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By Jackie Gorski
Times-Union
WARSAW — Several staff changes were announced during the Warsaw School Board meeting Monday, May 20.
Dr. Dani Barkey will be leaving Warsaw Community Schools to join the University of Virginia after serving as deputy superintendent.
With over 20 years in education, her roles have included art teacher, assistant principal and central office administrator.
Monday, Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert said, “I’ve had an incredible team for 10 years. And I’m losing one of our key members. I’m losing her to somewhere good. It’s the University of Virginia. She’s going to be working with nationwide partners on professional development. But Dani Barkey is, has been just an incredible person I have been privileged to have alongside me.”
There will be a special reception on June 7 for her. Hoffert said Barkey isn’t going anywhere, she’s going to still be in the community with her family.
Hoffert said he would have been very happy if Barkey had said her dream was to stay with WCS for the rest of her career, “but we know that’s not always a personal dream.” He thanked Barkey on behalf of himself, the school board and WCS.
Barkey said it was a dream of hers to stay at WCS forever.
“I love this job. I love this job I’ve been honored to do for so many years,” she said. She thanked WCS for putting trust in her to do the job, saying it was an honor to serve the students and teachers of the school district. “But I think my cancer journey this year taught me a lot. And it is that life is short. And I have wild dreams to see this nation and do other things that stretch me and grow me.”
She said the WCS team has been the best team she’s ever been a part of.
Hoffert said that while Barkey can never be replaced, the school district does have to move forward.
Hoffert said there are going to be several changes in the administration.
He said Kyle Carter has been the chief technology and data analytics officer. The district is going to reshape Carter’s job description. Carter will still grow the technology department and be in charge of the data component as the chief accountability officer.
Carter, a Warsaw native and graduate of Warsaw Community High School, holds degrees from Grace College, IPFW and Indiana State University. His career has included being a teacher, principal at Jefferson Elementary and chief technology and analytics officer.
Aimee Lundsford will become the chief academic officer.
Lunsford served as the principal of Lincoln Elementary for four years before accepting the position. She holds degrees from Manchester University, Ball State University and Indiana State University; she is currently pursuing her doctorate from Indiana State University. She also has 14 years of teaching experience, covering grades from kindergarten to middle school special education.
Hoffert said as the adult education program continues to grow, they will add a new staff member with Leo Patiño.
Patiño brings experience from Indiana Tech’s College of Professional Studies and a deep commitment to adult education. He has been active in the Warsaw community since 2020 when he received an internship with OrthoWorx.
Emily Campbell, a lifelong Warsaw resident, will be the new assistant principal at the Warsaw Area Career Center. After graduating from Warsaw Community High School, she earned her degree from Ball State University and she joined the WACC as a family and consumer science teacher. She has been serving as interim assistant director since February.
Earlier in the meeting, the school board was introduced to the new school resource officer.
Kelly Bradley will be the SRO for Washington, Lincoln, Eisenhower and Harrison elementary schools, said Tracy Horrell, assistant superintendent of secondary education.
WCS collaborates with the Warsaw Police Department, Winona Lake Police Department and Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department to employ six SROs and additional roving officers who support the school buildings throughout the day.
Bradley said she is excited to get into the schools and make connections with students and possibly inspire students to look into jobs into the law enforcement field.
In other business, the board:
• Recognized this year’s class of Tiger Ambassadors, consisting of 15 selected community members, parents and industry partners. The Tiger Ambassador program offers behind-the-scenes insights into WCS through on-site field trips, lunch-and-learn meetings and job shadowing as principals. They are Bob Vitoux, Indiana District 22 Rep. Craig Snow, Jamie Archer, Kacy Davis, Angie Jarrett, Julie Tuinstra, Rob Sullivan, Rob Piecuch, Becky Rak, Mallika Klingaman, Courtney Sale, Sona Sundaramurthy, Kevin Hamstra, Mike Hall, Amelia Allen and Jenny Finley.
• Recognized nine teachers who earned a Master of Arts in Education with a literacy concentration through Bluffton University. Utilizing Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief grant funds, the 18-month degree program was offered to current WCS employees through an internal application process. This is the second cohort of Bluffton graduates. They are Elizabeth Van Wormer, Alberto Ramirez, Tara Bradley, Ashley Weaver, Jenny Dannemiller, Angela Luecke, Corrie Sewell, Jessica Speicher and Carly Metzinger.
