Imagine getting ready to leave for the first day of high school, and instead of waving goodbye to your mom and dad, they come along with you. Navigating the halls of school can be a unique experience when one of your parents works there. This is the reality for a small group of students at LFHS whose parents are a part of the teaching or administrative staff.    

There are many presumptions surrounding this dynamic. Some believe that having a parent always nearby could lead to a lack of privacy for the student, while others think it might offer a reassuring sense of comfort. It is necessary to explore the pros and cons to provide a balanced perspective and paint a clearer picture of the complexities that come with this specific family situation. 

Four LFHS Scouts and their parents highlight the multifaceted impacts that this particular situation has on both the students and their parents. 

For many students, the presence of a parent at LFHS has provided a built-in support system that brings a sense of familiarity and security in an otherwise active and sometimes overwhelming environment. 

Junior Burke Konz has built a stronger relationship with his mom due to her presence at the school. 

“Transitioning between middle and high school definitely brought my mom and me closer together. I think that since we are always nearby that we can depend on each other for things throughout the day that normally most kids can’t because their parents are working elsewhere,” Konz said. 

Melanie Walsh is the Administrative Assistant to the Associate Principal at the high school.

Her daughter Molly already went through the high school, and her son Jack is currently a senior.

“I love working where my kids go to school. Molly absolutely loved that I worked here when she was a student. It has taken Jack some time to warm up to the benefits of having your mom here. I hope, as a senior, he now appreciates being able to pop into my office for a piece of candy and a hug,” Mrs. Walsh said. 

Junior Will Van Nuys gains additional support from his dad, who teaches history. 

“A benefit of having my dad work at the school is that I can always find him if I need to ask a question or just to have a conversation. Another upside is that since he is a history teacher, if I’m struggling in my history class, I can ask him questions, and he can help me better understand since he knows the curriculum so well,” Van Nuys said. 

Parents working at their child’s school often must juggle their professional responsibilities with the desire to support their child without overstepping boundaries.

English teacher of 23 years Carolyn Konz has had to set boundaries regarding school with her son Burke.

“Sometimes it’s kind of hard because, unlike a typical parent, I am constantly in PowerSchool which makes it so easy for me just to pop over and see how Burke is doing. Burke and I have learned that it is not healthy, so I’ve set boundaries for myself to avoid looking up his grades even though I’m always on PowerSchool,” Mrs. Konz said. 

As Student Council advisor, she makes sure that she carefully balances her dual role at school events. 

“I try to ensure that I stay at check-in at school dances so that Burke won’t have to know that his mom is there; I check him in and then I don’t go wandering.” 

John Maher, a former Dean of Students, is now the Director of Student Services at the high school. One of his stepdaughters graduated from LFHS, and he currently has another, Kayden Prieto, who is a junior.

“Having had one go through when I was a Dean of Students was a little tricky for her mostly. I would know of many confidential things in the school and have to address issues with her fellow classmates. As Director of Student Services, I still have a lot of information, but my direct work with students has greatly decreased, so it is not as tricky. I feel that I have a decent balance,” Mr. Maher said.

In the close-knit community, many staff members attended the high school themselves when they were younger, forming long-lasting connections with their classmates. Now, they have the opportunity to teach each other’s children. 

“Stepping into high school was easy for me because of all the connections I had prior due to my stepdad,” junior Kayden Prieto said. “It’s so fun being in the same environment as the adults I grew up around. They always talk about how bittersweet it is to have watched me transition from a fiver-year-old to now a junior in high school.”

Senior Jack Walsh has made unique and valued connections thanks to his mom working at the school.

“I’ve known Mrs. Crouch for over 10 years; she’s like an aunt to me. Having Mrs. Crouch as my teacher during my sophomore year was great because I could joke around with her in ways I couldn’t with my other teachers. Throughout high school, she has always been there to help me outside of school too whenever I needed someone,” Walsh said. 

Julie Crouch attended high school with Jack’s mom and the two reconnected in 1998 when Mrs. Crouch came back to LFHS and started working as a JV field hockey coach. A few years later, Mrs. Walsh and Mrs. Crouch started coaching the varsity team together from 2008-2016. 

Mrs. Crouch currently works as a member of the Student Services Department and as an English teacher. “It is actually really fun having my friend’s children in class. 100% of the time having that relationship prior to having them in class is a bonus,” Crouch said.

Specific to her relationship with Jack Walsh she said, “We could laugh and joke but also be serious and I could challenge him in ways that maybe wouldn’t work in a more typical student and teacher relationship. Jack and I have a great relationship, so we had a lot of fun in class together. In good fun I also said that Jack better not cross me, because I’ve known him since he was in diapers.”

Mrs. Walsh’s connections with her coworkers influence many other student and teacher relationships.

“Those of us who work where our kids go to school have a close-knit community and look out for each other’s kids, nephews, and nieces. Jack has gone through it with my work friends who love to give him a hard time. He has learned to embrace the friendly joking around that comes with your mom working here, even the rib punches from Mr. Lesniak,” Mrs. Walsh said. 

Parents employed at their children’s school have opportunities that most other parents do not. These include a deeper involvement in their child’s educational development, as they can observe daily school activities firsthand, and build relationships with their children’s teachers, who are also their co-workers. 

Mr. Maher is able to spend additional time with his stepdaughter because of his job.

“I try to make sure I stay in my lane as much as I can, while also trying to be the best support system I can possibly be. Driving to school together in the mornings can be fun and a challenge all at the same time… But I get to spend time during points of the day that other parents don’t have access to,” Mr. Maher said.

Stephen Van Nuys has worked as a history teacher at LFHS since 2002. His relationships with his children’s teachers allow him to stay informed about their progress and any potential issues more promptly than most parents.

“It is always great getting positive feedback from my kids’ teachers. Having taught LFHS teachers’ kids, I have always been completely extremely honest and realistic about how their students have done in my classes. I think my kids’ teachers have always reciprocated this courtesy, so it’s always great getting genuine complimentary comments,” Mr. Van Nuys said. “It’s never easy to hear when your children may be struggling academically, but my wife and I have always stressed that our kids should be good people over being good students, and it has been great to hear nice things about the type of character our kids have from their teachers.”

He adds that “watching my daughter Maddie graduate last June when I was a teacher in the audience was very special.” 

Due to working at her son’s school, Mrs. Walsh has been able to attend school events that other parents cannot. 

“My absolute favorite moment was just a couple of weeks ago during the pep rally. I was filming the senior football, pom, and cheer dance. It was so special to be a parent and be here for that. I know a lot of parents who would have loved to have been here but the pep rally is really for the kids, teachers, and staff,” Mrs. Walsh said. “I finished filming and looked over at Mrs. Crouch, one of my closest friends and both of us were crying. Granted, we are both criers by nature but it was such a sweet moment that I was so grateful to be a part of.”

The experiences of these families highlight the importance of communication and understanding when balancing professional and personal lives in a school environment. Overall, this unique dynamic requires careful navigation of boundaries and roles. 

“At first, I was a little nervous about starting high school with my stepdad working there, but I see now that it is probably one of the best experiences I’ll ever have,” Prieto said.