When I came to Clarkston as a guest teacher in 1995, I was immediately drawn to the sense of community here.
There was, and still is, tremendous pride associated with living and working in Clarkston, and in the way that the people here take care of one another. Having grown up in the small town of Big Rapids, Clarkston felt familiar and comfortable to me.
I knew that this was a place I could put down new roots and call home.
Particularly at this time of year, Clarkston exudes a certain “Rockwellian” feel. While this year hasn’t painted a picture-perfect portrait of Americana, there is comfort in knowing that people in our community continue to do what they do best — support one another.

Throughout our district this month, staff are collaborating to adopt families in our community and surprise them with holiday wish list items.
Transportation staff are planning their annual “Stuff-A-Bus” event to collect food items for Lighthouse of Oakland County. Many of our students have also taken the initiative to raise money for local causes that are important to them, and I couldn’t be prouder of those who use their gifts to be a light for others.
Likewise, I’ve seen Clarkston businesses, organizations, and residents shining a ray of positivity out into our community this holiday season. Even as they struggle to stay afloat, our small businesses continue to serve others.
Our own Clarkston News, in fact, has not missed a beat during this pandemic.
Faithful newspaperman and CHS alum Don Rush (Class of 1981) committed long ago to featuring every Clarkston Community Schools student in the local paper at least once during their 13 years in Clarkston.
You can imagine how increasingly difficult it could become to make good on that pledge as enrollment has grown over the years!
I asked Clarkston High School Principal Gary Kaul (CHS Class of 1990) if he recalled being on the pages of the Clarkston News when he was a student in our schools, and he said, “Of course! I still have my Prep Profile from 1990.” (See above.)
Mary Ellen O’Rourke Rowe (CHS Class of 1993), our marketing director, had a similar response, recalling that she kept her old Clarkston News clippings in a scrapbook, including one of her doing the morning announcements at CHS (see right) — a sign of her future career with our schools!
It’s a rarity these days to have a weekly hometown print publication, and rarer still to have one that puts such a high priority on showcasing and celebrating young people in the community.
These collective stories bind us together in place and time.
Eleven percent of Clarkston Community Schools staff graduated from Clarkston High School and returned to Clarkston to enrich the fabric of our learning community, while countless other Clarkston grads (like Don Rush), inspire the next generation in other ways through the work they do.
I am not sure how Norman Rockwell would have painted 2020, but judging by the pages of the Clarkston News this year, small town pride, traditions, and hope for the future are still very much alive in our community.
On behalf of the Clarkston Community Schools staff and board of education, I offer best wishes to your family this holiday season.
Dr. Shawn Ryan is the superintendent of Clarkston Community Schools.

What are your memories of going to school in Clarkston?
Send us your flashbacks and we may use them in a future edition of The Clarkston News!
Email ClarkstonNews@gmail.com