‘Relatively’ New

The Pepper Box l Back to School Edition l 13

Relatively new Some students and staff came back to the building to see family members who were not here before

“She made sure to keep me in the loop the entire time. I heard about her interview and she told me how it went, I was excited for her, but I will admit it was a little weird. I like having her here now for sure, but I have never Senior Tess Ostoff poses with her aunt, first-year Nurse Juliann been in a school Tinsley in a photo from 2014. where my family worked as well. It is nice, however, because I can make fun of her for being unfamiliar with the school. I think it is different since I know so much about the school and its surroundings while my aunt is brand new. You would usually expect that the student is the one who is getting help from the adult, not the other way around.” - Senior Tess Ostoff

“Having my kids in the building has only been great. Both children are very different people, so the Media Teacher Jane Bannester poses experience for at homecoming with freshman Maggie me has been

Bannester and senior Brian Bannester.

wonderful to see them and be available to them during school for different reasons. I can help them immediately when they need me for stuff like a pencil, signatures, or a snack. As a parent, we want our children to have a person at school who has their back. I just feel that I have that honor for my children as well as so many students. The hard part is being too available for the kids. We had to set boundaries, both for them and me, about how we interact during school. I often have to remember what I can say to not embarrass them.” - Media teacher Jane Bannester “It has always been my dream to have my kids attend the school where I teach. It always makes me chuckle to see students come to the understanding that Nakai and Tatiana are my Social studies teacher Michael Floyd children. Getting (center) with senior Nakai Steele- to coach Nakai in

Myers (left), Sequoia Floyd and

freshman Tatiana Floyd (right). football all four years and now to watch Tatiana play tennis as a freshman brings me much joy. Nakai has always embraced the fact that I was a teacher in his school and I think that’s because he was always around during his time at Ritenour MS as a result of me coaching football. Tatiana, on the other hand, was not so fond of me but has warmed up to it since the school year began. Being able to see them excel both academically and athletically, it is truly a blessing to get to watch. The interesting thing is that I’ll be right back in this position in a few years when Tatiana becomes a senior and my baby girl, Sequoia, who is currently at RMS, will be a freshman.” - Social Studies teacher Michael Floyd

“When I found out about my mom working here I was not really worried about it because I knew she would be in the office and I would not have to see her that much. I like her working here because First-year office professional if I need to talk to someone Catherine Farris and senior I trust I know I can just go Charles Farris. to her. I also like it because she likes her job, It is not too much different than years past. I just think about what I do more often because I do not want any bad news getting back to her about things I do and that added stress would not be fair to her.” - Senior Charles Farris