From childhood friends playing in the front office to roommates at college, and now first-year teachers working alongside their mothers, these four women embody the lasting impact of the NHA mission.
Transition from Students to Teachers
For Anna and Morgan, returning to South Arbor as educators has been a surreal experience. Walking in the same hallways where they once attended school as young students brings back vivid memories of the environment. Anna noted that one of the strangest aspects is working with a significant number of her former teachers.
"It’s just so different because we're no longer the students. We're now co-workers. I still can't find myself saying their first names!" Anna shared.
Morgan added that while school has evolved, the physical space still holds a deep sense of nostalgia.
"Some of the hallways look exactly the same and have the same smell. That’s pretty cool," Morgan noted.
From Teacher’s Pet to Leading the Class
The daughters' interest in education was sparked early on by the impactful teachers they encountered during their K–8 years. Morgan felt called to the profession through the influence of her mother and a particularly impactful second-grade teacher. Similarly, Anna recalled her days in first grade as the teacher’s pet.
“I would always ask her for the extra work and ask if I can help her with grading, cutting, all these teacher’s pet things. And she would always go the extra mile to give me extra tasks. Now being a teacher myself, I have some kids that are just like I was and now realize how much extra work it was for my teacher. But she did it and she helped me really love teaching.”
Now, as they deliver the curriculum themselves, they have gained a new perspective on the intentionality behind the NHA model. Anna observed that while lessons might seem random to a student, as a teacher, she now sees how carefully resources are selected to support student growth.
The Moral Focus™ program also plays a vital role in their professional lives. While Morgan works in Special Education and Anna in General Education, the program remains a cornerstone of their daily interactions.
"I can see how it has impacted me and how it's impacting my students. It's part of the conversation each day," Morgan explained.
A Proud "Mom Moment"
For Christina and Beth, seeing their daughters transition into professional educators has been an emotional journey. Christina, a 15-year veteran at South Arbor, describes herself as a determined advocate for the school, having strongly encouraged her daughter to join the NHA system because she believed in the teacher development and dean support offered there.
"I was definitely the one encouraging her toward NHA," Christina shared. "I love the curriculum and the dean support. I feel like it's a huge thing for first-year teachers to have that support system. I knew it would be a good fit for her."
She expressed immense pride in the pair, stating that she doesn't even look at them as first-year teachers because they jumped right into the role and took it by the horns.
"They are really great," Christina expressed. "I would say that even if they weren't our daughters."
Beth echoed this pride, emphasizing the talent and dedication her daughter and Morgan bring to the school.
"I try to give them encouragement. I think South Arbor is pretty blessed to have them, to tell you the truth," Beth said.
The transition into teaching was bolstered by the deep bonds between the four women; Christina and Beth have been best friends for 27 years, and their daughters followed in those footsteps as best friends and college roommates. This connection has turned the school building into a space where personal and professional support collide.
"We have been best friends for 27 years," Beth noted. "We’ve seen it all. We were there when they were born, and now we’re here while they’re teaching."
This lifelong friendship allows the mothers to serve as a unique safety net, offering a treasure trove of institutional knowledge that helps the daughters navigate the complexities of their first year. Christina noted that this proximity allows them to provide real-time mentorship that most new teachers don't have access to.
"They can come to us and say, 'This is what's happening,' and we can say, 'Okay, we've been there, we've done that, here's how we handled it.' It’s that wealth of knowledge that we've had being here for so long."
As the school celebrates Mother’s Day, it honors these two families who have come full circle, proving that the community roots planted at South Arbor lead right back to the classroom.
Happy Mother’s Day to all who celebrate this weekend!
About South Arbor Charter Academy
South Arbor Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Ypsilanti, Michigan, serving students in Young 5s through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through high school across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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