This story was written by Lia Salvatierra, our new Education Reporter. Find more of Lia’s reporting here. Do you have an NKY education story? Email lsalvatierra@linknky.com.
While touring around Ludlow Independent Schools facilities, Superintendent Dr. Jason Steffen noted as many historic details as he did the new features.
On a staircase landing, he gestured to a narrow, newly constructed room with churchlike windows. It’s empty now, but will soon be filled with archives from the district dating back to its origins in 1848.
Steffen took it upon himself to organize those documents and write up a comprehensive history of the district, a complement to the district’s ongoing multimillion dollar expansion project.
The history buff is not a Ludlow graduate himself, but a Northern Kentucky native, with degrees in both history and education from Northern Kentucky University.
“Education and teaching is the most rewarding profession there is,” Steffen said.
He proudly noted the district’s 100% graduation rate during the 2024-2025 school year.
He’s currently polishing biographies for some of the Ludlow Independent’s distinguished graduates for an alumni display.
Those figures include Layton “Mickey” Rouse, NKU’s first basketball player to retire his jersey and David Mack, a New York Times bestselling cartoonist of “Kabuki” graphic novels.
During the current renovations, he said the district decided to leave some concrete foundation walls exposed, showcasing graffiti and etchings from students decades ago.
The best part of studying the district’s history is “getting the stories and people that made Ludlow what it was,” he said.
Some of his first jobs, working in education at the Museum Center at Union Terminal and teaching middle school social studies, combined both interests. It’s now his 26th year in education, and his 15th at Ludlow, where he’s spent more than half his career. He started as the district’s elementary school principal in 2011, and became the director of teaching and learning, overseeing curriculum, in 2018.
Becoming superintendent in 2024, followed a natural progression, he said.
Steffen believes being superintendent means being the face of the district and getting out in the community.
Walking around the district’s riverfront athletic facilities, he greeted families with young children on the playground and Ludlow city officials.
Holding the door open for students heading to band camp, he addressed them by name, complimenting one on his Metallica t-shirt.
Steffen said he knows every one of the district’s students.
For the past few years, he’s been able to watch students he saw begin kindergarten when he started at the district, graduate.
Looking forward, he’s focused on ensuring students are prepared for a changing job market and continuing to get results for all students with limited resources, he said.
“I still take a vested interest in each of these kids,” he said.
Steffen lives in Fort Thomas with his wife, Holly, a second grade teacher, and their three children, who he coaches across various sports.
