Barrington teacher dies after collapsing

A Barrington District 220 substitute teacher collapsed in the parking lot of Prairie Middle School Tuesday afternoon and later died at the hospital, according to the district's superintendent.

Tom Leonard, Barrington 220 superintendent, sent an e-mail to parents Tuesday evening explaining that a male teacher was walking to his car as school let out when he collapsed from an apparent heart attack.

School nurses rushed to his aid along with two parents with medical training.

They worked to stabilize the man with a defibrillator, but the man died early Tuesday evening, according to the letter.

Buses across the district and parents picking up their children were delayed while emergency vehicles were in the parking lot.

“I want to acknowledge out brave staff and parents who rushed to the side of a stricken colleague in the blowing snow of the Prairie parking lot today,” Leonard wrote.

The teacher's name is being withheld by the district out of respect for his family.

“While we do not believe the medical emergency was weather related, t he approaching storm certainly created challenges for everyone,” Leonard explained.