Despite the different subjects and wings, the staff at LHS is tight knit. So tight knit that some of the teachers work with their spouses.
Students often think that it must be weird or strange for couples to work with each other or in the same school. However, coming from the teachers themselves, they don’t even really work together.

Three staff couples are the Prices, Schloetters and James. The Prices both teach science. Joe Schloetter and his wife Erin Schloetter both work in the English department, Ken James teaches math and his wife PE.

The Scholetters have been working at LHS together for 11 years, while the James have been working for 26.In fact, the James have been around longer than that it seems in the Lakeridge community.Tammy opens up about how they met.

“Most people know Ken went to both Waluga and Lakeridge,” said James. “Even though I didn’t I had a family connection to Waluga. Two staff members [there] set me up on a blind date with Ken and it went from there.”

She also explains that she started at LHS a year before she married her husband in 1988, but he came after they got married in 1989.

Erin Schloetter explains that working with her husband is normal, but understands why some people may see it as strange.

“It feels normal, but I get why students think otherwise because it’s I know it’s not a normal experience for most couples,” said Schloetter.

While most people know who the couples in the school are, Tammy James says that many students have no idea she’s married to Ken James in the math department.

“I think it’s more awkward for the students then it is for us. We both laugh because some people go through four years not knowing that we’re married,” said James. “Apparently, it’s not that obvious and it makes us laugh.”

James explains that although she and Ken don’t work directly in the same department or relative area in the school, she enjoys working with her husband.
“It’s a good support system, if
there’s an issue we can bounce off each other and the comfort level is higher,” said James, “If there’s an issue, we both understand.”

Both teacher couples honestly explained that they don’t necessarily have a best or worst part about working with their spouse, however, it seems to be convenient.

“Honestly there’s no worst thing except maybe our carpool! Kidding Ken,” said James, “But the best thing is both of us as parents having summers off with our kids is awesome and gives us time to be a strong family. We can make fun of each other and I would never say I couldn’t work with my husband.”