Eye on ECCS: Following in family's footsteps

 

NOTE: Occasionally throughout the school year, we will visit a school across Eastern Carver County Schools. Some weeks the plan may be to stop in multiple classrooms by grade, or by subject. Other weeks it may highlight a certain specialist group. The purpose is to give families and our community a glimpse into the every-day learning environment happening in our buildings. A chance to spotlight the incredible work our teachers and staff do on a daily basis for our students, and to showcase the incredible work our students produce as well. So, keep your Eye on ECCS!

Did you ever want to follow in your parents’ professional footsteps? Across Eastern Carver County Schools (ECCS), a growing number of second-generation educators are doing just that—finding their way back into the district, into the classroom, and often into the very same school buildings where their parents built their own careers.

In this edition of Eye on ECCS, we catch up with four newer teachers who were inspired by the impact their parents made on students, and who are now carrying on that legacy of learning and community.

Mallory Bowman | Language Arts, Chaska High School

For Mallory Bowman, teaching was always in the back of her mind. Initially planning to pursue a career in publishing, Mallory quickly realized corporate life wasn’t for her.

“School is going to be something different every single day,” Mallory said. “I'm not going to get bored. I may get stressed out, I may have a lot of work, but I'm not going to get bored. That was the final push.”

Now in her first year as a Language Arts teacher at Chaska High School (CHS), Mallory works in the same building as her father, Corey Bowman, a science teacher at CHS since 2009 and a long-time football coach in the district. While Mallory student-taught just three doors down from her dad, the two are now on opposite ends of the high school building—though Corey still checks in and offers the occasional word of advice.

“He sarcastically gave me the ‘Don't smile until Christmas’ advice,” Mallory laughed. “Assert yourself. You have to let them know you're in charge, and you can't let them run the room. I've taken that to heart.”

As a former high school athlete, Mallory sees firsthand the respect students have for her father both in the classroom and on the field. “Towards the beginning of the year, I had a lot of kids asking if I was related to Mr. Bowman,” she said. “I can already see the impact he has on these kids. It feels good to see both sides of it—that both of us are making a positive impact on these students.”

Sophie Flom | Second Grade, Clover Ridge Elementary

Raised by two educators, Dave and Nancy Flom, it seemed almost inevitable that Sophie would choose a career in education.

“When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a teacher because I saw both of my parents doing it,” Sophie recalled. “You see that it’s a hard job, but I also got to see all the fun stuff—the connections with kids.”

Nancy has taught high school English in ECCS since 1999 (first at Chaska High School, now at Chanhassen High School), while Dave taught at Bluff Creek Elementary before moving on to different districts. Though Sophie originally explored teaching high school Spanish, her student teaching practicums led her to fall in love with elementary education and English as a Second Language (ESL).

After starting her career at Bluff Creek Elementary, Sophie is now teaching second grade at Clover Ridge Elementary, where she finds joy in helping young students learn to read.

Whenever she needs advice, her parents are only a conversation away. “My dad gets the elementary side of things, and my mom knows what it’s like to teach in this district,” Sophie said. “Seeing the difference they’ve made in their students’ lives really motivates me. I’m excited to one day be at a point in my career where my former second graders invite me to their high school games.”

Jordan Mattson | Social Studies, Chanhassen High School

When Jordan Mattson (Chanhassen High School Class of 2020) joined the social studies department at her alma mater last fall, walking into professional development felt like a reunion. Many of her new colleagues were teachers she had in class just a few years prior.

“It was weird at first, but as time has gone on, it’s really fun to see them on a different level and have a whole new level of respect for what they do,” Jordan said.

Jordan was also no stranger to the hallways growing up; her father, Chad Mattson, has been a school counselor at Chanhassen High School since it opened in 2009, as well as a coach for the Storm football team.

“When he had football practice, I would go sit in his office,” Jordan shared. “What I love about my dad is that he is really good at connecting with kids. He's very much an inspiration for me to make sure students know they are a person first, then a student.”

Now, the two frequently share lunch together, and Chad occasionally pops into her classroom—sometimes wearing a Meme Day T-shirt featuring Jordan’s face. “Students don't always know that we're related yet, though. I have pictures of him around my classroom and they're like, ‘Wait, is Mattson your dad?’ Some of them have him as a ninth-grade football coach and they don't make the connection right away. It's fun to see them figure it out, or when he'll just stand in the classroom, they'll be like, ‘Why is he always here? I have to explain, ‘That's my dad,’” Jordan said.

Teaching world history, Jordan takes pride in bringing a fresh perspective to the department. “I'm really lucky that there are more women in the social studies department here at Chan,” she said. “I love that, and I feel very empowered as a female history teacher.”

Katelyn Powers | Science, Pioneer Ridge Middle School

Katelyn Powers is in her third year teaching science at Pioneer Ridge Middle School, but her roots in the district run much deeper. Her father, Mike Powers, is one of the longest-tenured teachers in ECCS, having taught technology and industrial arts since 1990.

As a child, Katelyn spent countless hours in her father’s classroom. “I just liked being in the school environment,” Katelyn remembered. “I thought it was super fun to play in the wood shop and spin on the chairs in his computer lab.”

Although Katelyn initially started college on a pre-med track, her experience working at Club Care brought her back to her true calling. After starting her career outside the district, she found her way back home to Chaska. Today, she works in the same building as her dad, while her sister, Michaela, serves as a paraprofessional and lunchroom supervisor at Chaska Middle School West.

Like her father, Katelyn prioritizes hands-on, memorable learning experiences in her classroom—and she inherits more than just a teaching philosophy from him.

“I think with our content areas, both of us are very hands-on. That's the thing that kids remember is making a gumball machine or doing labs in here, and so trying to give kids experiences where they can actually do stuff that's engaging and that's more memorable, I do prioritize that,” Katelyn said. “I think just in general, his patience is something that I've definitely acquired, and being in here, you have to be extremely patient and just like very level-headed, and I think both of us are considered chill, and it's really hard to get us upset. I think that works really well with middle schoolers. I think people have noticed that's a similarity between us.”

For Katelyn, returning to ECCS has come full circle. “It’s really cool to connect with the kids and tell them I had the same great school experience that they are having now.”