This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Ty Gorman is the new Associate Principal of Instruction and Future Readiness. He has worked in the district for over 20 years, where he started as a social studies teacher and cross country coach. He strives to improve the opportunities students have, and he is implementing many important changes.
Q: Can you describe your role as the Associate Principal of Instruction and Future Readiness?
TG: I oversee anything that’s related to teaching and learning: the department chairs who work hard to work with teachers to get the curriculum up to standards, make sure it stays rigorous, the testing programs and future readiness. We’re trying really hard to get post high school experiences into the school. Depending on what kids want to do, many of our students tell us they want to go to college. A lot of our students also express interest in the careers they want to do, and I’m in charge of building experiences where kids are getting exposure to the fields they are interested in.
Q: I heard you were the cross country coach. What did you most enjoy about coaching?
TG: Coaching is extremely rewarding. One of the things that motivates me is seeing kids sort of dial in on something they want to do, and all of a sudden get that motivation. Cross Country in particular is a really tight knit group of kids, and the teams have their unique traditions and their bonds. The current coach, Tom Root, ran Cross Country here when I was the coach. We’ve talked often about the team, and I stay in touch with how they’re doing.
Q: Can you describe your journey through the district?
TG: I’ve been in Barrington for 24 years. I was here at the high school for the first 17 years of my career. I started as a social studies teacher. I taught Psychology, Global Studies and Sociology for a long time. I was the Social Studies Department Chair and I was the Associate Principal for about four years, until 2018. In 2018, I moved over to the District Office to be the Director of Innovation, which is a position that focuses on the impact of instructional technology in the classroom. Being in that role for as long as I was, one of the things that I really missed was being in a building where kids attend as well as working directly with students and seeing the impact of their work.
Q: What has kept you here in District 220 for so long?
TG: I just love the people that we work with, and I love the students in Barrington. This is the only school I’ve ever worked at, and this is the school I plan to retire at. Our students are awesome. They’re up for anything. They’re always trying to learn new things. And our staff are innovative and always wanting to try new things. I also have kids that are in the district, and I want them to grow up in this amazing environment.
Q: What are some projects you’ve been working on recently?
TG: One of the major things we are working on right now is Schoolinks. Schoolinks is replacing Naviance, and it’s meant to be a one stop shop where students input all of their high school experiences. You can also indicate what career you’re interested in and what colleges you might be interested in attending. You could also research colleges and careers, and then our counselors have access to that information. The idea is that when you go to pick your classes for next year, counselors have a whole bunch of information that you’ve entered that can help guide them in guiding you.
Q: When looking back, do you wish you had access to the opportunities you’ve given the students of Barrington?
TG: When I went to high school, we had one AP class offered, so the increase in these classes brings more opportunities. However, having these opportunities is a blessing and a curse, because there’s pressure to do more. Sometimes it can be a little stress inducing. But in other ways there’s just so much opportunity, and a lot of other districts don’t have that. The community is just so supportive with resources and finances; we have 2800 students, and everyone is so unique. What is it you want to do? Let’s try to give you those opportunities.