April 1, 2025

In his Superintendent's Report at our March 31 Board of Education meeting, Dr. Winkelman shared that members of the BHS Student Council recently participated in the Illinois State Board of Education's first-ever Student Summit held at Illinois State University. The summit provided approximately 125 students from 40 high schools across the state with a platform to share their experiences, advocate for their needs, and help shape the future of education in Illinois. It was designed to engage more student voices in policy discussions on how to improve education, school learning environments, and academic outcomes. Thank you to the following students who participated: Estella Brockway, Jonathan Curbelo, Claire Cromheecke, Kavish Gulati, Oliviya Kravchuk, Megan Lee, Lena Park, Ellery Ragnini, Vidhi Trivedi, Anika Wadhwa, Jimmy Whitaker, and Camden Wulforst.

Board Approves Upgraded Apple Devices for Students and Staff

At our March 31 meeting, the Board approved new technology device leases for Barrington 220 students and staff. The district currently leases iPads on a three-year cycle and MacBook Air laptop computers on a four-year cycle. Beginning with the 2025-26 school year, students will use the iPad 11, and staff will use the MacBook Air M4 laptop. Barrington 220's One to World initiative provides iPad devices to all students. The integration of technology allows students to have real-world learning experiences while stimulating creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.

At our March 31 meeting, the Board approved Sarah Rabe as the district's Assistant Superintendent of Instruction & Student Performance. Rabe comes to Barrington 220 from Elgin U-46, where she currently serves as Executive Director of Elementary Schools. In her new position, she will be responsible for developing school improvement plans for all D220 schools and overseeing instructional practices, district programming, and the district's Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). She will also supervise the district's Director of School Improvement and the Director of Learning Services. Rabe holds a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Augustana College, a master's degree in Reading and Literacy from Benedictine University, and a master's degree in School Leadership from Concordia University. She will begin in her new role in July. 

In his Superintendent's Report at our March 31 meeting, Dr. Winkelman shared that three members of Barrington 220’s Interpretation and Translation Team recently completed the Illinois State Board of Education’s training to become Qualified Interpreters for IEP (Individualized Education Program) Meetings. The goal of the training is for staff members to serve families who do not feel comfortable conversing in English during IEP meetings. Congratulations to Diana Gomez (District Translator), Caroline Muro (BHS Interpreter), and Hector Ontiveros (Technology & Innovation Coordinator).

Throughout the 2024-2025 school year, students from each Barrington 220 school are making special appearances at our Board of Education meetings to share updates on their school experiences. At our March 31 meeting, we welcomed Barrington Transition Program (BTP) students Angel Zavala and John Di Iorio. Angel and John shared an update that included the many opportunities available to BTP students. The vocational program provides young adult learners ages 18-22 with the tailored support and services they need while simultaneously serving as a bridge that connects them with local adult agencies/services and community resources as they enter their next chapter of post-secondary life. Students work at various job sites in the community, where they receive on-site, in-the-moment job coaching to hone their skills. If your business is interested in working with BTP students, please contact Kat Romero, Director of Special Education, at kromero@barrington220.org.