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closeFather fills son’s shoes as principal for a few days
After decades as a principal a father substitutes for his son at Woodland
Chris Albert
Being a substitute principal was not originally in Erling Molver’s retirement plan. But there he was anyway filling in for his son the principal at Woodland Elementary School.
Molver, 73, retired after 35 years in the Clover Park School District, with the last 24 as a principal. In his first years as a retiree he traveled, he spent more time with family, he golfed and he genuinely enjoyed it. But something was missing.
Education.
So he began substituting at schools in the Tacoma and Franklin Pierce School Districts. That was almost 10 years ago. Then, last month, he was approved as a substitute for the Puyallup School District.
Last week he took the reins from his son for a few days at the school.
It’s not something he ever thought he would get the chance to do.
“He is really doing a nice job,” Molver said, of his son Eric Molver.
To see the inner workings of his son’s school gives him a sense of pride, as well as a sentimental feeling.
“I can tell when he’s here doing this he’s a little sentimental,” Eric Molver said.
And the students love him, Eric Molver said. Many of them asked him if the older Molver was his son or brother and others asked when “Grandpa Molver” was coming back.
“I fit in here,” Molver said. “That’s what keeps me young.”
The younger Molver was a little nervous about dad substituting, kind of like students who look to impress a parent.
“It’s been a really cool deal,” Eric Molver said, “because he’s my dad but he’s also good at what he does.”
As a principal, Molver has never been one to stay behind a desk. He likes to be out and about talking to students and teachers.
“He doesn’t come into the building to fill a seat,” Eric Molver said. “He’s there to solve problems, meet people and really to make the kids know there’s someone who’s in charge.”
The younger Molver is much like his dad in that respect.
School is all about building relationships, Eric Molver said. Students, faculty and parents need to know the principal has an active presence.
“I think when you have those pieces in place then other things fall into place,” Eric Molver said. “When you work with good people and work together as a team then work is fun.”
The two also shared similar paths in their work as educators. Neither thought they would go into education. Molver just happened upon it. He originally wanted to fly planes for the Air Force, but when he found education he discovered it was a perfect fit.
“I don’t know what happened,” Molver said.
His son was much the same way. He had grown up in a family of educators, but originally thought his professional path would lead to being an architect. A few classes in college changed his path and he found education was a passion he shared with his father.
“He’s a natural teacher,” Molver said of his son. “The same thing happened to me. It’s a feeling.”
Now that “Grandpa Molver” is retired, he can pick and choose when and where he is going to substitute. It’s flexible, he said, but even with those options his initial reaction to any sub gig is to cancel his plans and head to school.
“It just makes you feel young again,” Molver said. “This is like my golf.”
“I’ve reached a point where I look forward to it and enjoy it.”