

She says she’s excited about her upcoming role because, as she puts it, “SPS is the gold standard when it comes to student outcomes. In our case, that is represented in our successful students who go on to be leaders in so many areas of the workplace, the creative arts, athletics, philanthropy, and, of course, education and academics.” 

“I’m looking forward to growing and fostering the invaluable relationships the department has built both internally and externally, through partnerships that enhance our students’ experience in our schools,” Vinson says. She also cites laying a strong foundation for early learners and providing clear pathways for our graduates to transition to career as her top priorities.”Of course, every stage of education is important, but early literacy and planning for transition to adulthood are the bookends that give students valuable tools for success. In this role, listening to teachers’ feedback on what’s working and not working in the classroom and listening to parents about concerns and opportunities for improvement will guide my actions. I’m looking forward to collaborating with those groups and this experienced Ed Services team to continue to find great solutions that work for every child and every family.”

Vinson sees preparing students for the future as the district’s mission. “The children in our schools today will work in an ever-changing world that’s vastly different from my generation. Some of them will work in professions that haven’t even been created,” she says. “It’s up to us to provide access to gain the skills they need for success in the career path they choose. I’m proud to be a part of Stillwater Public School’s culture of empowering students to dream big, to be conscientious citizens, to take ownership of their chosen career path, and to embrace representing us as Pioneers.”

Superintendent Uwe Gordon, says, “During this school year, Dr. Vinson has done a wonderful job leading Human Resources and been a great addition to our district administration. I have no doubts about her ability to lead Educational Services, continuing our successes there and guiding us through new challenges and improvements. Her years of experience in a large school district made her an incredibly obvious choice for this role.”

Vinson’s husband Matthew is a Stillwater High School graduate and 20 year veteran of the Navy, and works as an engineering technician for Frontier Electronic Systems. Together they have three children - a son working to become a social studies teacher, a daughter in college in Tulsa, and a freshman Stillwater Pioneer. 

Vinson will assume her new duties at the beginning of July.

###