Dr. Robert Olson
Biographical Info
Dr. Robert Olson has been an educator for 44 years and served as a teacher (3), coach (7), and administrator (41). After teaching and coaching at Dysart-Geneseo (1976-79) for three years, he attended graduate school full-time at the University of Northern Iowa and served as a graduate assistant in the school of Administration and Counseling. Before finishing his master’s in administration degree, he accepted a 7-12 principal position (1979-1984) that allowed him to also teach and coach. He then served as high school principal at Clarion Community School District (1984-1989) for five years before becoming superintendent for both Clarion and Goldfield School Districts. While in Clarion, he served twice as a shared superintendent and facilitated two district reorganizations (Clarion-Goldfield and Clarion-Goldfield-Dows) (1989-2020). Bob continues to serve on the faculty of the Iowa Superintendent Financial Leadership Consortium (ISFLC) after retirement to help superintendents and school business officials to develop and present school budgets.
Bob earned his Doctorate from Drake University in 1989, his Superintendent endorsement (1984) and Master’s (1980) from the University of Northern Iowa, and Bachelor of Arts at Augustana College at Rock Island, Illinois in 1976 where he was a three-sport athlete and coach.