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Roger Clarke has been hired as the new superintendent of schools for Prairie Rose School Division.
tkalinowski@medicinehatnews.com @MHNTimKal
Prairie Rose School Division announced Thursday it had hired Roger Clarke as its new superintendent of schools to replace Brian Andjelic, who is retiring at the end of this school year. Clarke is currently the superintendent of schools in the Fort Vermillion School Division in northern Alberta’s Peace River country.
The affable Clarke is a native son of Labrador in Newfoundland, but has lived in Alberta since 1990. His wife Valerie is also a teacher. They have three children, Jared, Erin and Brady. Jared and Erin have gone on to embark in their own teaching careers, but Brady will be entering Grade 10 when his dad arrives to take up his superintendent position later this summer.
Clarke said he just felt it was time for change and rejuvenation, when asked about his reasons for wanting to make the move to PRSD.
“I’ve been in the role I am doing now for quite some time. I have enjoyed it. I have been superintendent here this coming July for 12 years. I am truly looking forward to some new challenges in a new environment. Sometimes it’s just time for that re-energization of yourself.”
Clarke went on to say he had grown up in rural environments, and felt most comfortable there as a person. He has also had to deal with the stresses and challenges of ensuring rural education needs are met in his time as superintendent. He noted the school populations of both the Fort Vermillion division and PRSD are similar, and have similar isolated situations to face geographically. The only real difference is he will have to turn in the old bushman for a cowboy hat.
“Up here our main industries are farming and forestry, And, of course, the oil sector is significant in certain components of the division here, which is somewhat similar to down south. But I don’t think you have quite as many trees,” he said with a laugh.
Clarke is looking forward to engaging with parents, staff and students in the PRSD, and to advancing the goals of the trustees when he arrives in the region later this year.
“When the Prairie Rose School Division position became available, I read up online about the division in terms of what their goals are, and the kind of division it is. It is a caring organization which is concerned about both student achievement and the wellness of it students and staff, and those things are important to me as well.”
