New second-grade teacher impressed with BES, as faculty member and student parent

Bigfork Elementary School’s new second-grade teacher, Jana Barrett, brings a decade of educational experience and big goals for her students.

Prior to starting her new job at BES, Barrett first heard about Bigfork through her husband who works at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. The couple moved to Lakeside from Boston about a year ago for his job along with their son, Kale, who is now a second-grader at BES, and their four-year-old daughter, Ava.

“My first impression of Bigfork was last Christmas, we came and saw downtown and that was the first time I came to Bigfork, it was beautiful,” Barrett said. “Bigfork is an easy area to fall in love with. I am completely impressed with the school, not just as a teacher with the staff, but as a parent myself.”

Not only does she want to see all 18 of her students make progress this year, but she also wants them to meet the benchmarks for second-grade before entering third. Benchmarks can be skills such as counting to 1,000, writing a narrative, and reading fluently.

She said second-graders are a unique age group to work with because they are somewhat independent but still need their teacher for guidance and help for some things. And, they are still excited about learning and want to be at school. This is something Barrett aims to foster throughout the year.

“I want to inspire kids to want to go to school, to enjoy school while they are learning,” Barrett said. “They are all willing to work hard and want to learn, you can’t ask for more than that as a teacher.”

Barrett’s grandmother was a third-grade teacher and she would spend time watching her work. Then in middle school and high school she worked as a peer-tutor, and from there it was seamless transition into the education program at Pittsburg State University in Kansas where she met her current husband.

After graduation, she taught for one year in Kansas, then seven years in Arkansas, and then worked as a Title One teacher for small groups in Boston for six years before moving to Montana.

She said the most difficult thing about teaching is moving on to another skill when there are still a few that haven’t quite mastered it yet.

“I can’t leave those two or three behind,” Barrett said. “I think of those few students who struggle and I know they are there, you keep yourself awake at night thinking about those students who aren’t getting that skill.”

This is where Barrett rallies up her “team,” the parents, Title One teachers, and classroom aides to give each of her students the individual attention they need. She said her students are a close-knit group and look out for each other, which has also helped make the start of the school year enjoyable.

“There is something about them, they got a smile everyday,” Barrett said. “If something is bothering you, and you don’t have energy, you just get energy from them. And there is something of value in sharing knowledge with another human being.”