Karen Clem is appointed to the Athens City School Board at Monday’s Athens City Council meeting.

Karen Clem has been appointed to the Athens City Schools Board of Education for District 2. Her nomination was made by Athens City Council President Harold Wales and approved unanimously at the council’s Monday, May 22, meeting.

“I am very excited to represent District 2 as its newly appointed member of the Athens City School Board. I would like to thank (council president Harold Wales) Harold Wales for nominating me, and I would like to thank the Athens City Council for allowing me this opportunity,” Clem said.

Clem is a lifelong Athenian and graduated from Athens High School in 1984 as the class salutatorian. She received her bachelor’s degree in education from Athens State College in 1988, her master’s degree from the University of North Alabama in 1992, and education specialist degree from the University of Alabama in 2003.

Clem began her teaching career at Athens High School in 1989 where she taught math for 31 years. She has also served as an Online Adjunct Math Instructor for Purdue Global University for over 16 years and an AP Calculus Reader with College Board for the last several years. She currently teaches math at Williamson County Schools at Independence High School in Thompson Station, Tenn.

In 2000, she became the first National Board Certified Teacher at Athens City Schools and has since been re-certified in 2010 and 2020. Clem was named Athens City Schools teacher of the year in 2001 and 2012. She was selected as one of Alabama’s “Final Four” for the Alabama Teacher of the Year in 2012.

“As a lifelong citizen of Athens, I am eager to serve and work with the students, faculty, staff and other board members associated with Athens City Schools. I have served and advocated for the educational needs of our community’s children for 31 years as a Mathematics teacher and 28 years as the Student Council Sponsor at Athens High School,” Clem said.

As AHS’s Student Council sponsor, Clem helped organize blood drives, Homecoming parades, bonfires, dances, service projects including Full Tummy Project, Make a Wish, and more. She

“I helped spread the Athens Golden Eagle spirit through t-shirt sales systemwide, selling thousands and thousands of t-shirts,” she said.

Clem was named the Alabama Student Council Advisor of the Year for 2006 and 2012 and as the Southern Association’s Students Council Advisor of the Year in 2015. She currently serves as the Executive Secretary with the Alabama Students Council Association and Assistant Executive Director with the Southern Association of Student Councils.

Clem is married to Dave Clem, who is also a lifelong Athenian and AHS graduate. They have four children who are all graduates of Athens High School.

“As a retired teacher in the state of Alabama, I believe becoming a member of the Athens City School Board will allow me to continue working and advocating for the education of all children in our community. I believe my knowledge and experience as an educator will help me to provide leadership and to build a vision all can share in,” Clem said.