By Annie Phun

Editor in Chief

  While many students would recoil at the thought of having their parents teach at the school he or she attends, freshman Adam Barraclough is overjoyed that his father, Geoff Barraclough, is within close proximity every day.

  Barraclough teaches Statistics AB and AP statistics in Room E166.

  “Whenever I’m frustrated or sad, I love having someone to talk to,” explained Adam. “It’s great having my dad at [Gabrielino] because I can always go to him.”    

  Similarly, Barraclough enjoys having Adam at Gabrielino because it allows him to have a direct say on his son’s education.

  “Because Adam has Asperger’s, I worry more for him,” said Barraclough, “but I also just love helping him with homework and knowing what clubs he’s involved in.”

  Diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when he was eight, Adam views his disorder as an advantage because it allows him to focus more than the average student. Whenever he experiences social difficulties, he can rely on his father’s comfort to cheer him up.

  “Having my dad at [Gabrielino] is not something I consciously think of,” stated Adam. “But when he recommends that I do something, I do it because I want to make him proud.”

  Outside of academics, Adam partakes in extracurricular activities such as Gaming Club. On his free time, he has fun learning about and playing with trains. Barraclough often finds that he has difficulty not talking about Adam to his students taking statistics.

  Because Adam has only been at Gabrielino for two months, he has not been able to enroll in his father’s classes. However, the father-son duo meet after school in order to walk together to Barraclough’s car and drive to Jefferson Middle School to pick up Adam’s siblings.

  “It’s nice having someone to talk to during drives,” said Barraclough. “I love [Adam’s] company.”