Owasso Superintendent Receives Second District Award
EXCELLENCE RECOGNITION: Dr. Clark Ogilvie sits in his office where he has served as Owasso Public Schools Superintendent since 2004. Ogilvie recently received the District 5 Superintendent of the Year award, the second time in his 38-year career.
EMILY RAMSEY for GTR Newspapers
Owasso Public Schools Superintendent Clark Ogilvie was recently named the 2013 District 5 Superintendent of the Year. Ogilvie, who began his education career in the classroom, has worked at five school districts, all within District 5: Sand Springs, Tulsa, Union, Berryhill and Owasso Public Schools.
He entered administration after teaching for nine years, beginning as a vocational director with Sand Springs. He continued in various administrative positions until becoming superintendent at Berryhill in 2000, where he received his first superintendent recognition, before he came to Owasso in 2004.
Ogilvie took a moment to reflect with the Owasso Rambler on his 38 years in education.
Owasso Rambler: Was education always the plan for you?
Clark Ogilvie: I come from a family of educators: my dad was the superintendent at Berryhill schools, my mom was a great classroom teacher, my brother is a retired principal at Jenks, and my sister is a retired teacher in Colorado.
My dad was my main inspiration. I wanted to be just like him. I knew from an early age that education was where I would go.
OR: Did you always plan to enter an administrative position?
CO: I always wanted to get into administration, again, because of my dad. I saw what he was up against—the good and bad times—and yet he always enjoyed what he did. What it’s all about is finding what you love to do. You should be doing something you love, or you shouldn’t be doing it.
A lot of people say to me, ‘I couldn’t do what you do for 30 years.’ I’m entering my 29th year in administration, and I still love it.
OR: Being recognized as Superintendent of the Year first at Berryhill, were you surprised to receive the award again?
CO: Yes, I was shocked and extremely humbled to receive the award this year. This is the last year with some of the most talented, best superintendents I know: Dr. Cathy Burden at Union and Dr. Kirby Lehman at Jenks.
OR: What do you think that you bring to the role of superintendent?
CO: I stay active politically and within the district. I want to be a leader out in front and stay on the cutting edge, whether it’s regarding curriculum, finance, personnel. I stay involved in the legislature, lobbying with legislators regarding the needs of education. This year, I will serve as president of the Oklahoma Association of School Administrators.
OR: What do you love about your job?
CO: I still always look forward to the new school year. I try to visit all 14 of our schools in the first two days of the school year, and I see the hope and anticipation on the kids’ faces. I never get tired of that.
Then, it all culminates with graduation—my most favorite time. To see 600 students graduate, that’s a really good feeling to see that. You feel like you made a difference; that’s what it’s all about.
Updated 09-28-2013
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