Silver Lake school district experiences baby boom
by Randi Billings
December 14, 2009
Silver Lake High School has recently
been experiencing another baby boom within the faculty. Jokes have
been circulating that the increase in the pregnancy rate is due to
drinking the Silver Lake water. There are two elementary school
teachers and three high school teachers who are currently pregnant.
Along with two high school teachers who have already had their
baby, three of these teachers were pregnant during the previous
baby boom episode of the 2006-2007 school year.
Jamie Manhart, SLHS journalism teacher, and
Trish Backman, SLHS special education teacher, had their babies
earlier this semester. Backman had a baby girl, London Backman and
Manhart had a baby boy, Jax Manhart. Jax is Manhart’s third child
and her only boy. A growing family can be a major
transformation.
“Someone once told me that going from two
kids to three kids is like going from man-to-man defense to zone.
Our kids now outnumber us, so that has been an adjustment,”
describes Manhart.
Over at the grade school, Sarah Johnson,
second grade teacher and HS head volleyball coach, and Debra
Donelan, music teacher are pregnant. This will be Johnson’s first
child and Donelan’s second.
At the high school, Sandra Liggatt, SLHS
band teacher, Syndia Guerrero, SLHS Spanish teacher, and Christina
Weber, SLHS English teacher are all expecting. For Liggatt and
Weber this will be their second experience of being pregnant. This
will be Guerrero’s first child. Guerrero’s baby girl was expected
December 13, Weber’s baby is due at the beginning of March, and
Liggatt’s baby is due April 14.
The teachers have experienced little to no
change in their lesson plans and teaching schedules due to their
pregnancies.
“(Being pregnant) has affected my teaching
a little. I can’t carry around instruments as much. Also I am more
cautious of germs (transferred) from the students’ hands (by way of
instruments),” commented Liggatt.
From teacher to teacher, each prepares for
the new addition to their family in different ways. Whether it’s
decorating the nursery or preparing their other children for the
new coming sibling, they are all counting the days until their baby
arrives.
“My husband and I have probably put the
most effort into preparing our son Samson for the baby. We have
been talking to him about the baby and explaining his role as “Big
Brother," stated Weber.
When it comes to picking out the names,
each teacher has different ideas. Weber has a few narrowed down but
hasn’t settled on just one yet. Liggatt and Guerrero are keeping
their lips sealed, not spilling the names of their future
babies.
Guerrero is expecting this experience to be
“overwhelming, exhausting, and amazing all at the same time.” This
being Liggatt and Weber’s second children, they are accustomed to
what is yet to come. This will be Guerrero’s first child. Whether
it is their first child or second, they are thrilled to have a new
addition to their families.
“This baby is already a blessing to my
family. Our son has already brought so much joy and fun into our
lives that we can’t wait to meet this new personality,” explained
Weber.
Welcoming a new baby to a family requires
major alterations. If children already exist in the family, they
must be prepared to be the older sibling. The parents should be
ready to devote a large amount of time to this new addition.
“(When the baby arrives) we will have to
adjust in every way imaginable. I imagine our world will be
revolving around her for quite awhile. We will have to adjust to
putting someone else first and not ourselves,” remarked
Guerrero.
All being pregnant at the same time has
been a wonderful experience for these teachers.
“It gives me a chance to ask someone who is
going through the same thing questions, and it’s a chance to share
how we are feeling and doing,” says Guerrero.
