DR. MICHAEL BARNES

Dr. Michael Barnes

Dr. Michael Barnes grew up from humble beginnings. Hard times forced his family to move from Collinwood to Euclid. Though his original plan was to attend Law School, Dr. Barnes got a temporary job as a teacher in Euclid while waiting to go. However, inspired by the beaming faces of his students, Dr. Barnes realized his true passion was teaching. But still, just being in a classroom did not satisfy his commitment to service. With this passion and unwillingness to settle, he began to climb the ranks from Assistant Superintendent at Mayfield to superintendent in Lakewood, where he was excited to take on a higher leadership position. Then, Dr. Barnes was offered the Superintendent position at Mayfield. Though he hadn’t grown up there, he and his family were very close to the Mayfield community; he felt that it was his home and was excited to give back to the place so close to his heart.

Dr. Michael Barnes describes his favorite part of the job as being “the development of  a vision and strategy to provide purpose and pathways for students to reach their highest potential.” This has been his focus in every position and aspect of his life. Dr. Barnes has displayed his yearning to be a part of the discovery and implementation of 21st-century skills in the classroom. Here at Mayfield, he has led the development of the portrait of a Mayfield Wildcat. This portrait entails building a skill set to be able to navigate the world and find success in one’s future. Starting his career as a teacher gave him the opportunity to learn about students' wants and needs, using this knowledge to create positive change as a district leader.

Dr. Barnes' story carries immense importance and life lessons. He came from humble beginnings as his parents struggled financially, causing them to move a lot while maintaining a close-knit and loving family life. Dr. Barnes called himself an “average student” during his academic career, yet here he is now, as the superintendent of our amazing school district. He has proved that effort takes no natural talent. As long as you have a strong work ethic, you can surpass people who might just have natural talent. It does not matter what class you are born into, your background, or education you received. Any goals you set can be met through hard work and determination.

~Aaron '25, Carlo '23, Molly '23