Barrie joined Spring Street in the Fall of 2021, as Dean of Faculty and Dean of Academics. She grew up in Vail, Colorado deeply immersed in the outdoors taking full advantage of the mountains, skiing, hiking, and mountain biking. Her educational philosophy as a teacher is that students thrive when they are known, seen, understood, and challenged. The student is the center of the work in any classroom, and they need to be loved, respected, and seen as capable of problem-solving and navigating frustration. They are perfect in their imperfections and when they work in an environment absent of judgment, students thrive exponentially. Embracing place-based and project-based learning is a common thread throughout Barrie’s career as an educator as well as fostering creative pedagogy, advancing professional development, and building joy among her fellow teachers.
Barrie joined Spring Street after serving for ten years as the Head of School at a fellow PNW college-preparatory independent school and as a teacher of humanities. In between tenures at independent schools, Barrie has worked in real estate and project management for environmental consulting firms. She loves the creative process and is an accomplished pastry chef, enjoys reading with her cat, Oscar, and embraces any opportunity for home improvement and playing board games with her two kids.
