School Staff

Chad Barkes is the new principal at Sprague High School. Barkes started his career in SKPS in 2000 as an instructional assistant at Swegle Elementary School. He earned his teaching degree with a focus on special education from Western Oregon University in 2003. After that, Barkes taught at West Salem High School in the special education department for several years, then moved into the role of special education program assistant for nine years. He has been serving at Sprague as an assistant principal/athletic director since 2015.

Clinton Gertenrich has worked his entire educational career for Salem-Keizer Public Schools and has been committed to building community at each of the schools he has served. He was an instructional assistant at McKay High School, taught at Houck Middle School, and he started his administrative career as an assistant principal at North Salem High School in 2000. He then served as principal and educational leader at Candalaria, Auburn, and Schirle elementary schools. A lifelong career dream of his has been to serve as an athletic director, and he was selected to become Sprague’s athletic director in 2019. He previously had successful coaching experiences at McKay, McNary, North Salem, South Salem, Sprague, Willamette University, and Corban University.

Mark Harris joined the Sprague Admin Team in 2019. Mr. Harris was born and raised in London, England graduating high school in 1997. From there he attended university at University College of London obtaining his Master’s degree. His educational career started in 2002, where he was a Math teacher at a secondary modern school back in London for several years as a Key Stage 4 coordinator. After emigrating to Salem in 2010, he landed a position as a Math teacher in Sprague High School, transitioned to an Instructional Coach at McKay High School for 2 years, before excitedly returning back as a Behavior Specialist and then Assistant Principal at Sprague.

Jim Miller joined the Sprague Admin Team in 2021. Jim has been a part of Salem-Keizer Public Schools since 2001. He has served as a teacher, behavior specialist, assistant principal, and high school principal during that time. Prior to joining Sprague’s team, he served as an assistant principal in the EDGE program. Jim has also served in the Oregon Army National Guard since 1996.

Jesse Clayton has been with SKPS for 12 years, most recently serving as an assistant principal at McKay High School. Previous to McKay, Jesse was part of the administrative team at Sprague in the role of curriculum assistant principal. Jesse has also been a middle school assistant principal at both Leslie Middle School and Claggett Creek Middle school, as well as an instructional coach at Waldo Middle School. Jesse’s educational career began with her serving as a high school English and AVID teacher.