Faculty & Staff

Sarah Barrett’s father is a math-education professor at Illinois State University in Bloomington. And she’s got fond memories of him making learning fun.

“Dad was always giving us little math games to play,” she recalls. “He and some of my teachers kept finding ways to get me excited about learning.”

She follows their example as a teacher today.

“I try to encourage my students and find creative ways to help them,” she says. “I want them to know I believe in them. And when I see that they have an interest or talent, I want to help bring that out.”

Miss Barrett began her career in 2020 at Madison Elementary School in Wheaton, Ill., before teaching at Judah Christian School in Champaign the following year. She has been at St. John since August 2022.

“It’s hard work, but it’s such a privilege to be a Christian teacher,” she says. “It’s such a blessing to do this work in a place where the teachers and staff support each other.”

That supportive environment is one she seeks to create in her own classroom as well.

“I repeatedly tell my students: ‘We only use our words to build each other up,’ ” she says. “That’s a biblical theme. We’re building God’s temple.”

Miss Barrett has a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with an endorsement in Special Education from Wheaton College.