A Legacy That Will Last

A LegacyThat Will Last

Celebrating the many contributions of President Paul Barker, Ed.D

Kind eyes, thoughtful words and plenty of great ideas. These striking qualities of Dr. Paul Barker and the dedication with which he improves anything he encounters have benefitted Our Lady of Good Counsel High School for 12 years. When he retires this spring, Dr. Barker will leave behind much more than a vacant position at the head of the school. He has made an indelible impression that will last throughout the school’s future.

Barker has grown Good Counsel’s endowment, spearheaded the fundraising for and construction of the magnificent Performing Arts Center in 2016, helped diversify the student body and built up the Global Program, band and the STEM program to meet the demands of the 21st Century.

“Dr. Barker’s open and inclusive approach, his eloquent speaking, his insistence of productive communication regardless of how difficult the challenge and his commitment to students’ well-being have enabled him to enrich and improve the school during his tenure and well into the future,” says Rita O’Donnell, past chair of the Good Counsel Board of Directors.

Former Board Chair Hank Deily ’72 adds, “Paul is patient, he is a great leader and gets tremendous respect from people he has contact with. He’s very smart, very wise and he makes good decisions. Good Counsel has been lucky to have him.”

Barker says he has felt a huge sense of responsibility during his time leading the school, especially during the pandemic. “I'm charged with being the head of a school that is impressive on every front,” he says. “I feel very fortunate because it’s a fantastic place.”

Barker emphasizes the unique mission and influence of the Xaverian Brothers. “The Brothers are special men. Their values, which we talk to the kids about all the time, are what our world needs,” he says.

Before serving as president at Good Counsel, he was principal of the John Carroll School in Maryland and staff development director at St. Edward High School in Ohio. He also taught English in the U.S. and in New Zealand, his native country.

But, he says, “Serving as president here has been the peak of my experience in Catholic education.”

THE PEOPLE

Barker says the faculty and staff helped make his experience at Good Counsel wonderful. “When the job gets done well, people talk about how wonderful Good Counsel is, and people want to come here because of the quality. This quality comes from some very talented colleagues,” he says.

Part of that talent lies within his leadership team, which he credits with making things run as they should. “Having a great chief financial officer, advancement director, principal – these things matter. If those parts don’t work, you have a problem.”

Deily points out that Barker handpicked the stellar leadership team when he first joined GC. “His staff was about as good a staff as you could get,” Deily says. “They were firstrate and they worked well together.”

Another group that continually impresses Barker is the students. “They are absolutely remarkable,” he says.” It’s not easy being a teenager, especially these last couple of years, but our students are so impressive. I am blown away by their modesty and their kindness, by all of these kids who have plenty of stress. They have to work hard to be good at what they do – academics, sports, arts. I have been lucky to be surrounded by great people.”

Barker is no stranger to collaboration. Currently serving as a commissioner of the AIMS Accreditation Commission, he has chaired accreditation teams and served as a case study facilitator for the Mid-Career Doctorate in Educational Leadership program at University of Pennsylvania.

During his tenure at Good Counsel, he has worked to ensure the school will continue in excellence for a long time. In close collaboration with the chief financial officer, he prioritized strategic and financial planning, and succeeded in growing the school’s endowment from very little in 2011 to over $9.6 million today.

"Serving as president here has been the peak of my experience in Catholic education."

— Paul Barker Ed.D

THE MEMORIES

It isn’t all about facts and figures for Barker. He fondly recalls days like the one when he launched the Capital Campaign for the Performing Arts Center. Every student was given a yellow t-shirt to wear in support of the fine arts. Barker started making an intentionally dull speech. Just when the students were losing interest, a group of about 20 teachers jumped up and started dancing a Haka – a traditional New Zealand war dance that represents a group’s pride, strength and unity.

“The kids went nuts! It was funny and fierce,” Barker says.

Another time, in 2011 when Barker was new to the school, an earthquake hit the DC-area. “I had grown up with dozens of them, but seeing people around me not knowing what to do…that was memorable.”

“Not long after, we had a genuine fire alarm because of something going on in an elevator shaft, so the whole school went outside,” Barker recalls. “It was a beautiful fall morning. Suddenly, a weather system came through and a monsoon fell over the entire community. We had to close the school!”

With reverence, Barker relates how grand it is to celebrate graduation at the Basilica each year. “I really enjoy being up there and having the opportunity to speak to the graduates and their families. It’s a great way to commemorate four years,” he says. “I’m proud of the fact that I initiated the bookend of graduation, which is convocation. (Continued on page 42)