The idea of work brings separation from your family members, but a few George County High School staff members are breaking that thought.
Out of the staff on campus there are three sets of parent- child relationships. This includes Jason and Kailey Holland, Walter VanVleck and Molly Hare, and Teresa and Ethan Eubanks.
Jason Holland is the head principal and Kailey Holland is an English I teacher. Kailey Holland was nervous at first, but it has overall worked nice. Even though they have to have a boss-staff relationship, the Hollands still are able to maintain their father-daughter bond.
“At first I was a little skeptical about it because having your dad as your boss kind of sounds like a scary thing, but he and I have good boundaries on what we will and won’t talk about,” Kailey said.
Both Kailey and Jason Holland have different ways that they have helped each other to become even more successful.
“I had to raise daughters, so I’m sure that’s helped me to be a better boss and a better principal because I’ve got my kids of my own and I can relate that as I am dealing with people,” Principal Holland said.
Next, is Walter VanVleck and Molly Hare. VanVleck is the IEP team leader at the high school and Molly Hare teaches English II. Both Vanvleck and Hare agree that it is nice to work close to each other.
“It’s comforting because I know that he will always be there if I need something, literally right down the way, even if it’s snacks,” Hare said.
Some people might think that working with family members would be different or even odd, but VanVleck seems to disagree.
“It’s really no different than any other coworker, I guess, for the most part, other than she’s my ride home every afternoon,” VanVleck said.
The last parent-child relationship is Teresa and Ethan Eubanks. Teresa Eubanks will be retiring this year at Christmas, and this is Ethan Eubank’s first year teaching at the George County High School. Teresa Eubanks is the creative writing and Mississippi writer’s teacher, and Ethan Eubanks is a college and career readiness teacher. In the teaching aspect of it, Teresa Eubanks has made some changes.
“I’ve told stories about him to my students over the years that I would do about all my family. And so now, instead of calling him by his first name, I have to say ‘Coach Eubanks’ and I’ve limited the number of stories that I tell,” Teresa Eubanks said.
With his mother retiring at Christmas, it will be cutting their working time together short.
“It’s a happy, sad, bittersweet kind of deal because she has been here for so long. . . I know she has got a better opportunity to enjoy some time off and do some other things that she enjoys doing, and we’re excited about it, but still gonna be selfishly missing her here in the building,” Ethan Eubanks said.
As we continue through the next few years, these “new teachers” will continue to carry-on the legacy of their parents, teaching and inspiring.
