CORE PRINCIPLES
Serving on the Fayette County Board of Education, District 1, has been both an honor and a privilege. Since my appointment in 2023, I’ve been a passionate advocate for all children.
Now I seek reelection on November 5th for a four-year term. I ask for your vote.
My professional journey has encompassed diverse roles in broadcast management, government, business, K-12 education, higher education, and economic inclusion. I’ve dedicated years of service to grassroots causes and actively participated on various boards and committees.
One fundamental truth guides my commitment. Investing in our children’s education and safeguarding our public schools is paramount to our collective success.
My core principles are clear:
- Commitment: I am dedicated to providing a holistic, world-class education for every student.
- Compassion: I empathize with our families, teachers, and staff, recognizing their vital roles in our educational ecosystem.
- Community: We cannot achieve our goals alone; community partnerships are essential.
- Consistency: Consistency in leadership builds stability, trust, relationships and accountability.
COMMITMENT
I am committed to providing a holistic, world-class education for every student.
Why? I believe that education is transformative. It can change the trajectory of lives for generations to come.
The mission of Fayette County Public Schools is to create a collaborative community that ensures all students learn at high levels and graduate prepared to excel in a global society. Our responsibility is to equip students for a world we can only imagine, and jobs not yet conceived.
This year the Board made significant commitments to our students as evidenced by:
- Increased supports for Gifted and Talented Services including staffing and enrichment in visual and performing arts
- Approved full day pre-school classrooms at two elementary schools and increased support positions.
- Increased full-time nurses in every school
- Invested in the additional staffing for Multilingual Services
- Invested in additional technical staff, refreshed Chromebooks, and added network upgrades to ensure digital equity
COMPASSION
I empathize with our families, teachers, and staff, recognizing their vital roles in our educational system.
Compassion goes beyond understanding—it’s about acting.
And we did act:
- Historic investments in salary increases for teachers and staff, raising starting teacher salaries above $50,000 and classified hourly salaries above $16 an hour
- Approved 7 weeks of paid paternity leave
- Hired additional bus drivers, monitors and invested in more mechanics and fleet replacement
- Invested in the employee wellness and professional development for all staff
- Improved Human Resources onboarding and employee recruitment
- Invested in the Growing Our Own employee program to develop internal employees for new roles including needed investments in certifications and degrees
- Instituted an online Financial Transparency Dashboard
Our teachers, staff, bus drivers, maintenance personnel, custodians, coaches, safety officers, food service workers and administrators need our unwavering support. Together they make each day special and meaningful for our students.
As a mother of two adult children who graduated from Fayette County public schools, I’ve navigated bus stops, carpool, school plays, athletics, fundraising, band, school trips, and homework. I’ve also worked as an employee of FCPS for five and a half years, experiencing firsthand the challenges, complexities, and rewards of working in public schools.
COMMUNITY
We cannot achieve our goals alone; community partnerships are essential.
Businesses are drawn to Lexington because of its educated workforce. Our excellent school system is the very foundation of our community and our future workforce. The investment you make in public schools pays dividends in our future.
The investments we are making in our school infrastructure today will enrich this community for years to come:
- Mary E. Britton Middle School in the rapidly expanding I-75 Hamburg area
- New Elementary school to relieve overcrowding in the Masterson Station neighborhood
- New Rise Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) school
- New Henry Clay High School
- The Hub for Innovative Learning and Leadership--The HILL will redefine education for our students and our community. This world-class career center will serve as a model for the Commonwealth and the country
CONSISTENCY
Consistent leadership builds stability, trust, relationships, and accountability.
Children thrive on consistency of schedules, curriculum, and expectations for excellence. Their classrooms should be places where they thrive and feel a strong sense of belonging.
Consistent leadership is equally important for teachers, staff and administrators. The board and the superintendent act as a Team of Six, providing the necessary and consistent leadership, vision, and governance needed for the district to thrive and excel.
Join me in this commitment to provide our students with a world-class education. On November 5th, Vote Marilyn Clark, School Board District 1!
MY STORY
Marilyn Clark, MBA
From Texas to Kentucky: A Journey of Education and Resilience
I was born in Texas but now proudly call Kentucky home. Growing up as the fifth of six children, my parents—despite not having the opportunity to finish high school—instilled high expectations in each of us. Public education became our path to economic mobility and a better life.
Education as a Family Legacy
• My siblings and I all graduated from college, with several of us holding multiple degrees. My big sister blazed the trail by earning the family’s first doctorate degree.
• In 2016, I returned to school to pursue my MBA. Coincidentally, my son started his first year of college at the same year and my daughter was working on her PhD. My daughter and I graduated in 2018.
My Heroes: Mom and Dad
• My mother, who worked as a daycare provider, had a deep love for children.
• My father, a former Army serviceman, migrated from East Texas to the oil fields of West Texas in search of a better life for our family.
• Despite facing challenges, including bomb threats when we integrated a neighborhood and my older siblings integrated an elementary school, my parents stood their ground and prioritized education.
Early Love for Learning
• At age five, I discovered the public library—a room with chairs and shelves just my size. There, I fell in love with books and writing.
• Winning candy bars for creative stories in school fueled my passion.
• I went on to major in broadcast journalism.
Broadcasting Career and Beyond
• My career in television broadcasting took me from Dallas to Philadelphia and Birmingham, eventually landing me in Lexington.
• As the first African American female Vice President and Station Manager of WLEX-TV, I made history.
Economic Mobility
• I transitioned from broadcasting to running a successful business, recognizing the intersection between education, business and prosperous communities.
• I now work in economic inclusion supporting underrepresented and small businesses, advancing workforce development and impacting communities.
Public education transformed my life and will continue to enrich my family for generations to come.
In January 2023, I was sworn in as the first Black female to serve on our school board since the integration of public schools. As a current school board member, I am committed to putting children first, providing equitable opportunities for all students, and fostering compassionate relationships with teachers, parents, and staff. I invite the community to join me. We can’t do this important work alone. Together, we accomplish more.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about my story. Remember to vote for Marilyn Clark on November 5, School Board District 1.
