Jackie Clark always knew she wanted to be a teacher, but it took a while to make it to the classroom. After graduating from Neosho High School, she received an associate’s degree from Crowder College, and entered the world of work.

“I ended up working at Wal-Mart,” Jackie said. “But then I decided I wanted to go back to school and get that teaching degree.”

Working and going to school, she took up her studies at Missouri Southern and got a degree in elementary education. This led her to Westview School, one of the smallest schools in Missouri.

For 20 years she was a regular classroom teacher at Westview, moving from time to time to different grade levels.

“I have taught second grade, seventh grade, sixth grade, remedial math, and I finished up my classroom career in fourth grade, the grade I really enjoy teaching,” Jackie said.

But after leaving the classroom, that did not end her education career. Today Jackie is in her fifth year as the director of student services.

“This is really the discipline job,” Jackie said. “I deal with problems in school, on the bus, and at any other school time or event.”

Her day starts early, supervising the breakfast program. This is one of her favorite times of day.

“I enjoy seeing the kids come in the morning with all their smiling faces,” she said “A lot of them really enjoy coming to school.”

As student services director, Jackie is the one who “cracks the whip” when it is necessary.

“I am here to enforce the rules,” she said. “I deal with in-school and out-of-school suspension and I deal with any discipline problems on the bus.”

One of the best parts of this job for Jackie is being involved with all the students. In a classroom she was usually confined to one group, but as she monitors the hallways, cafeteria and assemblies, she interacts with everyone in the building. Born in Wichita, Kan., Jackie’s family moved to the Neosho area when she was only three or four years old. Since her mother was a native of Newton County, this was quickly home for the family and Jackie’s entire life has been here.

“I was a tom boy,” she smiled. “I had four brothers and I took after them. I held my own with them no matter what they were doing. I tried to keep up with them in everything, whether it was eating, climbing trees, fighting or anything else”

Jackie and her husband, Jim, have two children and seven grandchildren. They spend most of their free time going to see the grandchildren or at their lake home. They also like to travel. Recently they had a great experience, taking one of their grandsons to Florida. The trip was made by train.

As she thinks about retirement, Jackie says that teaching was a great career for her even though it is not a way to make money.

 “I always tell students that if they want to be a teacher, they can’t expect to make money,” she said. “If they want to make money, they need to get into the technical world.”

But, in spite of poor pay, Jackie has enjoyed her work.

“I actually stayed longer (in education) than I thought I would,” she said. “I still look forward to the last day of school each summer, but I always look forward to that first day of school in the fall. I think teaching is such an important job. I sure have no regrets.”