The hum of voices fills a West Chicago Community High School classroom as students pack up at the bell. For Spanish teacher and English as a Second Language (ESL) Coordinator, Emily Brown, it is another reminder of why she has stayed: the community of colleagues and the students who make the job worth it.
Over the years, several educators have left WEGO after just one year, but many others remain. Some have stayed long term, not out of obligation, but because they believe in the school and the students. Across Illinois, nine out of ten schools report staffing challenges, according to an Associated Press analysis. A RAND survey found that nearly one in three teachers nationwide consider leaving the profession each year. Despite these pressures, some WEGO teachers say the sense of community and flexibility at the school are why they have chosen to stay.
“I think the teachers are so supportive of each other, the administration is so supportive of each other and of teachers, and then the students…want to help each other and want to be there for each other, and there is a really strong sense of community,” Brown said.
Teachers say the community is one of the biggest reasons they remain. They know they are welcomed, and if they need help, their colleagues will step up. Feeling supported by colleagues and administrators makes it easier to weather the challenges of the profession. Beyond community, many teachers point to the difference they can make in students’ lives as the reason they stay. For some, that means shaping programs; for others, it is the day-to-day connections in the classroom.
“I have a lot of ideas for the English as a Second Language Department, and I knew that I could really make a difference,” Brown said.
Teachers often describe their decision to stay as tied to purpose. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 84% of teachers stay at the same school from one year to the next, while 16% either transfer or leave the profession. Those who remain often point to opportunities for leadership and growth as reasons they continue.
For Brown, that means pushing for changes she believes will benefit her students. For others, it may mean taking on extracurricular roles or leading initiatives that strengthen the school community.
“I think it’s always hard when teachers come and students really connect with them, and then the next year, they come back after the summer, and the teacher’s gone. I know that happened to my daughter, who went here. Her chemistry teacher…ended up not teaching after this,” ESL teacher, Mark Poulterer, said.
Teachers’ staying is also important for the students. They make an impact on the lives of their students, which usually compels them to stay put.
“I student taught at Naperville Central, and I couldn’t stand it. It was just this attitude of, ‘you’re just a teacher … can you just give me my A so I can move on, this is just my stepping stone to law school or something more prestigious,’” Science teacher, Corrie Stieglitz, said.
Stieglitz contrasted that experience with what she found when she began subbing at WEGO, saying the culture felt completely different.
“So when I began subbing in West Chicago, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s not that stuck up. There are really good-hearted people here,’ and that’s what has made me stay,” Steiglitz said. “Even when I have tough days, I go home knowing that, at the core, the students are genuinely good-hearted – and that’s what keeps me here.”
