MUSD’s Superintendent Leads Education on a Global Scale Our Superintendent, Dr. Clark Burke, is an actively serving member of the United States military. Dr. Burke has been a member of the U.S. Army for nearly 24 years, most recently serving as a Civil Affairs Lieutenant Colonel. But in the past year, Dr. Burke was recruited into a new role within the Army – he now leads a government functional specialty team as their Chief and as an Education Specialist. An Education Specialist advises local, state, and national governments – both inside and outside of the United States – as they develop plans for education systems and institutions. While the description of his role may sound dizzyingly complex, the heart of Dr. Burke’s military service is the same core motivation that led him to pursue a career in public education – helping others who may not have the resources to help themselves while recognizing education is the key to opportunity and equality. By simultaneously serving in both roles, he is provided two unique opportunities to serve his community and country, putting “service above self” as he states. In his military career, Dr. Burke consults on a variety of everchanging issues worldwide. An example of this could be helping a transitional government in a foreign country develop an educational
system aligned to their needs. Another could be assisting a struggling country pull its citizens out of poverty by increasing educational opportunities that allow for economic and social advancement and sustainability. To accomplish these critical assignments, Dr. Burke must plan strategically as he balances program plans with oversight of 26 skilled military and civilian teams including legal, medical, environmental, civil security, economic and infrastructure professionals. A key component of assignment success is knowing how to run an analysis to measure the effectiveness of the systems he is helping to put into place – tactics which mirror many of his responsibilities as our Superintendent. In this way, Dr. Burke brings a unique skill set to Manteca Unified – he is one of a select few Superintendents in the United States who are actively serving in the military and is the only Superintendent with this military specialty. Therefore, he has a distinct lens when functioning as our District’s leader. As both his roles are structured by the government, Dr. Burke brings an advantage to MUSD, for he understands how trends, priorities and funding sources impact our District and can advocate for students within the government system. With his experience, he also knows how
to properly leverage MUSD’s budget and how to build capacity within the limits of a government budget, which can frequently change unexpectedly. With these expert skills, Dr. Burke is helping shape Manteca Unified, allowing us to become innovative leaders within our state and country. Unified by a shared vision with the Board of Trustees, leadership, and staff, MUSD has aligned priorities with state and federal programs by bridging the gap between community and government systems. Our District is ahead of the curve to help students succeed. By bringing a multi-faceted perspective gained from his military experience, Dr. Burke also leads with the knowledge that student success is not possible without placing safety at the forefront of all decisions. He is proud to work with a team of highly skilled individuals, site and district staff demonstrating their daily commitment toward this goal. “Keeping our students safe is our number one priority. Educating them is our purpose. A safe environment is critical for their academic success,” Dr. Burke explains.
Coordinator to help lead this charge. By knowing how to interact with and understanding the structure of official agencies, such as various emergency response and disaster relief organizations, Dr. Burke also restructured the incident command system within MUSD to quickly and effectively respond in the event of a school emergency. A valued lesson he learned in the military is that safety is worth investing in, and our District prioritizes it for a reason. For Dr. Burke, “safety” doesn’t just mean one thing. In Manteca Unified, everything is safety-related, whether it’s access to health services, facilities design, socialemotional programs, emergency drills, nutritious meal selections, and more. He also wants students and families to know that our District views everyone who is part of the school community as safety officers. This means working together – students, families, staff and community – to place safety at the heart of our decision making. During his time in the military, working all over the world, Dr. Burke has come to understand one critical truth, a truth which he now puts into practice every day within MUSD – Education is the key to individual success and longterm community stability.
To further support this goal, MUSD established relationships with local agencies and hired a Safety
“If we give people better opportunities, communities are more stable because individuals’ basic needs are met. MUSD’s goal is to make sure students are safe and have the tools to continue to build a sustainable world, which is why I am steadfast about building a culture in our school district centered on student learning and achievement.” - Dr. Clark Burke