Barrington Dist. 220 hires new superintendent
The Barrington District 220 Board of Education unanimously approved Craig Winkelman as the new superintendent of schools at a special meeting Tuesday evening.
Winkelman's new job starts May 1, according to a news release from the district. He succeeds Robert Hunt, who joined Barrington 220 in July 2021 and is leaving the district at the end of the school year to take the top administrator position for Upper Arlington Schools in Ohio.
Winkelman's selection comes after the board engaged in thoughtful conversation about the current needs of the school district and affirmed the New Superintendent Profile Report, which was created in November 2020 with input from Barrington 220 stakeholders, the release said.
"The board acknowledges the significance of stability and continuity in the district during this time of transition," board President Sandra Bradford said. "Dr. Winkelman has a deep understanding of the operations and programs in our school district. He has done an excellent job serving in various roles in the district for more than 25 years. I am confident that the good work happening within Barrington 220 will continue under his leadership."
He is not new to District 220: Winkelman has served as the district's deputy superintendent since November 2021 and previously worked as the district's assistant superintendent for K-12 Schools & Operations since 2017. In his roles, he has overseen key district initiatives, such as Build 220, Equity 220, Framework 220 and Safety 220, supervised and evaluated all principals, tracked policy updates for the board of education, helmed district leadership meetings and worked closely with community organizations, the release stated.
"I've been fortunate to be part of the Barrington 220 community for more than 25 years," Winkelman said. "During that time I have held several roles where I have had the opportunity to work directly with our amazing students, staff and families, as well as gain a comprehensive understanding of the district and its needs. In addition, as a parent, I have seen firsthand the positive impact our district has had on the educational experience of my own children. I can't wait to continue leading the great work that is happening in Barrington 220!"
Winkelman began his career in education in Barrington 220 in 1997, working as a special-education teacher at Barrington High School. He went on to work as the assistant principal at Station Campus, then as a principal in Community Consolidated District 15 for two years. He returned to Barrington 220 in 2006 to be principal of Station Campus until 2017.
He holds an associate degree from Harper College, a bachelor's degree in special education from Illinois State University, a master's degree in educational administration from Northern Illinois University and a doctorate in educational leadership from National Louis University. In 2020, he received the Harper College Distinguished Alumni Award.
Winkelman lives in the Barrington area with his wife Amy, who works at Barrington High School. They have two daughters, one who attends Auburn University and the other, Barrington High School.