Five Joliet District 86 couples juggle work, home lives teaching at same schools

Joliet Public Schools District 86 has at least half a dozen married couples who teach in the same school, and two couples who teach at Woodland Elementary School in Joliet.

Five couples share the pros and cons of the arrangement – and how the students ultimately benefit from it.

Joliet Public Schools District 86 Superintendent Theresa Rouse said she’s proud “of all of our teachers and all their unique stories.”

“We appreciate the chance to highlight some of our great teachers,” Rouse said.

‘Collaborating on teaching strategies and tips’

Marco and Julieta Arreola have taught at Woodland Elementary for two years. He teaches fourth and fifth grade; she teaches third grade.

Marco previously taught for six years at Isaac Singleton Elementary School and Julieta worked two years at Cunningham Elementary School as a paraprofessional.

The couple, married for almost 17 years, met in Guanajuato, Mexico, when Marco Arreola was visiting family for the summer.

Although Julieta Arreola said, “It’s been a privilege to be at Woodland and having the opportunity to work together,” both acknowledged that it comes with a few challenges that are ultimately good for the students.

“When you work at the same building with your spouse, you have to be prepared to be volunteered for different school events,” Marco Arreola said. “When one of us is participating in family reading night, both of us are staying for family reading night. When one of us has a meeting at JFK, we both have a meeting at JFK.”

The students also benefit from the couple’s “collaborating on teaching strategies and tips,” Marco said.

He loves that they share the same vehicle, although Julieta said, “It is difficult to turn off the work conversations when school is finished.”

According to Marco, balance is key.

“It’s wonderful if you have a great marriage and can find time to give each other space when needed,” Marco Arreola said.

‘Students get very invested and interested in our lives outside of school’

Jason and Jennifer Kuefler started their teaching careers in 2000 at District 86 and have taught there for 25 years.

Jason Kuefler has spent all 25 years at Woodland Elementary, where he teaches third grade. He also previously coached wrestling for 19 years at Gompers Junior High School.

Jennifer Kuefler has spent 21 years at Woodland Elementary, where she teaches fifth grade. She previously taught grades three through five at the former Eliza Kelly Elementary School.

“When Eliza Kelly closed and merged with Woodland in 2004, we became working colleagues and a few years later developed a closer friendship and began dating,” Jason Kuefler said.

The couple will celebrate 18 years of marriage in August.

Jennifer Kuefler said teaching at the same school with her husband helps them “develop strong relationships and lasting connections with families, with both of us teaching children of different families,” who then get to experience “both of our styles.”

“Many families call it the ‘Kuefler Plan,’” Jennifer Kuefler said.

Jason Kuefler said, “Students get very invested and interested in our lives outside of school.

“They feel like they are literally part of our family and are excited to know so much about us,” Jason Kuefler said. “They even help us make dinner plans some nights.”

Jennifer loves sharing the same vacation schedule and similar work experiences – stresses and successes – although they try to leave personal stressors out of school and school stressors out of the home once they’ve recapped their day.

“Having a strong level of trust and confidence with a colleague who is also your spouse allows for honest conversations about situations that may arise,” Jennifer Kuefler said.

‘It’s always funny when students have that ‘a-ha’ moment’

Jeremy and Heather Poch have taught at Gompers Junior High School their entire career – 22 years for Jeremy and 21 for Heather.

The couple, married 18 years, met at Gompers in 2002 when the principal sent Heather to Jeremy’s room to get information on co-teaching.

So Jeremy Poch, currently a seventh grade math teacher, said he gave her the binder he used to track his students’ IEPs and then they “talked a bit about how the model looked at that time.”

The following year, Heather Poch became the English language arts teacher for the seventh grade team.

“I remember turning to my co-worker and telling him that I could not wait to get to know this woman,” Jeremy Poch said.

As a couple, they show each other “mutual respect and admiration” – even though they occasionally disagree on educational policies, Jeremy said.

“If I am having a bad day, her smile in the hallways during passing periods helps me to brighten my day,” he said.

Heather Poch, currently an eighth grade English language arts teacher, loves the parallels in their schedules.

“We always get the same days off – unless he’s coaching,” Heather said. “We can ride to work together and save gas – unless he’s coaching.”

Because of Gompers’ bell schedule, Heather Poch said she rarely sees her husband during the day – maybe once for four seconds, which helps keep work life and home life separate.

“It’s always funny when students have that ‘a-ha’ moment; when they realize we’re married,” Heather Poch said.

‘Unique way to make student connections’

A.O. Marshall Elementary School teachers Kevin and Kim Schoenherr emphasize their individuality and unique educational career paths while supporting each other.

