D161 Superintendent Retiring At End Of School Year

FRANKFORT, IL — At Wednesday's Board of Education meeting, District 161 Superintendent Barb Rains announced her retirement, which will be effective at the end of this school year. According to a release from the district, Rains has been serving the educational needs of students at the elementary, high school, and college levels for over 40 years.

Rains was employed as District 161’s Director of Human Resources and Public Relations in 2008. She was named District 161’s Interim Superintendent on July 1, 2011, and was approved as District 161’s Superintendent on Dec. 15, 2011.

“There are so many everyday heroes working in District 161. While our educational world has been forced to change at warp speed over the last eight months, so many administrators, teachers, nurses, office staff, and families have risen to the challenge so that we could continue to care for the students we serve," Rains said in a release. "I have been surrounded by passionate people throughout my years here. Thank you to members of the Board and our awesome administrative team for your support over the years – especially during this pandemic. Thank you to the many wonderful staff members I have had the opportunity to welcome into the district over the years. And a very special thank you to our students who continue to work so hard to keep learning no matter if the lesson is taught in-person or remotely.”