APB Welcomes Back New parents
Animo Pat Brown has continued the tradition of being a revolving door for teachers coming or going to start families of their own. This year was certainly no exception.
Recently, a few teachers have returned from maternity leave. Although they need the long deserved break, coming back to APB was a struggle for these teachers because of all the planning and paperwork they need to do and leaving their newborns in the morning. Ms. Medina, Ms. Bruski, and Ms Espiritu returned to APB while Ms. Edelman is preparing to become a new mother and is leaving.
Bruski
English teacher Katy Bruski has returned to APB this new year after her 5-month maternity leave. Her transition from full-time stay-at-home mother to teacher at school has appeared seamless but behind the scenes it is a struggle to readjust to a teaching schedule. “It is difficult because I had to get up really early to get to work” Bruski said. “It’s fine but I have to make sure everything is 100% ready in the morning.”
Bruski is not the only one going through a transition as APB seniors are also adjusting to their new teacher. Senior Jasmine Perez, was relieved at the news that her English teacher would be returning for second semester. She mentioned feeling nervous and didn’t know if she was going to be strict despite being relieved that her actual teacher came back. A sense of relief came when things became business as usual as Bruski helped them with notebook organization and helped them to understand certain concepts. Overall she feels it’s better now that she is back as “the last semester was out of hand” for her class.
Medina
Dolores Medina, the AP Spanish and the Spanish 1 teacher has returned to APB to continue teaching her students just in time for the impeding AP tests coming this May. Despite the fact that Ms. Medina absence may have been long, she came back prepared and ready to teach. Though Ms. Medina came to school ready, she explains her struggles of juggling being a mom and a teacher.“It’s hard to wake up in the mornings and not able to sleep in” Medina said. “Not because of myself but because of my baby”.Being a mom is hard since she has to give all her attention to her baby in which she might not have the time to do her work as a teacher. In addition, she felt like that she forgot part of how to do her job since she been out for quite a while. Yet junior Karina Estevez welcomed her back and was looking forward seeing Ms. Medina back.
“Now we are going to learn about the AP exam coming up this May” Karina said.As Ms. Medina came back after winter break, Karina said that Ms. Medina was prepared since she showed her and the rest of the AP Spanish class the agenda of the semester. Karina felt what she was looking forward to the rest of the semester.
Edelman:
Second year APB English 11 teacher Madeleine Edelman is preparing to leave to begin her journey of motherhood. This will be Edelman’s first child.“I am really excited! Edelman said. “Couldn’t be happier but nervous.”Having a new child is not the only thing that is getting Edelman nervous.“I’m worried that the sub is not going to do what I have planned” Edelman said. She felt her absence would impact the classroom in a negative way.
Her students also shared this fear. Junior Laura Herrera is a “bit worried” upon Ms. Edelman’s departure,
“Different substitute’s won’t teach nor will they help us with the work left behind.” She said the work ethic would negatively change and that some students would take advantage of the situation and slack off the entire time.
