Barrington 220 School District has more than 1,000 employees, but not all of them work with directly with students. There are dozens of staff members that work behind the scenes to ensure the district’s operations run smoothly. Ruth Toht Kinkely, Barrington 220's Asset Control Specialist, is one of those people.
As the Asset Control Specialist, Ruth is responsible for managing district resources like iPads, MacBook Air computers and other digital assets and generating recommendations for improvements to database systems and inventory supports.
Staff members know Ruth by her infectious smile and positive demeanor, always willing take on any task presented to her without hesitation.
“I am very detail oriented and I love organization,” she said. “My job is a giant puzzle and I need to determine solutions from bits and pieces of information that come in from across the district,” she said.
A native of Wheaton, Ruth attended Columbia College Chicago earning a degree in management with a focus in fine arts.
“My degree is basically management of museums and galleries. I shifted more toward the business side of my degree over time,” she said.
After she completed her undergraduate work, she married her high school sweetheart, and they settled down in the northwest suburbs. She developed an interest in working in a school district after coaching lacrosse at Maine South High School.
“Being a public servant is a really rewarding experience,” Ruth said.
Originally hired as an asset clerk, her role was restructured to a specialist position in 2016.
“Her attention to detail and pride in her work make her very valuable to this district,” said LeeAnn Taylor, Director of Fiscal Services.
Ruth’s position sends her all over the district to manage devices and assets from every school and facility.
“Any device a student touches, I probably touched it first,” she said. “I’m really behind the scenes. You don’t see what’s happening in the public, but it’s a step to get the students and staff to get what they need for successful teaching and learning.”
