Here we go again...

This morning I got an email saying. “In 1 week, your Dependent child will reach the age limit for Health Care. At this time, you will be asked to remove them from your benefit elections.” Sigh. Considering it has been exactly thirteen years since this child’s Bat Mitzvah (the coming of age of her coming of age?), I guess I shouldn’t find this email surprising. But I am a little gutted nonetheless.

This past weekend, in the final year of a twelve year run at our local high school, I was in the auditorium catching another great musical while thinking, what will I do with myself when I really don’t belong here anymore? I have worked on the after the prom party for ten years. I have fed student journalists, actors, fencers, runners, swimmers, and field hockey and ultimate players. I have organized carpools, box offices, galas, and bake sales. I have driven around the area a million times with a car full of kids (and swords!).

I think that is why I like teaching. I never need to leave school if I work here. I also teach undergrads, and in the moments when I wonder how I will manage when my youngest, currently a senior in high school, is in another faculty member’s class somewhere, I am grateful for their energy-even if it can be annoying sometimes. Actually, maybe especially when they are unruly, or they roll their eyes at me.

What does this have to do with academic support? Not much, except I am an ASP professional who now gets teary when I get the weekly PTO emails from the high school. I know that the cost of caring about students (or a school) is letting them go at graduation. To quote ABBA, “Mamma mia, it's a game we play/Bye-bye doesn't mean forever.”

Maybe I’ll get a puppy….

(Liz Stillman)