Teachers prepare for maternity leave

As Psychology and AP Government/Economics teacher Hana Chen plans out next week’s schedule for her class, her thoughts can’t help but drift toward baby names. While skimming through potential monikers for her soon-to-be-born baby, Chen keeps in mind the loose naming tradition she and her husband follow.

“We tend to choose names that honor family members [who] have passed on,” she said. “We take the first letter of the name of a person who has passed away and use that as the first letter of the name of this baby.”

Chen is one of three currently pregnant teachers; the other two are English teachers Susanna Ryan and Kelly Wissolik. All are due in the summer and will go on maternity leave next year.

Though substitutes have yet to be hired, they will likely be chosen within the next few weeks, according to Wissolik.

“I will not be involved, but my terrific English colleagues will help the new teacher with materials and curriculum,” she said.

Wissolik’s daughter is due near the end of July. In order to prevent her students from feeling anxious, Wissolik chose Monday, May 18, when she saw all of her classes, to tell her students that she would be going on maternity leave.

“I told them not to worry because I’d be finishing up the year with them,” she said. “They wouldn’t have a last-minute substitute or have to worry about getting used to someone new at the end of the year.”

Wissolik already has a 2-year-old daughter “who is excited to be a big sister, although she does not really understand what’s happening.” Because Wissolik went on maternity leave during the 2013-2014 school year for her first daughter, she feels fortunate that the school district and board are allowing her time off to be with her second daughter next year.

“I’m thrilled to go on maternity leave but will definitely miss my students and colleagues,” Wissolik said.

Chen’s baby, on the other hand, is due on June 16, so her leave may begin near the end of this semester if the baby arrives earlier. No substitute has been hired yet, but Chen will leave the substitute a detailed curriculum, a pacing guide and materials for the students to use. She expects that her absence will not affect her students in any way.

“Many of the students I have this year are seniors, so they were not really concerned about me going on leave next year because it does not impact them,” Chen said. “Generally, though, they were all very excited about me having a new baby.”

Chen already has a 3-year old son named Mason. She took the rest of the school year off to spend time with him but returned for the 2012-2013 school year. For her second pregnancy, Chen plans on taking the entire next year off.

“Not getting a chance to start the school year with a new group of students will be challenging, but I am confident that when I return I can still get to know the [new] students in a meaningful way,” Chen said.