As Howard County Superintendent Bill Barnes addressed an auditorium of educators earlier this month, his headpiece mic stopped working abruptly. Without missing a beat, he said, “These special mics are reserved for Britney Spears.”

Laughter filled the room. The moment of levity came naturally for an unassuming educator who never expected to be a superintendent but who has now slid into the role with apparent ease.

Barnes, who is entering his 16th year with the school district, started his career as a high school math teacher in Baltimore County. He was Howard County’s coordinator of math and curriculum for nearly a decade before becoming the chief academic officer in 2017. Yet he never set his sights on the top position.

If asked a year ago if he would become the Howard County Public School System’s eighth superintendent, Barnes, 52, would have flat out said no. He keeps a low profile compared to his predecessor, Michael Martirano, a high-energy, charismatic leader, who retired in January after running the school system for almost seven years. Barnes is more reserved, unassuming and a realist.

Faced with budget woes, education reforms and rebuilding relationships with families and staff, Barnes, some say, may be exactly the kind of leader the school system needs.

School Board Chair Jen Mallo, who served under both Martirano and Barnes, said that Barnes’ leadership style is more focused on elevating those around him.

“Dr. Martirano was high energy and a showman, and sometimes you need the person at the top to be a cheerleader like Martirano was. [But] right now the leadership we need is not someone who relishes at being at the top of the spotlight but someone who wants to get the work done and doesn’t care who gets the credit,” Mallo said.

Growing up, Barnes said, he was a withdrawn and shy student. He had a tough childhood. His family was poor and lived in a Severn trailer park for several years. His father abused alcohol, Barnes said, and at times took his demons out on Barnes and his mother physically. Barnes was a chronically absent student until his final year of middle school, when school became his safe place.

In college, former teachers suggested Barnes go into education. And then everything clicked.

When he began teaching mathematics, Barnes had students who were living in poverty, facing academic challenges or confronting other barriers. Even as he moved up and became department chair, he would schedule his classes with the students who needed the most help.

“It was a real strong calling to be there for those kids,” Barnes said.

Caroline Walker, the school system’s chief equity and innovation officer, said Barnes’ charge is to make school a special, sacred place where students can grow and learn without boundaries in place.

Mallo added: “He’s really focused on that core mission of providing high-quality education to every student and he can and does acknowledge that we aren’t there yet. And that level of frank assessment and honesty is indicative of his openness and willingness to call it what it is.”

While he never saw himself at the helm of the district, Barnes holds onto advice his mother gave to him years ago. “You don’t want to go through life regretting a missed opportunity,” Barnes recited. He also recalled Martirano saying to himself and others, “when you’re superintendents one day,” and while Barnes would brush it off, he got a sense that skill set was building.

“You’re never really ready to do it,” Barnes said. “There’s still a lot to learn, and that’s exciting.”

Ben Schmitt, president of the Howard County Education Association, said Barnes’ leadership is “what’s needed for right now.”

Barnes “is pragmatic yet hopeful at the same time,” Schmitt said. “He’s realistic and understanding.”

It also helps, Schmitt said, that it wasn’t too long ago that Barnes was in a classroom. And that as he moved up the ranks, he never had a stint as a principal. That goes a long way with educators, Schmitt said, because it means Barnes doesn’t think everything needs to go through administrators; he sees everyone on equal footing.

John SanGiovanni, the school system’s elementary mathematics curriculum coordinator, said Barnes “hasn’t lost connection with the classroom and that is so important. Many leaders haven’t been in the classroom in years.”

Having worked with Barnes for years, SanGiovanni appreciates his “honesty and transparency, and he will own a situation.”

When Barnes took on the acting superintendent role, he faced a difficult budget season. Instead of continuing the tradition of aspirational budgets, he recommended a realistic one that came with the challenge of figuring out how to address a nearly $100 million funding gap and the need to cut jobs.

When Barnes navigated how to make central office lean and remove school-based positions, everyone who wished to stay in a different role was given an opportunity. But everyone had to interview, a move that Schmitt said showcased that they are all treated the same, regardless of their position.

Despite a challenging budget season, Barnes also completed the feat of visiting all 78 schools this last spring.

“I know when he’s going on school visits, it’s less about the pomp and circumstance and having his photos taken or walking around with local politicians. He wants to see everything. The good and the bad,” Schmitt said.

Barnes took the time to speak with custodial staff, students, administration, teachers, related arts teachers and more, Schmitt said. He did this to ensure he heard from a cross section of the district. Barnes welcomes criticism and knows there is room for improvement, Schmitt said.

Barnes makes himself available. He strives for transparency with school system staff and the community. And it’s being noticed.

When Martirano joined the school system, he was the right choice at that time, Schmitt said. “However many felt as it went longer into his tenure that he became more disconnected. It took several steps to get [directly] to him,” Schmitt added.

That’s not the case with Barnes. SanGiovanni said he hasn’t a leader so accessible and open in his 20 years with the school system.

But it isn’t a new practice for Barnes. Even when he was a chief, his door was always open.