Wade Stanfield, an associate principal at Henry Clay High School, is one of two educators statewide selected to participate in Kentucky’s 2008-09 minority superintendent intern program. On leave from Henry Clay, Stanfield is working out of the Fayette County It’s About Kids Support Services office.  

“What I hope to gain is to learn how the entire district really runs … how you pull it all together, especially in a district this large,” said the 38-year-old Stanfield. “I really want to know the financial end of it and be in a place to get a good grasp of the finances that go into running a district.”

The Kentucky Department of Education’s intern program helps nurture, support and train African-American school superintendents. The interns develop individual growth plans and meet regularly with district leaders. They also get practical experience with public relations, curriculum and assessment issues, labor relations, human resources, facility management, and finance and budgeting.

“Wade will spend time shadowing me and other members of the Cabinet during first semester, and then I will put him in charge of a school zone during second semester,” said Fayette County Superintendent Stu Silberman. “This is the third time I have served as a mentor in this program and found it to be very strong,” he added.

Stanfield has been at Henry Clay for one year. He was a principal for five years in Mercer County and a dean of students for six years in Madison County. A native of Mississippi, he earned his bachelor’s degree in education at Sue Bennett College and his master’s degree at Eastern Kentucky University. He completed his superintendent’s certification last summer and is working on his doctorate at Walden University.

His wife, Bridget, works in KDE’s Office of Assessment and Accountability. They live in Harrodsburg with their two sons, 9-year-old Ellison and 4-year-old Kamren-Jacob, and are members of First Baptist Church in Richmond.