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Weakley County Schools Announces New Transportation Director
Weakley County Schools welcomes Tim Barker as the district's new Transportation Director. The longtime educator began July 21.
"Like the rest of the country, Weakley County Schools has faced numerous challenges in securing bus drivers," noted WCS Director Randy Frazier. "Finding the right leader who can navigate through that crisis while also keeping our buses safely on the roads was a priority. We were fortunate that Tim Barker was available and has the experience to build on the foundation his predecessor Ron Byington laid. With our staff already hard at work preparing for the upcoming school year, we are grateful for the ease of transition."
Barker brings 36 years of experience serving surrounding school districts as a teacher, administrator, and bus driver. Most recently, he was a full-time bus driver and math teacher at Big Sandy School (Benton County).
"I'm thrilled to join the team," said Barker. "I've enjoyed working in a variety of roles in education, and I know this will be a fulfilling new way to serve parents and students. I'm very fortunate because Weakley County Schools has a strong, safe bus operation already in place."
Frazier noted Barker's institutional knowledge regarding safety, scheduling, planning, and logistics will be well utilized in his new role.
Barker places safety as the top priority. "Our transportation team is on the front lines of our education system, and they really set the tone on a daily basis for students. Bus drivers know it's important to relate to students and demonstrate that we care through our safety measures. We hope that parents will help us communicate to students how important it is to follow school bus rules every day," said Barker.
To assist with communication, Weakley Schools has recently added GPS hardware for each bus. With the new application, parents can monitor the exact location of the child's bus in transit. More information and instructions on downloading the app will be available soon.
Barker said he believes that open communication is an important responsibility of his position.
"My door is always open. Please reach out to our office with any concerns or questions you have. We are looking forward to a great school year," said Barker.
Barker is a former principal of McKenzie Elementary School (Carroll County) and a former assistant principal of Big Sandy School (Benton County). Over the years, he's taught various subjects including math and chemistry. He also acted as AP coordinator and building testing coordinator. He taught at Huntingdon High School, Big Sandy School, Waverly High School, and Camden Central High School. He served as a full-time bus driver shuttling students between Big Sandy and Camden this past year where it was common for him to drive upwards of 100 miles each day.
Barker obtained his teaching degree from Bethel University and an administration and supervision degree from Tennessee State University. He is married to Vicki Barker who is a certified pharmacy technician, former school secretary, and education assistant. Mrs. Barker will soon be behind the wheel as a Weakley County bus driver and an education assistant at Dresden Middle.
The Barkers love the Smoky Mountains and spending time with family. They have two sons, Aaron and Andrew, and two granddaughters.