Barbara Guth Switzer - Principal
When I was seven years old, I began teaching my brother and friends in the basement of my home in upstate New York. Many years later, after I graduated from high school, I attended the University of Hartford and received a BS in Elementary Education. The following year I went to Lesley College (now Lesley University) and received a MS in Education, majoring in Special Education. I also have a MS in Educational Administration from the University of Southern Maine. My present NH teaching certifications are still in all three of these areas.
This school year, I began my 38th year as an educator. My teaching opportunities over all these years have been in three different school districts. I started as a Special Education Teacher in Lawrence, Mass. and worked there for four years. I moved to New Hampshire and I was hired by the Portsmouth School District, where I worked for 22 years. In Portsmouth, I was a Special Education teacher in all three elementary schools for twelve years, a Special Education Coordinator at the middle and high schools for three years, a Transition Coordinator at the high school for two years and an Assistant Principal at one elementary school for five years. I left the Portsmouth School District to accept the position in SAU 16 as Principal of the Kensington Elementary School in 2001 and I am so fortunate to still be in this role.
Being an educator has always been a rewarding profession for me. I have always felt privileged to be in the presence of children on a daily basis and to watch them grow academically and emotionally. I believe that all children can learn and that it is our job as educators, along with their parents, to figure out what they need to succeed. I have worked with many dedicated and talented educators over my career that have inspired and supported me to grow as a professional.
On a personal note, I live locally with my husband and daughter. We share our home with our Bernese Mountain dog, Baily, and our black cat, Lili. I love to spend my free time with my family and friends. Some of my interests are gardening, reading, walking, swimming, watching dance and yoga.