Principal

Ms. Lia Barnes (lbarnes@odysseyschool.org)
Office Phone: (860) 645-1234Ext.27
My path to Odyssey has been a long and winding road...my career started in nursing in 1983. I worked as an RN for about 11 years, then went into education so that I could be part of preventing health problems rather than always treating them. I worked as a school health educator for 3 years. During this time, I began working with a small group of education pioneers who wanted to create a different model of schooling. At that time, Connecticut was just starting to form the charter school laws, so we decided to go in that direction. We wrote a proposal for a new middle school, and our proposal was the first charter given out by Connecticut! I worked at the brand new Odyssey for 3 years, wearing all different kinds of hats. After 3 years, I decided to go back to school to get my Masters in Educational Leadership. I left OCS and worked at a residential school while I earned my degree. From 2000 to 2005 I worked as an administrator--first, the principal of a small residential school for troubled girls, then as an assistant principal of a big public high school. Both of these were valuable experiences, but I knew that my heart belonged with Odyssey. When Odyssey started the search for a full-time Principal, I joyfully applied and feel extremely honored to have been chosen for the job. I absolutely love the work that I do here at Odyssey, and I love my colleagues, our parents and mostly, our students. I feel so fortunate to be able to be part of something so organic and dynamic as Odyssey. The future looks so bright--I am confident that Odyssey will continue to grow and shine.
I am married and have one grown up daughter, 3 grown stepdaughters and 3 amazing grandchildren! I love to read, hike, be by the ocean, kayak, sail, ride our Harley, make folk art and play with our grandkids. I want to learn how to play the cello and how to dance!