Schools

After Nearly Four Decades, Hilltop Principal Announces Retirement

Aug. 1, 2012, will be longtime Hilltop Elementary School Principal Thomas Barker's last day.

It's a busy Monday morning at Principal Thomas Barker's office, as students, staff and even members of the school's bus safety team stop in for scheduled meetings or brief visits.

But Barker's Monday mornings are now numbered; last week, the longtime Hilltop principal made public his plans to retire on Aug. 1, 2012. At a school board meeting last week, board members unanimously approved a transition plan that includes the hiring of an associate principal for a six month period starting on Jan. 3. 

Under the plan, the employee will work closely with Barker through next spring, Barker said. At the end of the six month period, district officials will evaluate the associate principal's performance and may choose to employ the candidate on a more permanent basis.

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Prior to becoming a school administrator, Barker taught sixth grade classes for several years in Thief River Falls. After finishing his master's degree and becoming a licensed principal, Barker took his first administrative job at the age of 25 near Hutchinson. He came to Inver Grove Heights in 1987 and served at other elementary buildings in the district before settling in 1995 at Hilltop, which is currently the district's largest elementary school. All total, he was worked as a principal for more than 34 years.

In his time as an elementary school principal in Inver Grove, Barker took a leadership role in securing Targeting Services funding from the state for local schools and developing new uses for that funding. He also helped oversee the merger of Hilltop Elementary and South Grove Elementary after district officials voted in 2004 to close South Grove.

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Barker has also watched the demographics of the district change as the student population of the district became more diverse. Over the years, the district's use of technology has greatly expanded, he said.

Barker's decision to retire was a bittersweet one. Although his involvement with the National Guard and his love of hunting will keep him busy in retirement, Barker said he will miss the students and the staff he worked with at Hilltop.

Barker said his desire to have a greater impact on students drove him to become a principal.

"As a classroom teacher, you have the ability to impact the lives of 25 students in your class. As a building principal, you have the opportunity to impact the lives of a larger number of students," Barker said. "I think you set the tone for a building [as a principal], and you create safe environment for students."


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