But her life in education was just getting started. Her husband worked a Boston job that could support the family, a job he still holds. But Karen sees the effect of combining a career with the needs of a family as more a negative than a positive move. Parents are working all the time. McDonald's retirement from employed teaching didn't keep her home baking cookies.
Society expects so much, and the kids end up feeling scattered.
McDonald has four children with ages separated by only a six-year span. With all four of her own children success stories, McDonald's focus is on making sure all Barnstable's kids have opportunities for achievement. McDonald is enthusiastic and emphatic when she's talking kids. Her days are spent either in their company or championing their needs. She also visits all eleven schools in the town, spending several hours each semester in each with teachers and students.