She’s returning fashionably late.

Teacher Melissa Speakman began her first week of school in late September after executing her maternity leave.

In the beginning of summer, Speakman had her first child. This caused her to miss the first six weeks of school. Now, she will apply these experiences to her Early Childhood Development classes.

At Suburban Hospital June 22 Speakman had a baby girl, Rylee. She was in labor for 27 hours and her epidural fell out at ten centimeters, meaning she gave natural labor for a small amount of time. Speakman thought labor would go by what the books say, but it did not. “It was an experience that I was not expecting and it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever been through,” said Speakman.

Approximately three weeks after giving birth, Speakman had another surgery to have her appendix removed.  A majority of her maternity leave was spent recovering, and the first six weeks of Rylee’s life were difficult for Speakman. She spent six weeks after the surgery bonding with her daughter and getting to know her better. “No matter how much pain I went through it was worth it. She’s worth it,” said Speakman.

Speakman came back to Bullitt East Sep. 22. While she was on maternity leave, she mostly missed the atmosphere of school and the energy that the students bring. “I missed the identity of being a teacher. I love the identity of being a mom, but I was missing a part of me too,” said Speakman.

Sophomore Elizabeth Smith has previously had Speakman as a teacher and is in her Early Lifespan class this year. “While Mrs.Speakman was out the classroom was very chaotic and it didn’t have the usual, comfortable atmosphere she brings,” said Smith.

Missing the first six weeks of school was challenging. During the first month of school Speakman usually sets a tone for the class and gets to know her students. However, since her timeline has been pushed back she treated her first full week back like the first week of school, meaning reviewing the syllabus, her expectations for her classes and doing activities to help learn her new student’s names and who they are.

During her first week back, she also reviewed content with her students that they had learned while Speakman was gone. “I needed to review and go over what they’ve covered, that way after fall break we can start getting into content a lot more,” said Speakman.

Sophomore Natalie Allen has had the same experience with Speakman as Smith. “The substitute did not go too in depth with the topics we covered, which made important information we will need later on harder to remember. After reviewing the criteria last week, I have a better understanding of what I am supposed to be learning,” said Allen.

Students that have previously had Speakman know that she is a story teller. Having these new experiences, her students will know more about her life and her daughter’s life. “I have a more realistic idea of how to explain it [what it takes to be a parent] to students versus ideally what I thought it was like,” said Speakman.

Balancing the stressful job of being a working mom can be difficult sometimes. “I look around this building and there are tons of mothers that give me inspiration to keep going,” said Speakman. She has high expectations for her students this year and is looking forward to what the remainder of the school year will bring.