Teacher Spotlight: Mrs. Tracie Esterby - Nurturing Young Minds and Hearts at St. Francis School

We’re shining the spotlight on our 3YK preschool and wrap-around program teacher, Mrs. Tracie Esterby. This is Mrs. Esterby’s second year teaching at St. Francis School, but she has been practicing for this role her entire life as she played “school” every day as a young child. She took a detour from teaching when, as a senior in high school, her grandpa encouraged her to become a nurse. She followed his advice and earned her nursing degree. While raising four daughters, she worked as a nurse in nursing homes, hospitals, and finally in primary care. In the fall of 2011, Mrs. Esterby decided to pursue her childhood dream of teaching and began working at Prairie View School in the first and second-grade classrooms. She then transitioned to working at Ellsworth Elementary School in Title 1 and in the Health Office as a nurse. In the fall of 2022, her heart was calling her back to the classroom and that’s when God placed Mrs. Esterby in the preschool classroom at St. Francis School. 

Her favorite age group to teach is early childhood because of the students’ enthusiasm for school and the love that they show their friends and teachers. She noted that the funny things the students do and say melt her heart. Mrs. Esterby enjoys teaching all subjects, but she is especially fond of reading. She loves seeing students have “light bulb moments” when concepts click for them. She also appreciates that preschool students are all learning in a classroom setting for the first time, so they aren’t worried about how well their classmates did or didn’t do on their work. The students celebrate their successes with high fives, kiss your brains, bless your hearts, and big hugs.  

Mrs. Esterby incorporates St. Francis School’s mission and Catholic virtues each and every day through the behaviors that she models and encourages in her students. From using kind words, taking turns, cleaning up, and working hard on projects, they are all learning to work collaboratively. When they stumble, they encourage each other to try again. When they do well, they celebrate their success by praising each other.

She loves the small, family-oriented community at St. Francis School. She is close with all the teachers and works with them collaboratively to provide students with an exceptional academic experience. She is also able to get to know each family, which allows her to partner with parents to support students and hold them accountable. Parents are informed about what students are learning in a weekly newsletter and are able to reinforce these lessons at home. An example of this is teaching students to dress in their snow gear independently. Because it’s a challenge for Mrs. Esterby to dress 10 students in winter gear for recess, she teaches the students tricks to dress themselves at school and the students practice it at home with their parents. 

Mrs. Esterby feels blessed to work at St. Francis School and truly loves the school community. She is grateful to be able to freely talk with students about faith. We at St. Francis School feel equally as blessed to have her as a part of our teaching staff. Her early childhood knowledge, experience, patience, kindness, and dedication are unmatched. Thank you for all you do for our preschoolers, Mrs. Esterby!