“Teacher’s kid” follows in footsteps of parents

As Jim and Marion Harrison enter the retirement phase of their lives after long careers in teaching, their youngest daughter Crista, a 1999 Sisters High School graduate, is embarking on her own career as an educator.

Making the story more compelling is the fact that Crista landed her first job at the same school, Memorial Middle School, in Albany, where her mother began her own teaching career back in 1978.

“Talk about things coming full circle,” said Marion Harrison. “We’re so happy for Crista and can’t quite believe she is literally following in our footsteps.”

Like her father, Crista will be teaching mathematics. Adding to the irony of the story, Crista’s childhood neighbor from Albany is her teaching neighbor at the school.

After teaching at Memorial, West Albany High School and Calapooia Middle School, Marion came to Sisters when the new high school opened in 1992 to teach business. Since that time she has also taught software applications, reading, and home economics. She is retiring after 28 years in the classroom.

Jim, who is finishing his 33rd year of teaching, began his career at tiny Paisley High School in 1973. He started out as a music teacher, but has taught a variety of electives over the years including small engines and aviation. In 1975 the Harrisons moved to the Willamette Valley where Jim took a job teaching instrumental music at Philomath Middle School.

He took one year off to try out computer programming, but returned to the music classroom at McNary High School in Salem and eventually earned his math endorsement. Since arriving in Sisters, Jim has taught math and has published books used by math teachers in Washington and Oregon to help focus on state assessment standards.

Crista has discovered that at least three staff members from her mother’s tenure at Memorial are still working, including the office secretary.

Now that they have handed the teaching baton off to one of their offspring, Marion and Jim plan to do some “major goofing off and sleeping in,” according to Marion. The couple’s older daughter, Laurel, a 1993 Sisters High graduate, lives over the mountains near Eugene with her husband Paul, and is the mother of two girls, ages three and five. Another grandchild for Jim and Marion is expected around Christmas, so it’s a safe bet that Marion and Jim will be frequently traveling over the pass. Marion will do some substitute teaching and hopes to help with some grant writing for the school district.

“We have loved our time and Sisters and plan to continue being involved,” said Marion.