High school is a tough time for everyone involved. There are newfound stressors for the students and for the parents of the students. It is a time of radical social changes for students, and parents oftentimes struggle with helping their children in a time that is now foreign to them. However, for those with teacher-parents, high school can be a vastly different experience. It is for this reason that it is noteworthy to dive deeper into the relationship between one of Tompkins’s very own teacher-parent/student relationships, junior Hank Sanders and varsity basketball Coach Bobby Sanders.

“It is a dream come true for me.  I have always wanted my kids to be at the same school where I am coaching and teaching, and it is a bonus that Tompkins is such a great school,” said Coach Sanders.

Oftentimes, having a parent at school allows for students to feel as if they have a place within the school that is not so foreign to them. This could be beneficial to students as high school is widely known as a time in an adolescent’s life that is full of ups and downs and having that place of familiarity could help school be less of a stressful environment for the student.

“It has benefited me by making me happier when I see [Coach Sanders] because school can sometimes not be fun. Also, he is my basketball coach, so I think that we grow closer together when I get coached and get to be around him,” said Hank Sanders.

As noted before, one of the primary benefits of having a parent at school is the ability it has to make school a much more comfortable place for the student. In addition, parents are given the ability to have a much better understanding of what the life of a student is like in today’s society as there are often great disparities between school throughout generations.

“The greatest benefit is seeing them throughout the day.  The time parents have with their kids shrinks as they get older, and this allows me to see them more than most parents see their kids.  The convenience of riding together and the ability to speak to all of their teachers at any time are a couple other benefits,” said Coach Sanders.

Overall, parents and students both benefit from being able to not only spend time together outside of school but within school as well. Both are able to better deal with the stressors that face students and parents alike throughout high school.