June 3, 2005

Carolyn Clark

Honoring the woman whose name adorns the school

By Maryann Cavallo
Special to the Times

Editor’s note: This is an adaptation of the speech presented at the Carolyn Clark Elementary School dedication on May 19.

One of the greatest thrills in life comes from doing a job well. Carolyn Clark is someone who has done the job, not just well, but remarkably so.

When I questioned myself about what makes that kind of leader, my first thought was that they had to be born to the task. Carolyn Fonseca certainly was. She grew up in a house filled with city and state politicians. Her father, Lester, was the ultimate politician, a registered Democrat who never failed to vote Republican.

Thang Do of AEDIS Architecture and Planning presents Carolyn Clark Elementary School with a $5,000 check to buy books for the library.

In 1962, young Carolyn Fonseca married Dallas Clark, and began the Clark dynasty with Stacy, then Lori and, eventually, baby Michael. Service has been the cornerstone of the Clark family.

When the children entered school, Carolyn began her task of shaping the school district. She was a parent volunteer—Cadwallader Elementary School’s PTA president. She served on every district advisory committee including the financial committee and the panel to select principals. In fact, there is no administrator in Evergreen today who hasn’t had Carolyn’s stamp of approval.

For years, community members and teachers encouraged her to run for a seat on the board. But Carolyn waffled until someone threw down the gauntlet by telling her she couldn’t possibly win. Now anyone who knows Carolyn knows that telling her, “NO” or “It can’t be done,” is a more dangerous task than anything faced by the crocodile hunter. To Carolyn, “Them is fightin’ words!”

In March of 1976, Carolyn Clark was elected to the Evergreen School District’s board of trustees, where she has served faithfully for 29 years. She began serving with her sidekicks, board member Tom Matsumoto and Superintendent Jim Smith. This tremendous trio served the community as a powerhouse team setting the course for the school district for 27 years.

It was a time before distinguished schools, before Blue Ribbons and before state assessments, with a mere eight elementary schools and two middle schools.

While Carolyn was busy learning the business of being a board member, her husband, Dallas, was equally busy in the community. Dallas was a major part of Evergreen Valley Service Organization, Keep Evergreen Clean Day, Night of Lights, twice chairperson of the successful School Bond Election Committee and Santa to more kids than you can shake a stick at. He has remained Carolyn’s campaign manager, confidant and number one supporter.

Served with 15 others
In the past 29 years, Carolyn served with 15 different board members. But in 1988, when Kathy Atwood joined board members Kathy Bowers, Jeff Fischer, Tom Matsumoto and Carolyn Clark, Evergreen got its own “dream team.” Those who worked in the district during that time fondly refer to it as the years of Camelot.

Carolyn’s longevity followed one simple rule, “To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.” With heart and mind, she watched Evergreen School District rise to great heights. The community agreed with her leadership by re-electing her to the board unopposed for more than 20 years.

She was part of the opening of Chaboya, Norwood Creek, Millbrook, Dove Hill, Silver Oak, Tom Matsumoto, James Franklin Smith and Carolyn A. Clark schools.

She has seen academic programs that have helped students achieve among the highest levels in Santa Clara County and the state.

She has been an advocate for music, fine arts, libraries and a wide range of after-school programs, including child care.

She has been a vigorous supporter of sports programs that have connected in a positive way thousands of students—many of them at risk—to school.

She has seen 17 district schools become California Distinguished; Montgomery and Whaley receiving the National Title 1 Achieving Schools Award; and 11 National Blue Ribbon recipients.

She was proudly a part of the full implementation of the class-size reduction program in grades K-3.

Guiding ESD through rough seas
But it takes both rain and sunshine to make a rainbow, and it has rained in Evergreen a few times before. Anyone can steer the ship in calm waters, but it takes a special person to see you through the rough seas.

Carolyn has been that kind of leader, who has led the district through the tsunamis of state budget crises, federally mandated legislations and reductions in vital programs. She has held her vision and stood by her decisions, even the hard ones. She takes great pride that she is part of a team that has always found a way to build back.

ESD board member Carolyn Clark, with her grandchildren by her side, cut the ribbon during the dedication ceremony for the school that bears her name.

When asked what makes a good board member, Carolyn answered, “It’s a person that provides the educational programs where all children are respected and all children succeed. It’s a person who understands the necessity of financial stability to make things happen. This is not about yourself or your personal issues. You’ve got 13,000 children to think about. The board’s job is to keep the vision, the direction and to hold the accountability. They hire the best and trust them to get the job done.”

That type of leader knows that knowledge is power and listens. When preparing for a board meeting, former Superintendent Jim Smith would always remind me, “Don’t underestimate Carolyn’s knowledge. Do your homework.”

Carolyn’s serving on the board has held all administrators accountable to be their own very best.

When asked about her greatest single accomplishment, Carolyn replied, “The way we all pull together—community, parents, classified, teachers, administrators and board to get the job done—is what I’m most proud of.”

A philosopher once said, “If you don’t scale the mountain, you can’t see the view.” As Carolyn looks across the landscape called Evergreen, she must feel great pride.

Maryann Cavallo retired as the deputy superintendent of the Evergreen School District in 2004.