Lakeland Academy staff highlight impact of small-school community in Freeport

For Julie Stratton of New Philadelphia, the best part of working at Lakeland Academy in Freeport is the community and the relationships. The school is small, she said, but the impact on individual lives is big.

“I love children,” Stratton said. “I love watching them glow when they learn something new. I stayed home and raised my kids, so I kind of did it with them.”

Now in her third year of teaching, Stratton has 23 students in kindergarten through first grade. She teaches reading, math, social studies and science and says her favorite moments are when hard concepts finally click. “I love when they catch something,” she said. “Like they’re having struggles and finally get it. You see that lightbulb go off. It’s fun to watch them grow.”

Stratton has an associate degree in education from Kent State University. She hopes to emulate her own kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Rafael. “She was just very laid back and calm. She was an amazing teacher,” Stratton said. “I would tell her that she made a huge difference whether she knew it or not. She really made me look forward to coming to school.”

Kim Peters serves as the school’s secretary. She started at the end of last year and helps keep daily operations running smoothly. After years spent raising her children, Peters was drawn to the job by a friend and brought experience from working in a school library and as a secretary in the Claymont school system.

“With my youngest turning 26 this year, I wanted something to get me out of the house again,” she said. “When I first started here the kids would just walk by and look at me side-eye, like ‘who are you?’ Then they started calling me Ms. Kim and waving at me and talking to me more, and they were coming out of their shell.”

Lakeland has about 100 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Peters sees the small-school setting as a strength. “In a small setting I think you can make more of a difference in the kids’ lives,” she said.

Her role extends beyond the front desk. She helps students call parents about forgotten lunches, hands out bandages for minor cuts and offers a warm, nurturing presence. “I’m almost like the mom of the school,” she said.

Stratton and Peters say they look forward to many more years of working and growing at Lakeland. Peters’ advice for students is simple: “Make the most of it because it’s going to go by in the blink of an eye. These are the best days even if you don’t think they are.”