Room for a
private moment
It’s her first day back from maternity leave.
She feels anxious, tired from waking up in
the middle of the night, and she is wonder-
ing where and when she will be able to
express milk upon returning to work.
A staff member just found out from a
phone call that, miles away, a close rela-
tive passed away, and he feels anxious.
It’s clear he needs a little time to collect his
thoughts, and he doesn’t want to show this
in front of students, nor in the office.
These two staff members need a private
space. The school needs a small room,
perhaps that used to be for storage, where
there may be an air-conditioned space,
and particularly a space that few have ever
had a key to access. We all have seen this
room, that storage or separate room with a
separate key from the master key.
This room may have the possibility of being
used for nursing mothers, staff needing a
private moment, or a social worker to have
a needed conversation. It’s best if the col-
ors are light and it has a small refrigerator,
electrical outlet, comfortable chair, with
relaxing environment.
It is essential that there are only two keys
for this room, and perhaps another emer-
gency key. It’s best if only the front secre-
tary has the two copies. A lactating mother
may give her schedule of when she will use
the room. The secretary only gives out the
other key when the lactating mother is not
using the room, to prevent any accidents.
This can be done. Dool Elementary had
a small storage room, which had an AC
window unit, and happened to have a door
connecting it to the women’s restroom. It
also happened to have a separate key.
At the end of my second year at this school,
during a teacher’s baby shower, she
walked to this room, and