Chad Clark started life in St. Joesph, Missouri. He is the oldest of three boys born to his parents. After a few moves, the family ended up in Colorado where Chad spent most of his childhood. At age five, Chad began nordic ski jumping and playing soccer. Both proved to be good choices, as he excelled at both. Chad ended up trying out for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Although he did not end up making the team, he did go on several world tours as first a soccer player and then a coach. He traveled to both the South Pacific and Europe! While growing up, Chad's father was the general manager of a sausage company in Denver and his mom taught at both elementary and middle schools over the years. When Chad graduated from high school, he attended Quincy College in Illinois for 1.5 years, playing soccer for them. He later transferred to Colorado State Univ. in Fort Collins, leaving his soccer career behind. Chad graduated with a degree in Watershed Science and then decided to stay in Denver and work as an enviromental engineer for two years. He left and went on to hold a variety of other jobs including insurance and high tech. Eventually, Chad moved to Oregon and became a busser at a restaurant in the dot com bust era. It proved to be a blessing, as this is where he met his wife, Leia. Leaving the restaurant business, he started a remodeling company, doing this for nine years. Getting married in 2007 on Sauvie Island, he and Leia now have two children, Calvin (10) and Remy (7). They live in SW Portland. Doing his remodeling work, Chad injured his back. This seemed to be the perfect opportunity for him to consider pursuing his dream job of teaching. He went back to school at Concordia University to earn his Master's degree in the Art of Teaching. Completing his degree in 2011, he applied at the Corbett School District. After student teaching with Mrs. Wold, Mrs. Shaw and Mrs. Dawkins, he started full-time teaching in 2012 at the Corbett Grade School. He now teaches grades 2-3 and thinks it is a perfect fit. He loves the relationships that he is able to develop with the students, helping them to grow and learn. Chad says he sees purpose in teaching- seeing the results of his efforts to inspire each of them. In his off time, Chad loves to garden, camp and travel with his family. He also loves to both hunt and fish. The family is currently awaiting the arrival of their new Golden Retriever puppy.
