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Teachers With Babies

It’s hard to imagine that our teachers actually have lives outside of school. We typically only consider how much they tend to invade our personal lives with the hours of homework they pile on us. However the tables turn when they have to grade all of the homework they’ve assigned us or plan lessons for classes.

Most of us feel overwhelmed and busy with sports, school, and extracurriculars. But this year there are teachers who are even busier than us. How is this possible? Well this year Ms. Downey and Mr.Starace are both new parents, who are responsible for keeping another human being alive. I hate to say it but having a child makes them a tad busier than the average high school student.

Ms. Downey has a son who is seven months old. His name is Leland Matthew. Ms. Downey waited to find out if she was having a girl or boy but she “had a feeling.” Last year Ms.Downey took a whole semester off so this year is her first year balancing raising a child and teaching. She said that her “teacher brain is totally different,” so it’s not difficult to focus on work while she is at school and be totally focused on her son as soon as she goes home. When asked if she would bring Leland to school she said, “Yes. I am patiently awaiting this day!” Of course I had to ask how she would feel about teaching him in the future. Her response: “I would teach him if I had to. For instance if I taught sophomore year HISP, when I have to teach every HISP student, however, I would prefer not to because I fear I would be unable to separate mom from teacher.” Leland might end up having both of his parents as future teachers, since Ms. Downey’s husband teaches at a middle school. Ms.Downey is taking parenting and teaching in a stride.

Mr. Starace welcomed a baby girl last June. Her name is Ruby Jaqueline and she’s almost 4 months old. Ruby’s arrival in June was planned so Mr. Starace could stay home all summer without missing school. Mr. Starace said he is very open with his students about Ruby. Last year he even hung up the sonograms in his room. Mr. Starace wanted Ruby’s gender to be a surprise so the doctor had to make sure all of the sonograms kept the gender a secret. Fun fact: if Ruby had been a boy, Mr. Starace was going to name him Tiberius, in honor of Tiberius Gracchus who was a famous Roman politician. Alas, Ruby is a girl, and an adorable and outgoing one at that! Ruby has visited McClatchy already! Starace says the hardest part about balancing work and Ruby is being away from her (how sweet!). He also added that if he teaches Ruby, his strategy would be to “avoid poking the bear” by leaving her alone.

These teachers don’t have it easy so just remember next time they seem a little tired they probably didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. Congratulations Ms. Downey and Mr.Starace!

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