During the Board Work Session on February 15, 2022, the Board of Education nominated and approved Mrs. Naomi Clark to serve as the Vice-Chairperson for the Board of Education. Mrs. Clark fills a position that was vacated when Mrs. Kimberly R. Smith resigned her position effective February 15, 2022, due to personal reasons.
Mrs. Naomi Clark represents the Craven County Board of Education, District 7. It is her position that she is an advocate for all students in Craven County. Mrs. Clark is the widow of a Marine who served approximately thirty years in the U. S. Marine Corps and is the proud mother of three children. These same children graduated from Havelock High School. Two of them graduated from the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill. Her favorite middle daughter is a graduate of the University of South Carolina.
She has a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University and a J.D. from Valparaiso University School of Law and has been a member of the South Carolina Bar since 1977. Thereafter, she practiced law in South Carolina, Maryland, and North Carolina. The common thread throughout her professional career has been education and law. Accordingly, it would seem judicious for her to become a member of the Craven County Board of Education.
Mrs. Clark taught in the Craven County School System for approximately seventeen years and entered as a lateral-entry teacher. This means that she used her previous professional history to bolster her journey as an educator. She retired from the Craven County School System and decided to pursue a different journey in 2016. Her professional history included stints as an attorney representing both abused/neglected and delinquent children. Additionally, she taught at the University of South Carolina Law School, Fresno City College, Park University, and Craven Community College. She has also practiced in various U.S. District Courts as well as the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. With her various roles as a parent, educator, volunteer, Mrs. Clark believes that all will be invaluable in her being an effective board member.
One of her proudest accomplishments has been the innumerable amount of volunteer hours she has devoted to public school systems wherever she has lived. She is most proud of pursuing and introducing students to the judicial system by using the pedagogical tool of mock trials. This has allowed students to learn about the judicial system while preparing a criminal/civil trial and competing against other middle schools in mock trial competitions sponsored by the North Carolina Bar Association. This passion for affording students the opportunity to learn about the judicial system as well as promoting character education is something she will continue to pursue.
She will help to be the voice to make sure that Craven County School System is, in her words:
- Accountable to the Students and Parents
- Accountable to the Teachers, Administrators and All Staff
- Communicating with Parents
- Transparent About Decision-Making
- Ensuring the Safety of All Stakeholders
Mrs. Clark’s favorite slogan as well as her mission in being a member of the Craven County Board of Education is, “Just For The Kids!”. Please join us in congratulating Mrs. Clark and welcoming her as the Vice-Chairperson for the Craven County Schools Board of Education.
By Jennifer Wagner, Director of Public Relations