Woodbury Central Community School District

Mrs. Stratton Teacher interview

By Lyndzy Flewelling

Mrs. Stratton, the Spanish teacher at Woodbury Central, is most satisfied in her job when things “click” for her students. One of her teaching goals is for a Spanish IV student to continue to study Spanish in college; at least a couple of her students have met this goal for her. When Mrs. Stratton describes her workstyle, she says that she is both “organized and relaxed.” The toughest part of her job, she adds, is “time management.”

An idea that Mrs. Stratton has implemented for the school is the new high school Pep Club, which stands for Positive Energy People or, as she explains, “students involved in positive energy in school and activities.” Together Mrs. Stratton and Mrs. McElrath developed the idea for a Pep Club when some students wanted a club to support school spirit.

Mrs. Stratton grew up in Moville and graduated from WC in 1996. Since she spends long hours at school, then the time she has with her family is exceptionally valuable. Her family includes her husband Casey, and their children Jacey, 17; Blake, 15; and Hanna, 12. Mrs. Stratton attends a lot of basketball games because all of her children play basketball.

Before Mrs. Stratton started teaching, she ran an in-home daycare for nine years. She went to Buena Vista University for her Bachelors and Masters degrees. She was a student teacher at Whittier Elementary school in Sioux City and at Kingsley Pierson. She chooses to teach at WC because it is where she “grew up.”