Ratcliff Seeks Three More Years on Wentzville School Board

Board of Education Vice President Terry Ratcliff is entering her third year on the school board.

With the upcoming elections Ratcliff said she hopes to serve another three years.

Prior to her start on the school board, Ratcliff was a volunteer with the PTA and was actively involved in the Lake Saint Louis Mothers Club. She said she loved being a part of her community.

“As my kids got older there was a lot of negative in the newspaper and in the schools," she said. "There were some things I felt the boards were not doing — mainly in communication and being able to communicate with their teachers and the parents.”

With her marketing background Ratcliff said she felt she could improve on communication within the board and within the schools. 

“I have a degree from the University of Missouri - St. Louis in business administration with an emphasis in marketing," she said. "I also worked for Taylor Morley homes for about 10 years.”

After her work at Taylor Morley, Ratcliff decided she wanted to be a stay home mother for a while. It was then she started her work within the community.

“I loved working in the school system and PTA so much that when my son was in the fifth grade I returned to school and got my teaching degree.”

Ratcliff received her degree from and has been teaching ever since. She works at Hope High School.

“I love it — I’ve just always felt involved with my community," she said. "I’ve always felt that I’m a leader that I have good communication skills and I’m good at listening.”

Ratcliff said her phone is always open for people to call.

“I will talk to them and I think that it is a good thing having that open lines of communication with the board.”

But it’s not all work for Ratcliff. She said she enjoys sewing. In fact she designs a lot of her own clothes. Ratcliff also loves reading, working out and swimming.

“I like my Cardinals but that’s about it — I’m not a big sports fan,” she said.

Ratcliff keeps a hectic schedule. She has four children and teaches a wide variety of subjects.

“Mostly in the family consumer science area," she said. "But I also teach a PE class and health child development class.”

Ratcliff has been part of some major projects that the school board implemented.

“I’m really proud that we got full-day kindergarten. I think that is really important for early child hood education," she said. "Knowing what I know about child development I know how important early education is in getting kids going.”

Ratcliff also is very proud of the leadership class she teaches.

“It’s probably one of the most fulfilling things that I do because I take kids that don’t believe they are leaders and teach them how to be positive leaders.”

The class always does a community service project and she believes they have done some wonderful things within the community.

“Last semester we did a homecoming for the senior citizens at the O’Fallon Senior Citizens Center that was just amazing. We have done carnivals and festivals for kids of Head Start, Crisis Nursery, Down Syndrome Association and we also held a fundraiser which bought a Wii and a big screen for the elderly at the O’Fallon Senior Citizens Center,” Ratcliff said.

Ratcliff said has found satisfaction in her teaching career.

"I really wanted to serve my community and it’s very fulfilling for me.”