Searcy School District

School of Thought

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Friday night will be the final graduation that Diane Barrett attends as superintendent, building administrator or classroom teacher. And, she has attended many throughout her forty-five years in education. In just six short weeks, Barrett will leave the superintendent’s desk after a long, rewarding career. She will tell anyone who asks that she never considered anything but entering the field of public education.

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The daughter of a Methodist minister and a public school teacher, she watched her parents perform service for others throughout her childhood. She laughs that she “played” school as a young child and has continued to do so her entire life. Barrett began her career as a high school English teacher in McGehee, and had never considered moving out of the classroom into a leadership position until various administrators in her path urged her to enter the administration field due to her leadership qualities. With that encouragement, she learned various administrative roles in the public school system, and to be a bit cliche’, one might say “the rest is history.” Having served as superintendent in McGehee, West Fork, and Searcy, she has truly left her mark all over the state. Barrett will tell anyone, though, that her greatest joy and most rewarding times were when she was educating young people in her classroom.

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For the last eleven years, Barrett has served as our leader and confidant, and there have been times that she has had to make very difficult decisions, but those decisions were always made with one purpose in mind, and that is what is best for Searcy School District as a whole and specifically with the students’ best interests in mind.

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Personally, Diane Barrett has been a role model for me as I have grown into my career in an ever changing educational environment where communication is crucial. More importantly, we developed a friendship that we both know will last a lifetime. 

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In closing and as a tribute to Barrett’s love for quotes (as she regularly ends each meeting with a quote), the following by General Douglas MacArthur describes Diane Barrett and what she has meant to the Searcy School District: “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out  to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.”

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Searcy School District will hold a district retirement ceremony and reception on Wednesday, May 19, at the Searcy High School Performing Arts Center beginning at 3:45 P.M. recognizing the following district retirees: Bliss Akridge, Diane Barrett, Susan Bucher, Beth Crafton, Jeannie Eudy, Brenda Gibson, Debra Hall, Jay Niederbrach, Patricia Osburne, Dianna Strayhorn, Rhonda Thompson, Cindy White, and Delores Williams. The public is invited to attend.

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More photos from Superintendent Barrett’s community reception may be found at the following link. https://www.facebook.com/media...