Superintendent Receives Top Award

Bayless School District Superintendent Mauren Clancy-May was recognized with one of Missouri’s top educational honors this week.

The Missouri Association of School Administrators named Clancy-May the winner of its Robert L. Pearce Award for outstanding superintendent for a region that includes St. Louis, Jefferson and St. Charles counties, as well as St. Louis City.

Bayless Board of Education Jeff Preisack presented the award to Clancy-May at a board meeting Tuesday and explained the significance of her accomplishment.

The Pearce Award is recognition that Clancy-May has worked diligently to ensure the professional growth of her staff and is dedicated to improving student learning no matter what obstacles face the district,” Preisack said.

It also marks a crowning achievement for the district leader, who will be retiring from her position at the end of this school year. Reflecting on her career, Clancy-May told Patch that she is proud of what the district has been able to accomplish despite its financial difficulties.

In the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 school years, Bayless received “accreditation with distinction” marks from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

“We have been like that little train that could climbing up that hill,” Clancy-May said. “It’s a lot more meaningful because our challenges have been great … it’s been hard and it’s been on the backs of a lot of employees who give above and beyond.”

Clancy-May said she is honored to receive the ward, but noted that the best educational outcomes for students come from collaboration among teachers and staff.

“I never proclaim to have all the answers. It’s always the team effort,” she said. “The bottomline is that, through all our debates, we come back to the same core belief -- our kids deserve the very best.”