Message from Superintendent, Ann Clar k
Hail and farewell
This is my final column as
superintendent of Charlotte-
Mecklenburg Schools. It has
been an honor and a privilege to
serve the families of Mecklenburg
County and to work for all
students.
I have been in CMS for 34
years. I began in 1983 as a
teacher of exceptional children,
then became an assistant principal
and principal. I have held a variety
of jobs on the academic side
from supervising high schools to
overseeing academic curriculum
for all students, then deputy
superintendent and, finally, superintendent.
As I look back over the years, I see one of the best public school districts
in America. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has a well-deserved national
reputation for innovation and creativity that lead to student academic
success.
That reputation is built on the outstanding work of every employee,
every day, in every school and office. Everyone who works in CMS is an
educator, whether it’s teaching in a classroom, driving a bus, serving lunch or
administrative planning. All of us play a critical role in the education of more
than 147,000 students. I am proud of, and also humbled by, the dedication
and care of our employees.
I’m also proud of our district’s history. We recently dedicated the
buildings at the CMS Education Center in honor of Elizabeth Schmoke
Randolph Building and Dr. Chris Evans Folk. Mrs. Randolph and Dr. Folk were
district leaders in the turbulent 1970s, the period when schools were being
desegregated.
Both were iconic in district history and their legacy is alive and well in
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools today. I missed Mrs. Randolph by a year –
she retired in 1982, the year before I joined CMS. But her presence was
everywhere – she was a pioneering woman and a dedicated educator – and I
stand on her shoulders as a leader today.
Dr. Folk also helped lay the foundation for CMS leadership today. I did
work with him and his soft manner and steely attention to detail are with
me to this day! Dr. Folk was one of this district’s biggest advocates and
taskmasters – I remember having to send all my memos to him for review
and getting a lot of red marks on them!
Mrs. Randolp