Barrington 220
Dr. Tom Leonard is the superintendent of Barrington 220 schools. He may be reached at tleonard@barrington220.org or by phone at 847-842-3588. Photo by Thomas Balsamo.
2013
May/June 2013
Open Doors and Open Minds
One Monday morning many years
ago, when I was a freshman at Notre
Dame High School in Niles, the principal
announced that U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy would
visit our school to speak to students later in the
week. At an all-boys Catholic high school, an appearance
by any member of the Kennedy family
was a big deal. JFK had been president; Robert
had been a U.S. senator and attorney general and,
had he not been assassinated in 1968, he, too, may
have become president. Ted was the last surviving
Kennedy brother and was considering a run for
the White House. For a young high school freshman
interested in politics, this was exciting news.
Download story in PDF format.
March/April 2013
Call Me Maybe
Those of us with a few years under
our belts probably recall being sure
of one thing or another, only to be surprised
by life. Few of us married the first person
we dated or entered the profession we originally
thought was ideal for us. When I was a kid and
adults asked me what I wanted to be when I grew
up, it was never "a school superintendent." I always
wanted to be a cowboy, although I'm sure
there are many horses (and cows) out there much
better off thanks to the unexpected trajectory of
my career path.
Download story in PDF format.
January/February 2013
Looking Over the Rainbow
Those close to me know of the few
passions I try to pursue whenever I can
squeak out some free time, such as playing
the piano. I love the great American standards,
particularly when performed on a lone keyboard
in a quiet room. The slow, romantic, and sometimes
melancholy refrains are my favorites. Many
of these classics from the 1930s and '40s were simultaneous
with timeless musicals and movies.
Download story in PDF format.
2012
November/December 2012
Pins and Needles, Sticks and Stones
I don't watch much TV, but if I were able
to catch an old TV show for a good laugh, I
would probably opt for a rerun of The Honeymooners.
Jackie Gleason starred as Ralph
Kramden, a well-meaning but brash Brooklyn bus
driver and faithful husband of Alice. Of all the
classic episodes, my favorites have Ralph speaking
without thinking … a habit he can't avoid. Many
shows end with Ralph lamenting to himself and
others about his big mouth.
Download story in PDF format.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
Technology, Like Mossy Trees, Helps Us Find True North
From generation to generation, certain constructs, items and
methodologies disappear from our collective memory. We live in an
era where so many methods of connecting with our environment –
as well as each other – have changed rapidly and radically.
Download story in PDF format.
JULY/AUGUST 2012
School Nurses: Entertaining Angels Unaware
My first encounter, or at least my first
recollection of an encounter with nurses,
came with an injury to my younger brother
when we were kids. Bob – or Bobby as we called
him then – was playing in the basement of our Niles
home when he climbed up onto a utility sink and
fell backwards, striking his head against the concrete
floor.
Download story in PDF format.
MAY/JUNE 2012
A buddy system without beeping balls or cabin curfews
Like all public school districts,
Barrington 220 is responsible for
meeting the needs of every student. We
take that charge seriously, whether addressing
the learning requirements of the average, gifted
or challenged child.
Download story in PDF format.
MARCH/APRIL 2012
Little Broncos at BHS
Tucked away in the lower level of Barrington High School is a unique program that serves a wide range of children and adults, students and staff. While it is not the typical classroom found in most high schools, it is a tiny place for tiny people that is something wonderful to witness.
Download story in PDF format.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
Sunrise or Sunset? It depends.
Have you ever looked at photos of the sun on the horizon and wondered, “Is that a sunset or a sunrise?” There are obvious resemblances between the two when a snapshot is your only reference; clearly, a sunrise provides one viewpoint while a sunset offers a very different outlook. Having enjoyed a week of touring schools in China last November, I experienced the same perplexity as when looking at a picture of the sun on the skyline. The Chinese education system is very similar and yet also very different from ours. It all depends on your perspective.
Download story in PDF format.
2011
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
Life in the Past Lane
This time of year reminds me of a simpler era captured by
nostalgic movies and TV shows, such as Miracle on 34th Street,It’s a Wonderful Life, Leave it to Beaver and The Andy Griffith Show.
Download story in PDF format.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011
Confessions of a Kindergarten Stowaway
I recall many years ago when one of my earliest school
experiences involved trying to connect with my classmates, teachers and school. I grew up in Niles and attended a public grade school
a few blocks from my house. I loved my first year in kindergarten.
Download story in PDF format.
JULY/AUGUST 2011
Treasures in the Soul of our Community
Late in April, I found myself in the principal’s
office at Grove Avenue School. No I
hadn’t done anything wrong; I was just there for
a regularly scheduled “touch-base” meeting with
the principal, Dr. Cindy Kalogeropoulos. I enjoy
touring our schools because I always learn something
new, when and where I least expect it. In this
stop, the unforeseen lesson involved colorful paper,
artistic surroundings, and some unabashedly
honest fifth-graders.
Download story in PDF format.
MAY/JUNE 2011
Figuring It Out
Life is full of do-overs, or “mulligans,” as they are known in golf.
In education, we sometimes hear about “retaking the test.” The growing
process (and I’d like to think we are all still growing, whether
we’re 8 or 88) involves learning from our errors to avoid committing
similar gaffes again in the future.
Download story in PDF format.
MARCH/APRIL 2011
A Miracle on Maui
March and April are when winter finally releases its grip, flowers begin
to emerge, and both high school and college basketball explode into the
playoffs. For sports fans, this is an exciting season. For me, spring is a reminder
of one of the worst high school teams to ever play the game of basketball.
I remember the players well because I was their coach.
