River East Transcona superintendent to retire this summer

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This article was published 05/02/2022 (1339 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE second-largest school division in Manitoba is hiring a new commander in chief to oversee operations at its 42 schools in 2022-23 and beyond.

Kelly Barkman, leader of the River East Transcona School Division, submitted his notice of retirement this week — after a decade of overseeing the Winnipeg-based district, which has a student population of more than 16,000.

“I want to spend some time with my family and also, make sure that I continue to love learning and love life as I go into retirement,” said the 65-year-old.

Barkman, a life-long Manitoban, will finish a 41-year stint in public education when the current school year wraps up.

The longtime educator’s resume includes nine years as superintendent of the Red River Valley School Division in Morris, 13 years as a principal at various schools, and nine years of teaching, the majority of which were in Hanover.

“The board recognizes the countless hours Kelly gave to the division, guiding RETSD through strategic planning, setting priorities for excellence in education, responding to the provincial education review and, significantly, leading us through the challenges of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic,” wrote Jerry Sodomlak, chairman of the board of trustees, in a community letter dated Feb. 2.

Sodomlak said his colleague “remained calm, respectful and focused on keeping everyone safe and learning” throughout his tenure.

The job search for a new superintendent and CEO is already underway.

The news comes less than a month after the board of trustees in the Pembina Trails School Division announced an opening for its top position in south Winnipeg. In mid-January, superintendent Ted Fransen announced his plans to retire before the next academic year.

Despite the timing, both metro division leaders told the Free Press the COVID-19 pandemic did not have any influence on their respective decisions to leave.

“Managing the pandemic the last two years, I was doing things I never thought I’d have to do as an educator and as superintendent,” Barkman said, noting one of the key challenges over the last 23 months has been “turning schools on a dime.”

“Working with parents and students and staff and the public as we manage this pandemic together has been difficult. I continue to really worry about mental health for all of us, but I’m surrounded by a really great team and great division.”

Teacher retirements and resignations in the division last year increased from 30 to 33 and 10 to 15 in comparison to 2018-19, the most recent academic year that was uninterrupted by the pandemic in River East Transcona.

During that same time period in Pembina Trails, teacher retirements increased from 23 to 29 and the number of educators who quit their jobs doubled, from six to 12.

Reflecting on all the years gone by since 1981, including the most recent years of leading the division during the pandemic, Barkman said the year he taught Grade 1 was the most tiring year of his career.

While Barkman is formally leaving the K-12 system later this year, he said education talk will continue to be a key topic at family celebrations. Not only is his wife a retired educator, but he has children and siblings in the field.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie