Dr.Earl taking a leave to care for her daughter

Dr.Earl+taking+a+leave+to+care+for+her+daughter

By Matthew Dela Cruz

Jennifer Earl, the principal of Hoover High School, took more than a one-month parental leave on Sept. 4 to focus on her adopted daughter. Earl’s baby, Lyra Joy, was born on July 2nd and was brought home a day later.  Earl will return to work on Nov. 2.

Earl wanted to be a mother for years and since her daughter was born, she wanted to spend time making the most out of it. Taking this break means she can thoroughly establish routines and bond with her daughter.

“Ninety percent of my time is spending time with her,” Earl said. “It is important with adopted children that they have physical time with their parents so they can attach and connect”

Since her leave, work at Hoover hasn’t changed much.

“Dr Earl is amazing you know,” David Keys, the sophomore assistant principal of Hoover, said. “She has been here for a long time so she’s put these systems and protocols in place and luckily that road has been paved for myself, Dr. Mardirosian and Dr. Khachikyan.”

While the pandemic has given Earl a lot of time to spend at home with her daughter, Earl’s fellow workers were still supportive of her decision to take this break. 

“I think the most important thing for a child and their mother is those first six months,” Keys said. “It is important for that bonding, so whether it be mother or father, any parent should take that opportunity. If they can, spend as much time with that newborn because you don’t get those first six months back.”

Earl doesn’t know for sure if her outlook on her students will change because she has a baby now. All she knows is that she finally has a baby.

“I have always seen my students as more than just my students,”  Earl said. “I still see my students as family and now [they] have a sister.”