April 17, 2025

District Seeking Input on 2026-2027 Thanksgiving Break

At our April 15 meeting, the district's Department of Teaching & Learning presented its annual update to the Board. One area of focus in the presentation included information about College and Career Pathway Endorsements offered in Barrington 220. As part of Illinois's continued commitment to preparing students for success in college, career, and life, the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR) Act allows school districts to award College and Career Pathway Endorsements on high school diplomas. These endorsements signal that a student has completed a rigorous and intentional course of study aligned with career pathways, providing them with early exposure to career experiences. Barrington 220 is currently developing many pathways for students and has already implemented at least one pathway in each of the seven endorsement areas listed below. In addition, the district has positioned itself as a leader in the Agriculture, Food, & Natural Resources career pathway, with nearly half of the state's endorsements in that area received by BHS students at the end of the 2023-24 school year.

• Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
• Health Sciences and Technology
• Information Technology
• Manufacturing, Engineering, Technology, and Trades
• Finance and Business Services
• Arts and Communication
• Human and Public Services

Click here to listen to the full presentation.

At our April 15 meeting, BHS students joined BHS Principal McWilliams to share expectations for the 2025 BHS graduation ceremony. This school year, a committee of students and staff collaborated to recommend the graduation dress code and adornment, student behavioral expectations during the ceremony, and guest behavioral expectations. Graduation will be held on Friday, May 30, at 7pm at Willow Creek. Click here to listen to the presentation.

At our April 15 meeting, the Board approved Chelsea Hedges as the district's new Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources & Talent Acquisition. Over the past several years, Hedges has worked in a variety of leadership roles in Barrington 220, including Director of HR, Director of Student Services, and Student Services Coordinator. Before joining Barrington 220, she worked as an Assistant Principal in Deerfield Public Schools District 109. Hedges holds a bachelor's degree in Special Education from Illinois State University. She also holds a master's degree in School Leadership from Concordia University and is pursuing a doctorate from Concordia. She will begin in her new role in July.

At our April 15 meeting, the Board approved Eric Steckling as the district's new Director of Communications. Steckling comes to Barrington 220 from Deerfield Public Schools District 109, where he currently serves as Director of Communications & Community Relations. He previously worked as a Producer and Assistant News Director at TV news stations in Boston and Milwaukee. Steckling holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in Journalism from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He will begin in his new role in July.

At our April 15 meeting, the Board heard an update from the Barrington 220 Educational Foundation about its latest projects to support the district. Over the past 25 years, the Foundation has donated more than $4.4 million to Barrington 220. In recent years, the Foundation has helped to:

• Renovate three fine arts spaces at BHS
• Support the BHS Greenhouse and the BHS Culinary Internship Program
• Add more VEX Robot kits to elementary STEM classes
• Complete pilot projects for AI reading and writing programs
• Complete pilot project for the Creativity Project, an after-school exploration experience
• Award 60 grants to D220 staff totaling more than $97,000

The Foundation will host its Golf Fore 220 fundraising event on Monday, June 9, at Kemper Lakes Golf Club. Click here for more information.

In his Superintendent's Report, Dr. Winkelman shared that April is Volunteer Appreciation Month. He thanked two community members, Sue Hyde and Shafali Buhva, who have instilled and fostered the spirit of service in children and teens within our community. Hyde and Buhva serve on the Barrington Area Volunteer Connection's Advisory Board. The BAVC provides a searchable online matching system calibrated to the needs and offerings of the Barrington Area nonprofits and the interests of the volunteers.

In his Superintendent's Report, Dr. Winkelman also thanked the community partners and volunteers who make the district's elementary science field studies possible each year. Every fall, all elementary students apply their understanding of scientific concepts to authentic, hands-on investigations with community groups that deepen scientific understanding and foster civic responsibility and a genuine connection to the environment. Thank you to Crabtree Nature Center, Stillman Nature Center, the Wormery, Nature Ladies, and Citizens for Conservation!

In his Superintendent's Report, Dr. Winkelman shared that BHS seniors recently had a chance to recognize one staff member who had a positive impact on them during their time in Barrington 220. Recipients of the "Impact Award" are invited as guests of honor to the BHS graduation ceremony on May 30. Click here to view the 2025 Impact Award recipients!

Cami Ford (BHS '25) surprises Mr. Alfaro, Spanish Dual Language Teacher at Arnett C. Lines Elementary School!

Patrick McKenna (BHS '25) surprises his mother, Ms. McKenna, who works as a Student Services Assistant at Station Campus!

Owen Johnson (BHS '25) surprises Mr. McMahon, Science Teacher at BHS!

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 April 15 meeting, we welcomed Barbara B. Rose 5th grader Ayeza Chaudhry. Ayeza has many fond memories from her time at Rose, including attending Camp Timberlee and researching musician Dinah Washington in music class. She says Rose is #ThePlaceToB because it has so many amazing students and teachers! Click here to listen to Ayeza’s report.