MARKESAN (NBC26) -- The Markesan District Schools superintendent died Wednesday night after a three-month battle with COVID-19.
Duane Bark worked as superintendent for 10 years. He was also the district's athletics director, a position he held for about seven years.
"Definitely a sad day for Markesan Public Schools," said Jason Breaker, principal of Markesan Elementary School and interim superintendent. "He hired me as a teacher, as a principal. So I'm definitely going to miss him."
The school district and community is coming together to honor Bark's legacy. Signs reading "Bark Strong" can be found in people's front yards. Staff members wore shirts Thursday with the same two words in his memory.
When Bark was hospitalized, teachers used yellow cups to spell #BarkStrong in the fence outside the elementary building. Now, it's covered in flowers and hand-written notes from second grade students.
The letters say, "I hope you feel better. We miss you," and "We are praying for you." Breaker said kids wrote the notes in hopes that Bark would eventually see them, but put them on the fence to show their appreciation as a tribute to the late superintendent.
"A side many people did not get to see was just (Bark's) kind heart," Breaker said. "He was very humble. He didn't talk about that. He did a lot of things behind the scenes that people were unaware of that show just how great of a person he was."
Now, the district will keep pushing forward as Bark envisioned.
"Put students first. That's always been his thing, is the kids first," Breaker said. "Let's take care of the kids and make this a place people want to come in."
It's a message that will live on after another life lost to COVID-19.
Breaker said the district's thoughts and prayers are with Bark's family at this time.
