When students step foot into school, they don’t have a parent watching over them. Rules and supervision are different than at home, but this isn’t the case for all students.
Tyler Dye is a part of that small group. While most students would not like the idea of having their parents in school, Dye takes it as a privilege. “[My dad] is always there if I need something, like if I need snacks he got me or if I need a drink or whatever” Dye said.
Timothy Dye, his father, has his classroom in the dungeon teaching Economics and Sociology. Originally Timothy Dye wanted his kids to have freedom. So for the first two years of Tyler Dye’s high school experience he attended Southport. “I want to have an influence on their teachers and how they do in class but I also wanted them to have freedom and do their own thing.” Timothy Dye said.
As a father in the education system, Timothy Dye thought it would be better to have his kids attend PMHS. “As a dad pulling them and putting them here, why they may not like that, I felt like it was the best,” Timothy Dye said.
For Tyler Dye’s senior year he has taken Economics and is taking Sociology. With his father teaching the class he naturally has to fight harder to prove that there is no favoritism towards him.¨He’s a little hard on me I’d say. If I don’t know something he will be like ‘you should know this’, so he will be a little hard on me but I love him” Tyler Dye said.
When they are in class together Timothy Dye treats his son as if he were only his student, if not tougher. “If he gets a perfect score and everyone in the class gets a perfect score I’m going to check his twice” Timothy Dye said “and it’s not fair but I do it because I don’t want anyone to think that I am playing favorites.”
Stepping away from the educational aspect of their relationship school has managed to strengthen it. Reuniting at the end of the day has become a routine that they both love. “It is the highlight of my day that he doesn’t have to be here at the end of the day but he comes to just hang and talk. Our relationship is closer because he is here and that means a lot” Timothy Dye said.
As students grow up they develop different personalities and change. High school is where students change the most.
During high school, students’ character develops and grows
Chloe Bauer started off her education by completing her elementary years on the Southport side. Not long after Sarah Bellinger, her mother, thought it best to move her over to Perry. “ I felt it was better and she could come with me to school every day,” Bellinger said.
Bellinger has her classroom down in the FACTS hallway and she teaches Social Services I and II. She also teaches Principles of Humans and Social Services.
For the first few years of high school, Bauer did not tell her classmates that she was related to Bellinger. During her sophomore year, she had her mother’s course on her schedule. “I didn’t really want people knowing that I was her kid. Because you know, teacher kids have an interesting [dynamic]” Bauer said.
While Bellinger had her in her class she made sure that she did not treat her any differently than she would her other students. “You never want to seem like you are giving them preferential treatment or anything like that,” Bellinger said. “She was just like one of the other kids.”
Sometime after, students became aware of the relationship between Bauer and Bellinger. That is when Bauer found out that the dynamic was not as odd as she had anticipated. “ I guess I really don’t have a good reason for why I didn’t want people to know”
From 7th grade to sophomore year, Bauer sported the blue and silver on the volleyball court. She then found her love for track in her junior year and has been on the team ever since. In the mix of all this Bellinger has been there to show support for her daughter in any aspect necessary. “My mom never missed a game or meet and she’s always there to support me,” Bauer said, “whether that’s with an energy drink or words of encouragement.”
With the end of the school year around the corner, the reality of no longer attending the same school has felt bittersweet. “I’m really gonna miss her next year. It’s hitting me hard,”Beillinger said “but this has been great.”
In 1993 Sarah McDaniel graduated from PMHS. Now her son, Jacob McDaniel, is following in her footsteps by graduating from the same school.
Jacob McDaniel started off his education living in Illinois, but soon after he came back to Indiana to continue his education in Perry township. “We moved to Illinois for a bit and then we moved back [to Indiana] unexpectedly,” Sarah McDaniel said.
With this year being Sarah McDaniel first year teaching, she thought that it was necessary to have a conversation with her kids about teaching at PMHS. “I had a long conversation with them before I came,” Sarah McDaniel said. “I didn’t know how they would feel.”
With having his mother in the school he has benefited from it tremendously. Even if it is with the little things like eating lunch in her room or going to talk to her when he is in need of a word of advice. “It’s pretty nice because I can talk to her about anything,” Jacob McDaniel said.
Jacob McDaniel is also a part of the school’s baseball team his mother has given him support throughout all of his seasons. “She’s at almost every game,” said Jacob McDaniel.
Although Sarah McDaniel has access to checking Jacob McDaniel grades and attendance she chose to give him that independence and not interfere. “As a parent you want to know what’s going on but you also want them to be independent” Sarah McDaniel said.
With this being his last year in high school reality has not set in for the both of them. While this may be the case they know everything will turn out in their favor. “I’m not sure it’s hit me yet, but it will be strange for him to not be here next year” Sarah McDaniel said.
