Mr. Jim Barry

Blue Pride Spotlight: Jim Barry
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This week, the Blue Pride spotlight shines on Homer Junior High School Science teacher, Jim Barry.

Jim grew up in Monroe, New York where he was one of seven children. Living on a lake, Jim and his siblings spent a good deal of time outdoors, exploring and experiencing nature. This early exposure helped shape his interest and appreciation for the world around him.

Two years after marrying his wife, Joanne, the Barry's traveled cross-country in 1979, spending a good deal of time in national parks along the way. While on the trip, Jim decided to pursue a long time dream of becoming a park ranger and enrolled in the natural resources program at Humboldt State University in Northern California. He graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Natural Resources Interpretation in 1986.

After graduation, the pull of family moved he and Joanne back to New York with them settling in Cortland. A Master's Degree in teaching Science from SUNY Cortland followed with Mr. Barry's first teaching position bringing him to Homer Junior High in 1989.
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Since that time, Mr. Barry has pursued his goal of teaching science and instilling in his students awareness about the environment both locally and globally. Anyone who has taken a walk behind the Junior High School has seen the wonderful nature area that he began, which serves as an outdoor learning laboratory for the district's students. Over the years, Jim has written grants to support additions to this area to enrich learning opportunities for children.

He has headed the Cortland Area Science Teachers group for 13 years, meeting monthly with Central New York teachers to network, discuss curriculum, and attend lectures and conferences. He coordinates the Homer Teachers Association Highway Cleanup Initiative and represents the district in the Tioughnioga River Trail Project.

Science is alive and well at Homer Junior High due in large part to Mr. Jim Barry, this week's Homer Schools Blue Pride Spotlight of the week recipient.

Featured speaker Jim Barry, a junior high school science teacher, asked the audience members to belt out the name of the graduate they were there to celebrate. "Make the rafters shake," Barry told the crowd, eliciting a deafening response.