Barrington 220 preps more than 60 new teachers for first year

A bumper crop of new Barrington Area Unit School District 220 teachers were welcomed to the community during a week of orientation events last week at Barrington High.

"Every year I tell them this is like taking a college course in five days," said Linda Klobucher, the district's assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. "They are going to be tired by the end, but hopefully are going to be entirely engaged in how we do education in Barrington."

On the first day of the program the new teachers heard presentations not only from district officials, but from many District 220 stakeholders, including the teachers' credit union, the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce, the District 220 Educational Foundation and the local teacher's union.

"We want to let them know that this community is very supportive of our teachers," Klobucher said.

Superintendent Brian Harris said at Tuesday's board of education meeting that he enjoyed meeting the new teachers.

"We got a good group, very talented," Harris said. "Our staff continues to recruit good people."

Klobucher said there are about 65 new teachers this year, 15 to 20 more than the last few years because there were more teacher retirements at the end of the most recent school term.