The smell of whipped cream lingered for three days after Principal Dr. Barbara Georges was pied in the face during Spring Fling, a moment that would become one of her most memorable experiences at South. As she prepares to leave for her new position as Assistant Superintendent of Data, Innovation, and Technology, she looks back at the memory of something that made her connections unforgettable at South.
Georges started her career as a Science Teacher at Maine East High School in Park Ridge, IL, before moving to Leyden High School on the West Side of Chicago, where she worked as a Science Teacher and Dean’s Assistant, she explained. At Leyden, Georges was responsible for the Access Program, one of the most successful Multi-Tiered System of Supports advisory models for high schools, for which she won an award. After seeing the impact of her work on students, Georges started to explore swapping the teaching world for a leadership position to support more students, she said.
Originally, Georges was not considering a job as principal of South, declining the first time she was called, but eventually deciding to apply for the position after the third call.“Sometimes doors will open and you gotta be brave enough to walk through them, even if you weren’t planning for it,” Georges said. “I did, and I love this job, and I am so happy that I walked this journey.”
Through all the different jobs Georges had, she spent a little time in different parts within a school: teaching, technology, the dean’s office, student services, and intervention, she said.
“That is what eventually led me to consider coming here as principal because as principal, you get to interact with everything that is needed to run a school,” Georges said. “All of those tiny experiences over 20 years accumulated to having the knowledge to do this job today.”
Throughout Georges’ day, her office becomes a place where staff members can bring their concerns, however small, knowing that they will be met with a listening ear and thoughtful consideration, AnnMarie Hardin, Executive Assistant to the Principal, said.
Hardin has worked closely with Georges for the past years and has developed a strong set of systems and shorthand to best support each other’s work, Hardin said. Because they work closely together and know how they work best together, Hardin can complement Georges’ busy schedule by planning ahead and creating lists regarding topics needing clarification or attention.
“I know I can always ask her questions and get clarification on anything she asks me to do,” Hardin said. “I really appreciate that she does not micromanage my work. She trusts me to get things done and knows that I will take feedback without taking it personally.”
Being a leader means adapting your leadership style based on the needs presented, Georges said. Some years, the school required Georges to be a systems leader, ensuring that the building operated effectively and efficiently. Sometimes she needed to be a communicative leader, communicating not only in the building but also to the broader community. Other times, Georges had to be an adaptive leader who understood the needs of everyone in the building, or a relational leader, showing care, empathy, and helping people move forward from grief, Georges explained. Being a relational leader is hardest for Georges because she wishes she could individually help everyone, she explained.
“When I have to engage in relational leadership, the amount of time I want to be with each individual, there’s just not enough minutes in the day to do what I want,” Georges said. “I have this love and this care that I want to connect with everybody, but because relational leadership is usually individual in nature, I can’t get everywhere.”
Dr. Joyce Kim, Associate Principal of Teaching and Learning, has worked closely with Georges during the past few years. She admires how Georges can see 20 steps ahead of most and maximizes the efficiency and effectiveness of everything she works on, Kim said.
“Georges will be serving in a district role that will provide the data we need to move our buildings forward in our pursuit to ensure access, opportunity, and success,” Kim said. “I have learned a great deal from her, particularly her political understanding and institutional knowledge, in the past few years that I’ve been here. I wish her the absolute best.”
Georges’ time as principal can be described in four ways: joy from doing what she loves, pride from the accomplishments of students and staff, excitement, and hard work because anything worth doing is difficult, she explained.
“People look at a principal’s job and they’re like, ‘Wow, that’s really hard.’ And I’m like, ‘I know, isn’t it great?’” Georges said. “In the end, that’s where the pride and the joy comes from.”
For Georges, being principal was never just about the title, she said. Georges hopes that her greatest legacy at South is that everybody felt supported and cared for, and that students can pursue their passions, thrive, and achieve their goals, she added.
“It’s about you guys,” Georges said. “If kids graduated during my time as a leader feeling like this was their school and they were able to enjoy themselves and accomplish what they wanted, that would be the legacy that I’d hoped for.”