Download story in PDF format.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011
Coaching Moments Create a Culture of Mentoring
My fifth year out of college found me teaching math in the Crystal Lake
Central and South high schools. I considered myself a proficient teacher,
but there were still a few students I could not motivate. Granted, the
ambiguous Law of Sines in trigonometry is not the most exciting topic to
16 year olds. Determined to reach them, I asked my students, “Who is
the most motivating teacher or coach you’ve ever had?”
Download story in PDF format.
2010
NOVEBMER/DECEMBER 2010
Looking Back
During this season of giving, I want to reflect on the generosity of the Barrington community that supports our schools while telling a little
story from my childhood where the act of giving went awry.
Download story in PDF format.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
Essential Skills
Critical thinking, communication and interpersonal skills are as relevant for students today as they were in early civilizations. Most experts agree some general aptitudes are timeless.
Download story in PDF format.
JULY/AUGUST 2010
If I Were Superintendent
It seems that I am qualified to write this article for two reasons. First, Principal McWilliam’s
assistant, Mrs. Zandi, is a friend of my
family. Second, my name is Tom Leonard.
Download story in PDF format.
MAY/JUNE 2010
Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman or Lady Gaga: Appreciating Art is a Timeless Tune
A few weeks ago, a Barrington High School student participated in an evening presentation to the board of education. He attended in his tuxedo, having just played clarinet in a band concert down the hall in the school’s auditorium.
Download story in PDF format.
MARCH/APRIL 2010
Outsmarted by a Squirrel
Because I’m a former math teacher, you may wonder, “What could he possibly
know about gardening?” Well, the answer is, not much. However, I have developed an appreciation for gardens.
Download story in PDF format.
JAN/FEB 2010
How Do I Call a Snow Day? Let Me Count the Ways
Before taking on this role, I always heard retiring superintendents say they would not miss deciding whether to close school due to increment weather.
Download story in PDF format.
2009
NOV/DEC 2009
Listen to Your Mother... H.E.R.E in Barrington
When my mom, Lita, passed away six years ago, my brother, sister, and I wrote down what we called her “Lita-isms” — words of wisdom she gave to us during her lifetime.
Download story in PDF format.
SEPT/OCT 2009
Unstructured Time + Family + Nature = Balance and Resiliency
As vacations end and a new year of classes begins, families with school-age children and all those who serve them in our schools once again experience the mad rush into tight schedules that leave little room for reflection.
Download story in PDF format.
JULY/AUGUST 2009
Summer’s Graceful Pace
Everyone needs a vacation, although there are many interpretations of what a vacation is or should be.
Download story in PDF format.
MAY/JUNE 2009
Learning Mandarin Chinese in the Midst of an Economic Crisis
The Mandarin Chinese word for crisis,
“wēijī,” is comprised of two characters
which some decipher to represent “danger” and “opportunity.”
Download story in PDF format.
MARCH/APRIL 2009
When Green is All There is to Be
With all due respect to Kermit the Frog, it’s not that hard being green. His melancholy made for memorable Muppet music but when it comes to conservation and preserving the environment, green is the shade every ecology-minded organization and citizen aspires to be these days.
Download story in PDF format.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009
Piano Lessons, Podcasts, and Public Engagementor
For the last eight years I have been trying to learn to play the piano. Once a week, along with many younger students, my teacher’s lessons help me discover the intricacies of this wonderful instrument.
Download story in PDF format.
2008
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008
For the Holidays: A Taste of Barrington 220
The holidays are a special time where we give and often gather to enjoy a memorable feast. How many of us have fond memories of aromas wafting from the kitchen as our families prepared for these celebrations?
Download story in PDF format.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008
Birth of the Barrington Community Stadium
As I came to work each day this summer from my home in Lake Barrington to the school district offices in the village, I often drove down Hart Road to watch progress on the new Barrington Community Stadium.
Download story in PDF format.
JULY/AUGUST 2008
Summer: Relax, Then Get Ready
Summer…what a wonderful season. When I was a high school principal, I always made sure to position myself between the students and buses as the last bell rang to signal the beginning of summer vacation.
Download story in PDF format.
MAY/JUNE 2008
The Longest Day: From Teaching High School to Surviving First Grade
It starts with a tentative wave goodbye, a kiss blown from lips trying hard not to quiver, and steps that take us away from the ones we love the most. It’s the first day of school, and that scene describes both parents and children trying to cope with the transition from the familiarity of home to the great unknown that is school.
Download story in PDF format.
MARCH/APRIL 2008
Bullying is Never Acceptable: Whether on Maui or in Barrington, Kindess is King
For most of my career in education, I have worked in high schools in the north or northwest
suburbs, but what few people know is that I once taught for two years at a private school on Maui. Seabury Hall was a semi–boarding school for grades 7–12 located on the slopes of Haleakala Crater looking down on the Pacific Ocean.
Download story in PDF format.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008
Getting Connected Making School a Safe 'Second Home'
This sentiment, expressed so succinctly and eloquently by a first grader I know, sums up our District 220 goal of creating a “second home” for our children from pre-kindergarten to high school graduation.
Download story in PDF format.
2007
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007
Celebrations and Challenges: A look inside District 220
Not surprisingly, educators measure joy and fulfillmentin terms of how much
we have learned and grown from an event. According
to this criteria, my first few months as
District 220 superintendent have been ecstatic.
Download story in PDF format.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007
The New Face of District 220
Barrington’s School District 220 has a new face. On July 2, Dr. Tom Leonard began
his new job as the district’s superintendent. After a lengthy search that included
community-wide input, Leonard, the former principal of Barrington High School,
was hired from a pool of more than 40 candidates from across the country.
Download story in PDF format.