New superintendent aims to lead Trimble from recovery to growth
By: Jenna Bolton
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — After years of financial uncertainty and difficult budget cuts, Trimble Local School District is entering a new chapter with a familiar face.
Kristin Barker has been named the district’s next superintendent, bringing more than 34 years of experience in public education as a teacher, principal, district administrator, professor and former superintendent.
Barker previously served as superintendent of Morgan Local Schools before returning to Trimble last year as a literacy coach, a role that gave her a firsthand look at the district’s recent challenges and resilience.
She now takes over as the district continues its recovery from a fiscal emergency and works to build on the financial progress made over the past year.
![Kristin Barker takes over as Superintendent of Trimble, effective July 1 [Facebook]](https://woub.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/TRIMBLE-IMG-.jpg)
Last year was one of the most difficult in recent memory for Trimble. To address a growing financial crisis, the district eliminated positions and reduced staffing, changes that left employees adjusting to fewer resources and increased workloads.
While voters approved an earned income tax levy last November that helped stabilize the district’s finances, Trimble still remains under state fiscal oversight as it continues its recovery.
Barker said the effects of those cuts were felt throughout the school community.
“People were still reeling from the rifts that were involved, the cuts that were made,” she said. “It was really a rough start for the morale of the staff in particular and becoming accustomed to the new normal and working with kids without some of the supports and help that had been provided in the past.”
Despite those challenges, Barker said teachers and staff leaned on one another and kept students at the center of their work.
“People just dug in and supported each other,” she said. “We found ways to make it work and celebrated the small wins and just sort of got through it and emerged better and stronger for it. There’s a lot of Tomcat pride here, and people aren’t willing to let that go. They want to build a new future.”
While the district’s finances have improved, Barker said maintaining that momentum remains a top priority.
“We are now on a better financial path,” Barker said. “We are still under state oversight, and I am looking forward to working with the Financial Commission in order to keep us on that path and to move from surviving to thriving.”
As superintendent, Barker said her focus extends beyond balancing the budget. With the district heading toward financial stability, she hopes to shift attention back to student achievement and academic growth.
“My love and my passion is education,” she said. “I really want to dig into how we can help students achieve and grow. How can we move the needle? How can we apply some rigor and relevance into the classrooms that really grow our kids?”
She said she also wants Trimble to continue improving student outcomes, strengthen academic programs and remain competitive with neighboring districts.
Looking ahead, Barker believes the district has the opportunity to build on the progress already made.
“I understand the need for stability, the need for positivity, the desire for growth,” Barker said. “That is what I am going to bring to Trimble Local.”