Under the Microscope: ‘Aware of What We Say or Do’

For my entire life, my dad, Matthew Montgomery, has been the superintendent of all the schools I have attended since kindergarten: Waterloo Local Schools and Revere Local Schools, in Ohio, and now Lake Forest School Districts 67 and 115 in Illinois.

I always have loved being the superintendent’s daughter, whether it is seeing him in the hallways and giving him a hug or getting to know early on whether tomorrow is a snow day. Having my dad working in the school district makes me feel much safer.

However, being a child of someone in such an important public leadership role comes with its downsides such as being known as “The Superintendent’s Kid.” Imagine an 11-year-old girl walking down the school hallway alone minding her business when someone comes running down the corridor and upon seeing you, stops to say, “Don’t tell your dad that I was running.” I just looked at her and nodded, but in my head, I’m thinking, “My dad does not care if you are running in the hallway.”