Kevin Schoenherr, who teaches physical education to students in kindergarten through fifth grade, has taught at A.O. Marshall for almost 11 years. He started his career in 2008, teaching physical education at Pershing Elementary School.

While earning his master’s in administrative leadership and another master’s degree in best practices, Kevin Schoenherr worked in District 86’s summer school program, supervised after-school programs such as Camp Fitness or Kids N’ Nature for more than 10 years and coached boys basketball while serving as athletic director at Dirksen Junior High School for many years, he said.

Kim Schoenherr, a special education, inclusion and resource teacher for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, is in her second year of teaching at A.O. Marshall. She began her career in District 86 in 2006 at Marycrest, after student teaching at Thigpen Elementary School.

She opened her first classroom at District 86’s Kennedy Early Education Center in January 2007 and then taught another year of pre-kindergarten at Marycrest before transferring to Pershing in 2008.

That’s when she met Kevin Schoenherr.

“A group of us ‘new teachers’ would regularly go out to McBrody’s in downtown Joliet to recap the week,” Kevin Schoenherr said. “[We] had years of having a working relationship, that went on for what seemed like a lifetime. We didn’t start dating until September of 2013.”

Kim Schoenherr said she had to ask one of her first grade students how to even pronounce her future husband’s last name.

“I never thought one day we’d fall in love, get married, and have five beautiful children,” Kim Schoenherr said.

She said she taught kindergarten, first and second grade at Pershing for 15 years before coming to A.O. Marshall.

She had completed the Grow Your Own Program that District 86 offered, earned her Learning Behavior Specialist 1 certificate and then applied for one of the district’s open special education positions.

“After the interview process, I ironically was chosen for A.O. Marshall,” Kim Schoenherr said. “Kevin had been teaching there for 10 years.”

Kevin Schoenherr said he now has a “honey-do” list at home and work and lunch is twice as expensive when they eat out.

But they do take time to eat.

“He makes sure I have a lunch every day,” Kim Schoenherr said.

But teaching at the same school also “creates a unique way to make student connections,” Kevin said. They also give each other “natural support or strength in an area of weakness” – and his “work wives” in the office know his “real wife,” he said.

“[We] don’t have to ask, ‘How was your day?’” Kevin Schoenherr said. “We already know.”

Still, they drive to and from school separately to allow time for decompressing and to fulfill their after-school obligations, simple errands or “our own children’s commitments,” Kevin Schoenherr said.

Kim said they have separate workspaces at school, too.

“We find this to be very beneficial,” Kim Schoenherr said. “It allows us to accomplish our own professional tasks while being still near each other.”

‘Our students really appreciate the bond that we have together’

Brian VanBeveren, a sixth grade special education teacher at Dirksen Junior High School, and Julianne VanBeveren, a seventh grade language arts teacher, first met at a District 86 teacher training nine years ago.

They are now married with a 4-year-old daughter.

“Whenever Mr. VanBeveren comes to my room, or if my students see us walking together in the hallway, they never miss an opportunity to cheer or say, ‘Aww!’” she said. “Our students really appreciate the bond that we have together.”

Brian VanBeveren said it’s funny how he and Julianne VanBeveren “frequently get crisscrossed when students are filling out bathroom passes.”

“I’ve had to tell several students that I’m not Julianne,” Brian VanBeveren said.

Because the sixth grade students already know “Mr. VB,” they feel comfortable when they enter her classroom, Julianne said.

“They know that we truly care for them and that care and support will continue as they transition from sixth to seventh grade,” she said.

Brian VanBeveren said, “Institute days (are) a lot more fun because we get to take them on together,” and that he and Julianne collaborate on professional projects.

“When you are bouncing ideas around with your spouse, there is an aura of relaxation when discussing ideas, because we know we are in a supportive, judgment-free space,” Julianne VanBeveren said.

The fact that they can support each other is no small thing. Although he said that teaching “is the most rewarding career in the world,” Brian also said that “compassion fatigue is a very real thing when it comes to supporting so many children every day,” and only another teacher truly understands the demands of teaching.

“Having each other makes those difficult times so much easier when we are able to get home together to debrief, support one another, and bring ourselves back to our life together with our daughter,” he said.

Before teaching at Dirksen, Brian VanBeveren worked as a substitute teacher and a paraprofessional in several other districts and coached high school track and field for 10 years.

Julianne VanBeveren previously worked as a substitute teacher, a special education paraprofessional, and taught seventh grade language arts outside District 86.

She started her career by teaching sixth grade English language arts and moved to seventh grade three years ago. She has also coached Tae Kwon Do, track and cheer, and is currently coaching junior varsity girls soccer at Dirksen.

Brian VanBeveren said coming to Dirksen took his life down a “beautiful path.”

“There is no better feeling than getting to see my wife and best friend throughout the work day,” he said.