Longtime principal at Troy Craughwell in Joliet to retire

Troy Craughwell Elementary School Principal Kathy Barker is retiring at the end of the school year after decades as a student ,teacher and eventually principal at Troy Community School District 30-C schools.

Her first experience at Troy was actually as a fourth grade student at Craughwell. There were only three schools at Troy when Barker was a student there. Today, there are seven.

After earning her degree at the College of St .Francis (now University of St. Francis) in Joliet, she earned her master’s degree in reading and literacy and her administrative certification at Lewis University in Romeoville.

Her career at Troy began as a substitute teacher,then as a teaching associate at Craughwell. Her first job as a teacher was in half-day kindergarten at Craughwell.

Then, it was first grade at Craughwell; first grade at Troy Shorewood Elementary School; first grade at Troy Heritage Trail Elementary; and reading specialist at Heritage Trail.

As an administrator, she was assistant principal at Heritage Trail and Craughwell. Barker was named principal of Craughwell in 2007.

She knew early on that she wanted her own children to attend Troy schools, so she and her husband moved into the district early on. Years before, her parents had also moved into the district so their own children could attend Troy schools, which have always had a good reputation.

Barker said she’s been blessed by her years at Troy schools.

“The staff, students and families are what make Troy Craughwell a very special place,” she said in a news release from the school. “It just feels good when you walk through the front doors of Craughwell. You can feel the happiness, excitement, and pure love from the students and staff.”

Barker’s son Grant teaches social studies at Troy’s William B. Orenic Intermediate School, and her son Tyler is Troy’s seventh grade boys’ basketball coach.

Her cousin Emily Semplinski teaches at Troy Cronin, and her uncle Don DeGeus was a Troy school board member. Barker said her brother, David DeGeus, who passed away 10 years ago, was her and her children’s biggest cheerleader.

Barker said she’s had many mentors over her years, including Larry Wiers, her eighth grade teacher and the one who first hired her when he served as assistant principal of Craughwell.

One of her teachers was Sue McFadden, wife of current Troy school board member J. Terry McFadden.

The Troy 30-C school board appointed current Troy Middle School assistant principal Margaret Lopez to replace Barker as the next principal of Craughwell.