November 12, 2023

The Barrington High School Fine Arts Department proudly presents the 4th Annual Winter Wonderfest! Winter Wonderfest runs December 8-9, and it will be an open house with activities happening primarily inside the new front atrium addition at BHS. The event will include DJs, carnival games, holiday crafts, hot chocolate for purchase, and more! The Winter Wonderfest logo design was created by Aiden Zawadzki, a graphic design and tech theater student at BHS.

The district will kick off Winter Wonderfest this year with a dedication ceremony to celebrate the completion of all major Build 220 projects at BHS, including the new front atrium addition! Construction is now in the final stages of this project. Please join us on Friday, Dec. 8 at 5:30pm to check out this new state-of-the-art addition. Click here to view a video of the progress!

The finishing touches are currently underway on the new state-of-the-art culinary arts lab at BHS. Classes will begin using this space when students return from winter break. Click here to view video of the space.

New STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) labs are being constructed at Barbara B. Rose Elementary and North Barrington Elementary. Both spaces are anticipated to be completed this winter. Click here to view video of Rose! Click here to view video of North Barrington!

In June 2023 the Barrington 220 Board of Education approved the district's new strategic plan, Framework 220, which will guide the district's work over the next few years. The plan consists of six strategic priorities, and within each priority, there are several measurable objectives. 

In order to move the work forward on these objectives and ensure that our strategic plan continues to be a collaborative process, Barrington 220 is using a survey platform called Qualtrics to gain your feedback. If you are a Barrington 220 parent/guardian, student, or community member, please take our 3-minute external communications survey. If you're a Barrington 220 staff member, you will receive a separate internal communications survey in your staff email at a later date.

Throughout the 2023-24 school year, Barrington 220 is celebrating its 50th anniversary! During the 1973-74 school year, the district officially became a pre-K thru 12+ unit school district. As part of our 50th anniversary celebration, we are sharing alumni stories. Read more about NYC-based fashion designer Cynthia Rowley and her advice for current Barrington 220 students.

More than 30 BHS students are engaging in authentic learning experiences this semester through the newly enhanced Autos Program at BHS. Thanks to our partnership with Wickstrom Auto Group, these students are on-site daily, receiving hands-on training from certified technicians! Planning is currently underway for a continued partnership for the 2024-25 school year.

Forty-five Barrington High School students are recipients of the 2024 President's Volunteer Service Award. The award recognizes students who have volunteered for 100 or more hours in a 12-month period. It honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action. Each recipient receives a personalized certificate of achievement and a letter signed by President Biden. Click here to view the recipients!

In 2024 the Barrington 220 Educational Foundation is celebrating 25 years! To mark this important milestone, the Foundation is hosting a gala at Barrington Hills Country Club on March 9, 2024. The Foundation is actively seeking sponsorships for this event that will help it continue to Encourage, Inspire, and Enrich the students of Barrington 220. Click here for more information.

Parents/Guardians of all ages are invited to join BStrong Together for its second Coffee & Conversation event. It will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 9am and 6pm at the Barrington Area Library. Get new ideas, make new friends, and support and learn from each other. Registration is not required. Click here to learn more about BStrong Together.

The Barrington Council for the Gifted and Talented (BCGT) invites you to its Monthly Wisdom webinar, "High School and College Planning" on Thursday, Nov. 16 at 7pm. Join the conversation with CEO of Global Mentorship Initiative Jon Browning and a panel of high school/college consultants. They will be sharing invaluable strategies, resources, and guidance on high school and college planning. Click here to register.