Who's Clark?
Clark is first a Christian, then a husband, a father,
a grandfather, and finally a career educator. My first and foremost goal is to meet the needs of my wife and my family. After that I have spent a career educating and caring for other people’s children. My wife and I have three fantastic children who are all happily married and have awesome spouses of their own. Of all the wonderful experiences I have had in life, raising our children has been the most rewarding.
I retired at the end of December after having spent the last three and a half years as Deputy Superintendent of the Oregon Department of Education. I started my career as a music teacher. Soon after I went into administration and became an elementary principal, middle school principal, high school principal and assistant superintendent, all within the same school district. It has been a wonderful adventure all along the way.
After retiring in December, a colleague, Kate Dickson, and I started our own business called Leadership Matters, Inc. Our goals are to assist in developing strong educational leaders and to help high schools in implementing high school reform measures. We love our work!
I have always had a strong desire for adventure. I learn so much about myself mentally, physically, and spiritually when I do things I have never done before. Through activities like mountain climbing, running marathons, back packing, and running the Hood to Coast Relay 11 years in a row, I have learned a lot about leadership, training, the importance of rest, and setting short and long term goals. I have also learned that it is only in accomplishing the short term goals that we accomplish the long range goal. Short term goal accomplishment encourages persistence.
I love to be inspired by others.
There has never been a time in my life that those around me have failed to inspire me. I have always tried to make others successful in their own pursuits. Lastly, I am a very thankful person and appreciate how God has blessed me and my family more than I can adequately express.
So that is enough about me. If you choose to ride along with me across America through my website, you’ll learn more about who I am by how I interpret the experience. You’ll also see if I can discipline myself to take pictures and keep up with the journal. (This could be my greatest challenge.)
I welcome you to my trip. Feel free to email me. I will welcome your thoughts and questions and overall good will. However, I may not reply. I have done long rides before, not this long, and quite frankly, sometimes I just don’t have the energy at the end of the day to return email. Please know, however, that your thoughts are always appreciated.
I draw some of my inspiration from quotes such as the following:
“The credit belongs to those who are actually in the arena, who strive valiantly; who know the great enthusiasm, the great devotions, and spend themselves in a worthy cause; who at the best, know the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if they fail, fail while daring greatly, so that their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” -Theodore Roosevelt
Well, as John Wayne would say, “Mount up! We're burning daylight!”
a grandfather, and finally a career educator. My first and foremost goal is to meet the needs of my wife and my family. After that I have spent a career educating and caring for other people’s children. My wife and I have three fantastic children who are all happily married and have awesome spouses of their own. Of all the wonderful experiences I have had in life, raising our children has been the most rewarding.I retired at the end of December after having spent the last three and a half years as Deputy Superintendent of the Oregon Department of Education. I started my career as a music teacher. Soon after I went into administration and became an elementary principal, middle school principal, high school principal and assistant superintendent, all within the same school district. It has been a wonderful adventure all along the way.
After retiring in December, a colleague, Kate Dickson, and I started our own business called Leadership Matters, Inc. Our goals are to assist in developing strong educational leaders and to help high schools in implementing high school reform measures. We love our work!
I have always had a strong desire for adventure. I learn so much about myself mentally, physically, and spiritually when I do things I have never done before. Through activities like mountain climbing, running marathons, back packing, and running the Hood to Coast Relay 11 years in a row, I have learned a lot about leadership, training, the importance of rest, and setting short and long term goals. I have also learned that it is only in accomplishing the short term goals that we accomplish the long range goal. Short term goal accomplishment encourages persistence.I love to be inspired by others.
There has never been a time in my life that those around me have failed to inspire me. I have always tried to make others successful in their own pursuits. Lastly, I am a very thankful person and appreciate how God has blessed me and my family more than I can adequately express.So that is enough about me. If you choose to ride along with me across America through my website, you’ll learn more about who I am by how I interpret the experience. You’ll also see if I can discipline myself to take pictures and keep up with the journal. (This could be my greatest challenge.)
I welcome you to my trip. Feel free to email me. I will welcome your thoughts and questions and overall good will. However, I may not reply. I have done long rides before, not this long, and quite frankly, sometimes I just don’t have the energy at the end of the day to return email. Please know, however, that your thoughts are always appreciated.
I draw some of my inspiration from quotes such as the following:
“The credit belongs to those who are actually in the arena, who strive valiantly; who know the great enthusiasm, the great devotions, and spend themselves in a worthy cause; who at the best, know the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if they fail, fail while daring greatly, so that their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” -Theodore RooseveltWell, as John Wayne would say, “Mount up! We're burning daylight!”