Johnston City Superintendent Kathy Clark has spent her entire career in education guided by a simple yet powerful question: “Is this what’s best for students?” From her early days as a special education teacher to her tenure as a school district leader, that guiding principle has shaped every decision she has made. With her retirement marked for June 30th, Clark is reflecting on the people, memories, and milestones that have defined her journey.
Although her professional career began elsewhere, Clark’s life story starts in Johnston City, where she was born and spent her earliest childhood years before her family settled in Benton. Clark’s time in high school sparked and shaped her career path in education.
During her junior and senior years, she served as a student worker in a special education classroom. She was also an active member of the Council for Exceptional Children, helping to organize events for the school’s special education students and volunteering at various events across southern Illinois, including the Special Olympics.
“It was through these experiences that I found my calling,” Clark remembers. “They didn’t just lead me to a degree—they shaped my purpose. Becoming a special education teacher felt like a natural step, and it was the foundation for everything that followed in my career in education.”
Clark earned her bachelor’s degree at Illinois State University and went on to pursue several postgraduate degrees at Rockford College, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and Concordia University Chicago.
She spent the start of her career as a special education teacher in Mt. Vernon and then in Benton. Eventually, Clark took on the role of Director of Technology for the Benton School District #47, where she managed the E-Rate program from its inception and authored and implemented more than $4.5 million in grant funding.
In 2007, Clark returned to her roots and jumped at the opportunity to apply for the principal position at Lincoln Elementary School in Johnston City. This marked a personal homecoming and a professional milestone.
“It still had the feel of a true community school, “ she recalls. “Most of our staff and students lived in the surrounding countryside, which helped create a tight-knit, family-like atmosphere. The campus had a sprawling playground with vintage equipment, a baseball backstop, and a large backyard where students could play tag, kickball, football, or even go bug and frog hunting.”
Playground equipment brings back fond memories for one of the school’s current cooks, Debbie Moulton. At the time, her children attended Lincoln Elementary. She remembers Clark rolling up her sleeves and pitching in for hands-on projects.
“Some new playground equipment was being put in,” Moulton says with a laugh. “She (Clark) was dressed in overalls and muck boots with a shovel helping.”
Another highlight for Moulton was the annual chili dinner fundraiser hosted by Lincoln’s Parent Teacher Association, which was well-attended by families, neighbors, and even local politicians. Moulton shares that Clark was always willing to help with any aspect of the fundraiser. However, she believes Clark’s favorite role may have been in the kitchen as the unofficial chili taste tester.
“Kathy always worked hard and wanted to be involved,” Moulton recalls about that special time at Lincoln. “Sometimes she would help chop vegetables for the chili in the kitchen, but she always wanted me to make her a special batch of chili with no beans. That’s how she liked her chili.”
After serving seven years exclusively at Lincoln, Clark transitioned to a year-long dual role, retaining her principal position while assuming a promotion as Johnston City Schools Assistant Superintendent. This marked a significant shift in her career, using all of her years of experience for this moment.
“As a principal, I was deeply connected to one school community,” Clarks explains about the transition. “I knew the students by name, worked closely with teachers every day, and was involved in every aspect of daily school life. It was hands-on, personal, and incredibly rewarding.”
In 2015, Clark was promoted to superintendent, guiding principals, working with the school board, and shaping district-wide initiatives that impacted a larger number of students and staff.
“It required a broader perspective, more collaboration across every grade level, and a different kind of leadership,” she says. “What stayed the same was the main goal: doing what’s best for students. Whether at Lincoln or across the entire district, that purpose never changed.”
Under Clark’s leadership, the district has seen significant growth and innovation. Some key accomplishments during her tenure include:
Established free meals for every student
Returned bus services to in-house
Secured a $5 million Full-Service Community Schools grant
Hired social workers at every school across the district
Introduced new CTE programs
Expanded Fine Arts programming
Implemented Parent Mentors at elementary schools
Expanded community partnerships with local churches and businesses
Introduced Student Support Advocates to work directly with students and their families
Clark’s most defining leadership test came with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. As schools closed and communities faced uncertainty, her leadership was instrumental in ensuring continuity of learning, meal service, and student support. Yet, she looks back on that time, highlighting the silver lining.
“There are so many times throughout my tenure that reminded me just how special this district is,” Clark reflects. “Leading our schools through the ever-changing protocols of the pandemic was one of the most challenging experiences of my career. I saw firsthand the resilience of our students, the creativity of our teachers, and the tireless dedication of our staff and administrators.”
Johnston City School District Unit Secretary Kim Grant has witnessed Clark’s journey from principal to superintendent and watched her go above and beyond during the pandemic.
“Kathy has led this district with unwavering grace, dignity, courage, compassion, and tenacity,” Grant says. “She has had the immense challenge of guiding us through some of our most difficult times—including a pandemic—with strength, resilience, and heart. I truly can’t imagine anyone else leading us through those times.”
To ensure students had breakfast and lunch while participating in remote learning, the school district delivered meals to students along their designated bus routes. Grant recalls how Clark jumped in to ensure this was a smooth process and students got what they needed.
“I’ve seen her cleaning, packing meals into coolers during the pandemic, and even riding a bus to help deliver those meals to students,” she remembers. “Her willingness to step in wherever she’s needed speaks volumes about the kind of leader she is—one who leads by example. I can’t recall a single time she asked someone to do something she wasn’t willing to do herself.”
Now, as she prepares to retire, it’s the small moments that mean the most—cheering on students at games, watching the successes of the Scholar Bowl and Math Team, and seeing kindergartners grow into confident graduates.
“Watching them grow from wide-eyed kindergartners into confident young adults ready to face the world has been the greatest privilege of my career,” Clark adds.
As for what’s next, she plans to stay connected to the people and place that mean the most to her: Students, Staff, and Johnston City.