High school can be a rough journey for every teen, but it’s nice to remember the people who care about you and are supporting you. For some students at North Atlanta those helping hands are closer than for most.

Across this colossal 11-story behemoth of a building, there are more than a few students who have parents or relatives who are members of the North Atlanta instructional staff. For some, the through of having a parent down the hall might invoke something akin to horror. But for those who experience this reality, there can be some really cool perks. Freshman Taylor Hunter has the advantage of having a parent nearby. Her mother, Nan Hunter, is a longtime math teacher at the school. For Taylor Hunter, there are all the obvious psychic advantages associated with having a nurturing presence down in Room 5113. But there are some more practical, nut-and-bolts advantages that also stand out. “It’s nice because I can print things from her room,” she said.

Nan Hunter also sees the obvious advantages that her child is able to maximize. “She comes whenever she needs money for school or she leaves her books in here,” Hunter said.

The term “convenient” is one uttered by another student with a parent in the building. That’s the summarizing verdict given by sophomore Caleb Burns. But going beyond the positive, there have to be at least some possible social hazards. Like: What if your best friend is in your mom’s class?

All surveyed students with friends in the building agreed that the “BFF in Mom’s Math Class Scenario” can be awkward. And this feeling goes both ways. Teachers have to walk the tricky sociological tightrope as well. “I’ve known some of my kids’ friends since they were four or five,” said math teacher Sarah Burns. “It’s a little unusual, but we all get used to it.”

Burns has two sons at North Atlanta, both Caleb, a sophomore, and Luke, a freshman.

Math teacher Burns said despite being in the same building, parent-child sightings can sometimes be rare. Varying schedules and opposite hallways and floors mean the day is not marked by frequent contact.

Health teacher Kerry Sarden echoed the same sentiment as his colleague. His son Cody McClary is a freshman at North Atlanta. His father said he wants his son to experience high school on his own terms. “I check his grades on a regular basis, but I try not to get too involved with his work,” Sarden said. “I want him to have the freedom to make mistakes and also to learn and grow from them.”

It can be odd seeing your parent all the time. “I think my mom is sick of me,” Taylor Hunter jokes.

However, the teachers agree that getting to drive their young teens to school and seeing them around is the best part of their day. And their kids think the same. McClary cited the ultimate advantage a parent in the building can confer. “It’s nice knowing I have someone who can help me stay on track and catch me if I fall.”