Leigh Barnes’ education career followed a logical arc, punctuated by a few twists.
Union Township’s new superintendent majored in education at DePauw University and became a fifth-grade teacher in Indianapolis.
From there, she received a master’s degree in social work and took a job in LaPorte as a counselor.
Along the way, she married her college sweetheart and they settled in Valparaiso while beginning a family that includes three children.
Unexpectedly, an accident detouring traffic on U.S. 30 west of Valparaiso jolted her career trajectory.
Barnes found herself driving north on County Road 600W past Union Center Elementary and then the Wheeler High-Middle School complex.
“I thought, what is this about,” she said of the off-the-beaten path Union Township district of four schools and about 1,430 students. It’s sandwiched between Valparaiso on the east and Lake County on the west.
Something clicked as the schools reminded her of the small district in Toledo, Ohio, where she grew up.
“One reason I like being in a small school district is I still have an opportunity to be connected with kids and teachers,” Barnes said.
In 2009, a Union Township teacher in her child’s play group told Barnes about a counseling opening at Wheeler High.
She landed the job and spent five years in the counseling department where other educators noticed her leadership skills and drive. They encouraged her to enter the administrative ranks.
Barnes went back to school to get a principal’s license and in 2014, she filled an emergency vacancy at Simatovich Elementary after Principal Phyllis Allison broke her ankle.
Allison retired the following year and Barnes became the school’s principal, staying for eight years. Meanwhile, Barnes also picked up her superintendent’s license.
When the district’s assistant superintendent left in 2021, former school chief John Hunter reached out to Barnes to fill the job.
She learned the intricacies of administrative duties while playing a bigger role in academics and curriculum.
“I gained a large view of the corporation in all those positions,” she said after Hunter encouraged her to apply for his job after he announced his retirement.
“I really felt I could impact this district and I love this community,” Barnes said.
In March, the school board unanimously named Barnes to replace Hunter. She also became the district’s first woman superintendent.
Women education leaders aren’t that unusual today because they dominate the education field, said board president Leah Pagone via an email.
“I’m not sure that we thought about her being the first woman superintendent because she was such a strong and best fit for our community,” said Pagone.
Barnes said the amount of communication required locally and in Indianapolis surprised her.
As a new superintendent, a state academy provided Barnes with a mentor, Scot Croner, superintendent of Wa-Nee Community Schools in Nappanee.
They talk weekly and the mentorship lasts two years.
Pagone said the board saw many attributes in Barnes that led to her appointment.
“As assistant superintendent, Leigh was always fair and forward thinking,” Pagone said. “Her first priority was always the kids of UTSC and it showed in her work.”
In her role as assistant superintendent, Pagone said Barnes already had performed superintendent duties and experienced the breadth of the work.
Pagone said Barnes typically views a problem “from all angles and can create a plan to tackle that situation in a clear and fair manner.”
Barnes’ first week of school began with a harrowing event for her family.
As she worked at school in early August, a fire swept through the family’s Valparaiso home, leaving the family homeless.
Barnes’ husband, Matt, daughter Lillian who’s a basketball standout at Valparaiso High School, and son Eddie, escaped the blaze, which killed the family cat. Two dogs survived. The fire is still under investigation and Barnes said the family plans to rebuild on the site.
When Barnes raced home, the first Valparaiso firefighter she saw was a Wheeler High graduate. They took a quick picture together as she thanked the former student.
The Union Township community stood behind the Barnes’ family as they regrouped from the loss of their home.
“I have felt so at home in this school corporation with support from the students and families,” she said.
“It’s been a whirlwind, but I’m so thankful everyone was safe, except the cat. That was hard on my daughter.”
As the leader of the school district, Barnes isn’t always confined to her desk and computer. She often leaves her office and visits classrooms.
“One reason I like being in a small school is I still have the opportunity to be connected with kids and teachers. I do my best to get into the classroom and read to kids.”
Barnes is also focused on creating a road map for the district as the state moves to launch a new A-F grading system for schools based on points for certain student achievements.
Barnes is upbeat about Union Township’s future with enrollment growing by more than 60 students. The district offers open enrollment in grades K-8.
“I do believe our small school environment can offer good opportunities and truly this has families wanting to move here,” she said.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
