Buffett Middle School principal Anthony “CK” Clark-Kaczmarek was named Bryan High’s next principal in an email sent out to staff and families on March 8 and was formally approved by the Omaha Public Schools Board of Education at their March 20 meeting.  

Clark-Kaczmarek will replace principal Dr. Rony Ortega next fall who is leaving to become the next superintendent of the South Sioux City School District.  

Clark-Kaczmarek served as Bryan High’s drama teacher from 1999-2008 then moved around the district in various leadership positions in schools and at the Teacher Administrative Center (TAC) before serving in his current role as Buffett’s principal. 

When the opportunity to return to Bear Country opened up, he felt it was something he needed to do. 

“There is no place like Bryan,” Clark-Kaczmarek said. “I get a chance to go back to Bryan again and at a time where things are so amazing there right now when the academies are in full bloom and the culture is so amazing. Who wouldn’t want to come back to Bryan?” 

Ortega feels he leaves the school in a good spot to hand down to Clark-Kaczmarek with increased pride and success within the school. Some of the improvements implemented during Ortega’s tenure raised the school’s Nebraska Department of Education’s rating from Needs Support for Improvement to Good.  

“I’m excited to hand the baton to another principal with progress,” Ortega said. “It’s [The School] in great shape and he should be able to continue that.”  

Clark-Kaczmarek believes in continuing Ortega’s work to keep the school on the path of success.  

“My goal is to grow it in the way it’s already moving,” Clark-Kaczmarek said. “I want to keep that pattern of growth happening but really, I’m not interested in coming in to make major changes. I’m interested in learning about what’s amazing at Bryan and helping it be the great place that it is.” 

From his time away from Bear Country, Clark-Kaczmarek enjoyed seeing some of his colleagues grow into who they are today such as Jennifer Cuddy, who was an English teacher and is now a literacy coach and the AP coordinator for the school.  

“He’s really excited to come back,” Cuddy said, “In the interactions I’ve had he’s said really looking forward to being back at Bryan and wants to learn all about what Bryan is now because it’s been a long time since he’s been here.” 

The transition work has begun for Clark-Kaczmarek with several phone calls with Ortega to get to know the school. A meet and greet is also in the works for staff and students to get to know Clark-Kaczmarek before the school year is over. Clark-Kaczmarek officially starts on August 1, 2023.  

 Below is the email send out to staff and families on March 8:

Dear Bryan High Staff and Families:

I wanted to be the first to inform you that Omaha Public Schools has selected Mr. Anthony “CK” Clark-Kaczmarek as the next principal of Bryan High.

Pending Board of Education approval, Mr. Clark-Kaczmarek’s appointment will begin on August 1, 2023.

Mr. Clark-Kaczmarek has served in Omaha Public Schools for 24 years, as a teacher at Bryan High, assistant principal at Hale Middle and Central High, Secondary Resource Specialist and Coordinator of Secondary Special Projects at our Teacher Administrative Center and most recently as the principal at Buffett Middle.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Nebraska Wesleyan University, a Master of Science in Educational Administration and Supervision from University of Nebraska Omaha. He is currently working toward his Education Specialist degree at Doane University.

I know Mr. Clark-Kaczmarek considers it an honor to return to the Bryan High community and looks forward to building relationships in the months to come.

We look forward to welcoming you for a meet-and-greet closer to the start of our 2023-24 school year. Please join me in congratulating Mr. Clark-Kaczmarek on this appointment.

Sincerely,

Charles Wakefield

Chief Officer – District Operations and Talent Services Omaha Public Schools

**Story has been updated since the original publication date to correct a quote attribution