In year 15 of the school being open, there are 15 original staff members left. Science teacher Andrea Holmes is one of the last 15.
Staley Original: Andrea Holmes
Science teacher and Emeralds coach Andrea Holmes has grown alongside the school for more than a decade.
“Fifteen years has actually gone by pretty quickly,” Holmes said. “When I started I had no kids of my own, and now I have five kids. Staley has been part of that growth.”
While her life outside of the school has changed, her curriculum hasn’t varied greatly. Holmes has mostly taught Biology, though she taught Chemistry and Anatomy when needed. However, Holmes said Biology was the subject that had her heart. Besides the love Holmes has for the subject she teaches, she also has a strong connection to the school community.
“The Staley community is really important to me,” Holmes said. “I chose to live in this area so I could raise my kids in Staley.”
Accordingly, Holmes said she believed she would be at the school for another 15 years to watch her kids grow up in the district. Holmes has also had the chance to watch some of her former students come back to teach at the school. Science teacher Joseph Quigley and English teacher Lauren Sullivan were two former students who have become colleagues.
“From a student to a friend, it’s pretty cool to have that transition,” Holmes said.