Every team needs a leader that believes that the unique skill-set each member provides strengthens the community as a whole. With the recent addition of Kurt DeVore as the Clarke Community School District’s Superintendent, the district is preparing for a future of building community and fostering each school members’ skill-set within a growth-oriented and rewarding, collaborative environment.
“The potential for our Clarke community – including students and their families, our teachers, as well as local businesses and community leadership – to come together for truly rewarding future is at hand,” said DeVore. “I can see where Clarke can be in five or ten years, and I want to help get us all there together.”
Mr. DeVore’s leadership chops have been well-honed through more than 30 years in education. Starting as a vocal music instructor in Brownsville, Texas, Kurt quickly found a passion for education and, more-so, leadership within the educational infrastructure. His focus on student achievement, building a district-wide community, and his ability grow his own skill-sets quickly led to administrative roles in the West Hancock school district in North Central Iowa as well as 18-plus years in district leadership roles in Decorah and Lone Tree, Iowa. For almost two decades, Mr. DeVore was positioned in leadership roles throughout these districts, ranging from Director of Technology to Chief Operations Officer where he collaborated to develop the area’s Incident Command Systems and training protocols with Fire, Life, Safety personnel during area-wide emergency situations. This required more than school district leadership and took him into community relations, working shoulder-to-shoulder with area emergency management and administration organizations and staff.
“These districts, similar to Clarke, all had the potential to really flourish,” said DeVore. “With everyone working together and some strategic insights, we were able to realize our growth goals, mitigate some extreme emergency issues, and, ultimately, make a big impact for the entire community.”
Upon his initial interviews with the Clarke district and School Board, DeVore was excited by the new opportunity and the overall positive energy he felt from those he’d met.
“I got the immediate impression Clarke Schools had a vision,” said DeVore. “It’s going to be my job to get everyone working in tandem toward realizing that vision and more.
DeVore was quick to admit the position he finds himself in at Clarke will require building bridges at all levels within the school and throughout community to realize the support and growth Clarke deserves. With that, from his first day in his Clarke office, he’s been meeting with school administrators and teachers as well as gathering information from parents and local leadership to create a map to Clarke’s success.
In early June, Kurt moved, with his youngest son Joseph, to their new home in Osceola. Being the first Clarke Superintendent to take up residence in the community in more than a decade, the signs of commitment and longevity were quickly established.
So, as the school year kicks off, pay attention to the exciting news coming from Clarke Community School District. And if you’re at an upcoming game or a school event, make sure you give a big “Welcome to Osceola” to Kurt and Joseph.