Dinastía

"I put the good news that your nephew joined the staff on the leadership agenda," my friend and colleague Matt told me this morning.

I knew just what he was talking about. For the last many years I was in that group as team leader, we started every meeting by sharing good news and kudos. I had also read the minutes of the meeting; old habits die hard, I guess. And of course I knew that my nephew Treat had joined the staff to work in Heidi's program

"We think he's the fourth parent-child employee for our school," Matt said, because Treat's mom, my sister-in-law, is the art teacher at our school.

"Fourth!" I responded with furrowed brow. "I know there's Nicki and Garret," I began.

"And Nicki and her mom way back when," he continued. 

I nodded. Nicki, a veteran special education teacher, had started as a personal assistant for a student in my TA over 20 years ago. At the time, her mom was the special ed lead in our building. Nicki's next position was as Heidi's assistant, but by then she was working on her teaching credentials and starting a family. We had all watched her son Garret grow up, even as we mourned the loss of her mom to cancer.

"That makes three," I said.

"Me and my mom!" Matt reminded me. I smiled and nodded, remembering that five years ago when he joined our staff, Matt's mother had been our longtime library assistant. 

"Amazing!" I marveled. "What a testament to our school and community! Not to mention all the former students who have also come back to work here."

Even right across the river from the capital of one of the most powerful countries in the world, in one of the fastest growing places in the country, we still keep those small town connections.