School’s out for Clark – after 40 years

Suffice it to say, Nancy Clark will be missed.

After more than 40 years with the Blooming Prairie School District, she retired last week as business manager.

Though Clark very politely declined an interview, friends and coworkers couldn’t say enough about her.

“I’ve had the privilege of knowing Nancy for 24 years,” said Superintendent Chris Staloch, who was hired as a first-grade teacher in 1999.

“I’ve worked closer with her over the past 12 years being in administration, especially the past four years as superintendent,” he said. “I’ve known for many years that she goes way above and beyond for Blooming Prairie Public Schools, the students, staff and community that we serve. Seeing it firsthand as the superintendent … I’m blown away by the amount of work she does, and her willingness to work to do what’s best for all.”

That included preparing the district for her departure.

Nicole Bartness was hired in October as an administrative assistant in the district office.

“No one person could possibly take on all that Nancy does for this district,” she said. “With her leaving, I will be taking on only a portion of what she did – mainly accounts payable, accounts receivable, education foundation and school board-related duties.”

Clark has been “so welcoming, kind and helpful,” Bartness said, and “always goes the extra mile for people. I’m so lucky to have gotten to know her over these past few months, and that I’ve had the chance to work with her.”

Someone else who’s worked with Clark is Kari Forystek, also an administrative assistant in the district office.

They’ve worked together for six years, but Forystek has memories from long before.

“Nancy was one of the secretaries in the high school office,” said the 1991 BPHS grad. “As a student, I always loved it when she helped me with something in the office – I thought she was so nice and so pretty.”

Clark taught her “literally everything I know about my job,” Forystek said. “Besides Nancy knowing the answer to almost any question I have, she has become one of my closest friends, and I will just miss seeing her every day. We’re very much alike with our thoughts and personalities – we often find each other finishing each other’s sentences, or saying, ‘I know what you’re thinking,’ without ever having to say a word.”

The district office has evolved to a three-person operation as responsibilities have grown, Staloch said. School Management Services will provide the business manager role from now on, with an employee on site one day each week. The remaining days will be covered remotely.

“I think that the biggest change over time has been moving from paper to the digital age,” he said. “Nancy has a paper copy for everything – and knows where everything is located. As we continue to evolve, we rely more and more on technology.

“Nancy has been through a great deal of change, worked with several superintendents, a variety of staff, and successfully navigated all the challenges along the way,” Staloch said. “As a young superintendent I couldn’t have asked for a better person to learn from. She has taught me so much over the years and I will truly miss working with her.”

Clark has also facilitated the district’s transition to the new business manager model, he said, aligning duties and workloads.

“I’m just impressed with her unselfishness, her work ethic, and her high morals for doing what is right,” Staloch said. “Her work ethic is second to none; her care for doing what is right is quite amazing.”

Her time and effort, he said, “are truly outstanding.”

Forystek was asked for three words to describe Clark, but provided four: dedicated, trustworthy, giving, and smart – with a full description and examples of each word.

“Sorry, I know that’s more than three words,” she said. “She makes such great personal connections with people that everyone feels like she’s their friend. This type of friend doesn’t come along every day.”

Staloch said there may be mixed emotions from Clark herself about her retirement, but he hopes “she gets plenty of family time” with her husband Brad, two children and four grandsons.

“For over 40 years, she has put others’ needs before her own,” Staloch said. “Our school district, our community, will be forever in debt to her for everything that she’s done. She’s truly special.

“She has poured her heart and soul into Blooming Prairie Public Schools.”

A small retirement party for Clark was held March 31 at the high school.