Introducing Superintendent of Schools Dr. Craig Winkelman

THERE’S A POPULAR QUOTE that Dr. Craig Winkelman shares with his two teenage daughters. “I tell them, ‘Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard’,” he said.

His work ethic was instilled in him at a young age by his parents, who taught him the importance of hard work, paired with a strong educational foundation. His father, a Vietnam War veteran, would sometimes work multiple jobs to support his family. His mother held a variety of jobs throughout her professional career, including working as an elementary teacher and regional sales manager in downtown Chicago. She also did accounting and bookkeeping for small businesses. “Both of my parents have an incredible work ethic and recognized how important hard work is, along with a good education, in opening up opportunities,” Dr. Winkelman said.

There is perhaps no better example of this than Dr. Winkelman’s own journey in Barrington 220. He is the district’s first Superintendent of Schools who also started out as a teacher in the district.

In 1997, he began working at Barrington High School, teaching science to special education students with behavioral and emotional disorders. It didn’t take long for supervisors to notice his work ethic and commitment to the students. “My classroom was located on the opposite side of the building from the science wing, so every morning I would get to the high school early and move all of the lab supplies across the building to my classroom,” Dr. Winkelman said. “It was important to me that the students I was teaching had a true lab experience.” After seeing Dr. Winkelman do this each morning for some time, the Science Department Chair ended up moving his classroom to the science wing so he would no longer have to shuffle the materials back and forth.

From Teacher To Administrator

A few years after he started at BHS, Dr. Winkelman’s colleagues recognized his potential as a leader and encouraged him to seek an administrator position in the district. In 2001, he became the Assistant Principal at Station Campus. “I wanted to help more students and I saw that in a leadership role, I could have a greater impact on the experience of all students, rather than just the students in my classroom,” Dr. Winkelman said.

A new opportunity presented itself in 2004 when Dr. Winkelman embarked on his first principal position at a junior high school in Palatine. However, he couldn’t stay away from Barrington 220 for long. In 2006 he returned to the district as Principal of Station Campus, a position he held until becoming an Assistant Superintendent in 2017. During his time at Station, he helped start the middle school Colt Time Program, which provides students with academic or enrichment support during the school day. As a longtime BMX bike enthusiast, Dr. Winkelman decided to lead a STEM-related Colt Time where students could learn how to build a BMX bike, and then conduct STEM learning activities using the newly constructed bike. In the end, the plan was to raffle off a bike to one of the students. “Toward the end of the class, I found out from the mother of one of the boys who signed up for the course that he did it because he didn’t own a bike and he didn’t know how to ride one. This Colt Time was a huge deal to him because he wanted to win the bike,” Dr. Winkelman said. During the Colt Time, Dr. Winkelman ended up teaching the middle school student how to ride a bike from square one, and of course, he made sure the boy won the bike.

All In On Barrington 220

Not many people in the community know about that story, or that he keeps in touch with students who he taught when he first started working in Barrington more than 25 years ago. That’s because Dr. Winkelman doesn’t do these things for fanfare. He does it simply because he cares about kids. “Our jobs in education exist for the kids and I always try to look at things from the student’s perspective,” Dr. Winkelman said. “There have been times when I’ve had to make decisions that are unpopular with adults, but it’s the right decision for students. That’s always my north star.”

As he takes on the role of Barrington 220’s new leader, he looks forward to ensuring that the district continues providing students with the outstanding education and extracurricular opportunities that have made Barrington 220 a destination district for families. “We’ve always been an innovative district and I’m excited to see how the work from our new strategic plan, Framework 220, will create even more opportunities for our students,” he said.

For Dr. Winkelman, the work has always been more than just a job, it’s personal. His wife Amy, who he met while they were students at Illinois State University, is a BHS graduate and a wellness counselor at BHS. His two daughters have both gone through the district. One is finishing up her freshman year at Auburn University and the other will graduate from BHS in 2024. He says the connections he has made with families through the years, both as a father and as a staff member, have been the most meaningful part of his journey in Barrington 220. This past February, he attended the “Fiddler on the Roof” musical at BHS and watched one of the lead cast members perform. “I remember when this student was a little girl, sitting in the Station cafeteria, drawing with crayons, while her mom attended a PTO meeting for her older siblings.” These are the moments Dr. Winkelman treasures—watching kids grow up before his eyes and thrive.

“I care deeply for this community. I don’t think there is a better place to be. I’m very vested in making sure this district remains a special place.”

Samantha Scheinman is the director of communications for Barrington 220.