Niche of knowledge — a lifetime in Hoover’s schools

He didn’t know it then, of course, but Clark Underbakke heard the call of the Hoover City Schools system at a very young age — a call that would become his vocation. As of today, Underbakke has spent 33 of his 47 years as part of the city’s schools — first as a student and then a teacher.

Born in Iowa, Underbakke and his family moved to Bluff Park when he was 9 years old, and he entered fourth grade at Bluff Park Elementary in 1979. Following sixth grade, he attended what was then Simmons Junior High School for grades seven and eight and went on to the original campus of W.A. Berry High School, where he graduated in 1988, the same year the schools changed from Jefferson County to the Hoover City Schools system. 

Entering UAB in the fall, he received his undergraduate degree in education in 1993 and immediately took a teaching job — in Hoover, of course.

“I was lucky enough to get a position at Green Valley (Elementary) where I taught second, fourth and fifth grades from 1993 to 2001 while also pursuing my master’s degree and Ph.D. in early childhood/elementary education,” he said. “At that point in my life as a student in education classes, I really knew I wanted to be part of what Hoover schools had to offer.” 

For the next two school years, Underbakke served as a systemwide reading specialist, working primarily with teachers, modeling lessons, co-teaching and helping and advising with individual student issues.

“There was a lot of professional development, and I not only learned a great deal, but being in all the elementary schools, I was able to get an in-depth look into each,” he said.

In fall 2003, Underbakke moved to Trace Crossings Elementary, where’s he has taught second and third grades and remains today. His longevity there and experience as both a teacher and student gives him a unique perspective of the system as a whole.

“Like the quote ‘the more things change, the more they remain the same,’ many things remain the same in the schools when it comes to a caring faculty and staff, from bus drivers to custodians to administrators,” he said. “Also, the schools are microcosms of the overall system, where students of all ages and abilities are cared for and taught. Hoover elementary schools in particular have great parental support and a sense of community, something I felt very much as a child and student.”

Looking back on his elementary student days, Underbakke recalls with fondness Ann Hearon, his fourth-grade teacher with whom he still keeps in touch, and Doris Dickinson, a Bluff Park secretary/registrar who “cared for each of us, took attendance by hand, watched over us and called our moms when we were sick, and who we went to when we lost personal items.”

“Fast forward to today and Patrice Langham, the Trace Crossings registrar who still fulfills a very similar role though technology has updated some of the methods,” he said. “We see Patrice every day when first entering the building, always smiling and always assisting. Even after 40 years, the roles are much the same and still pivotal and part of the school experience.”

Between his years as a student and then faculty member, Underbakke said he’s also observed many changes in Hoover’s education environment.

“I think about the Bluff Park and W.A. Berry I attended versus today’s elementary schools and Hoover and Spain Park High schools, and there’s absolutely no comparison as far as being state-of-the-art,” he said. “The facilities, technology and education opportunities — Hoover has made and continues to make the shift to the most contemporary state of education and offers everything a teacher and student can dream of.”

Underbakke also points to the HCS vision and motto “learning for life” as another example of change.

“It’s a big umbrella we all fall under and is enhanced by the great support from our superintendent, Dr. Kathy Murphy, and here at Trace Crossings, Principal Quincy Collins,” he said. “Hoover has incredible opportunities for professional growth, and that support goes a long way in what we do as teachers.”

As a young child, Underbakke said a lot of his “pretend time” was spent as a teacher “with a pretend classroom and pretend paper grading” and in time he was fortunate to realize that was meant to be his reality at Hoover City Schools.

“I knew they were the best, and that was where I wanted to be,” he said. “I worked hard to get a job in Hoover and, like my colleagues, am still working hard, but it’s as rewarding as it is challenging. Though I do think sometimes how amazing it is that I’ve worked this many years — time truly does fly.”