Today’s Meet Our Team Monday is showcasing one of Dillsboro Elementary School’s paraprofessionals – Mrs. Cheri Borntrager.
Mrs. Borntrager attended high school at Wm. Henry Harrison High School in Harrison, Ohio. She went on to pursue an elementary education degree from Miami University where she enjoyed classes in pre-kindergarten, early childhood education, and music.
We asked Mrs. Borntrager if she had a favorite teacher or someone who influenced her decision to go into education and she answered, “My 6th grade teacher, Holly Schmitt Hobby, told me one day to work hard, get good grades, and never look back! Now I find myself working with kids and telling them the same thing.”
Mrs. Borntrager says she chose to become a teacher because she “loves that lightbulb moment when something just clicks.” As a mother, she saw this happen with her own children and wanted to share that moment with other children in the classroom setting. “Helping kids who are having trouble understanding how something is taught, and you show it a different way and they get it - it’s a wonderful feeling when they look at you with the big ‘ah-ha’ moment.”
She says that what she enjoys most about working at Dillsboro Elementary comes down to two things: the students and the staff. “I am in absolute awe of the politeness of the kids at Dillsboro. Lots of ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, and they compliment others all of the time. And the support I get from the people I work with is amazing.”
Mrs. Borntrager has five children (ages 7,11,11,13, and 15) as well as two pet hamsters. Outside of school, Mrs. Borntrager enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time with her loved ones. Although she doesn’t get to do it very often, she really enjoys trap shooting. When we asked if she has a favorite book, Mrs. Borntrager answered, “Pride and Prejudice or the Harry Potter series. I just love to read all kinds of stuff.”
Mrs. Borntrager says that her advice for SDCDC students is, “Work Hard, get good grades, and only look back to see how far you’ve come!”