By Jeanne Sager
LIBERTY — April 15, 2003 – There will be a new man at the helm of the Liberty Central School some day soon.
Hours before the district’s board of education met yesterday evening, the Democrat received an anonymous tip that the Liberty Central School’s superintendent search is finally over.
The board was expected to name Lawrence Clarke – principal of the Schoharie County High School, about an hour north of Sullivan County and an hour southwest of Albany – the new administrator.
Reached at his current job Monday morning, Clarke would not confirm whether the board would be putting his name out there at the Monday night board of education meeting.
But the 30-year educator did say he’s hoping to make the move to Liberty.
Originally from the Mid-Hudson area (he graduated from Rondout Valley High School), Clarke noticed Liberty’s search because he was looking to move back to the area.
“You’re wonderfully situated,” he said. “You have Binghamton on one side, New York City on the other, and you’re not far from Albany.”
Since his children left home for college, Clarke said he and his wife have become “empty nesters,” looking for a change of pace.
“I figured, why don’t I go the next step?” he said.
And that led him directly to Liberty, where the board of education has been searching for a new administrator since former Superintendent Dr. Brian Howard resigned last fall to pursue another position upstate.
The board finally whittled their choices down to three candidates, all of whom were available for questioning by other administrators, staff, parents and teachers.
“I have very much enjoyed my experience so far,” Clarke said.
“It’s such a positive atmosphere I’m looking forward to being a part of,” he continued.