EXCHANGE: For the love of teaching, and each other

ERIE, Ill. (AP) - Not every couples can say that they get to see each other at work most of the day, but the Morgans and Unruhs at Erie Middle School are an exception.

After years of coming to work every day together, the couples now will retire together.

Keith Morgan, who has served as principal for 19 years, will wrap up 34 years in education; his wife, Mindy, will conclude 30 years of teaching physical education at the school.

Tom and Jan Unruh, who are also retiring, came to Erie 15 years ago; both have taught for more than 30 years at various schools in northern Illinois. Tom teaches math and computer technology, and Jan teaches special education.

Both couples also find a bond with being able to share their work experiences at the end of the day, Mindy said.

"Whatever we can talk about, we can share and we can discuss, and we can both be involved in that conversation, rather than him talking to me about his work and me not knowing what he's talking about," she said. "This way, we can share and bounce ideas off each other at home. That's been a big plus all these years."

The couples join three other staff members at the school on the road to retirement: librarian Thelma Roloff, science teacher Karen Urick and music teacher Jon Wederquist.

The Unruhs have been married for 32 years, and have helped each other get through the yearly advancements of the educational world, especially with technology. Erie Middle School utilizes one-to-one laptop computer technology in most classes.

"He can't spell to save his soul," Jan joked about Tom, "and I'm not good at technology. He has me proofread everything he writes, and I come to him with the technological part of things.

"We kind of help each other out a little bit. Plus, we get to vent about things, and talk about things from school because we know what's going on."

Tom tends to joke around with his students, and Jan will sometimes let him know what students to take it easy with. He'll ask Jan especially about students whom she teaches.

"I get to see her smiling face during the day," Tom said.

The Morgans have been married for 34 years. Keith taught at Annawan, Port Byron and Lakeland, Florida, before coming to Erie, where he worked at the high school and was athletic director before taking the middle school principal position.

"It allows me to be her boss for 8 hours of the day, which I didn't have before," Keith joked.

Both couples have had children attend the middle school. In his position, it can sometimes come as a challenge for Keith to not play favorites with some of his teachers, including one in particular.

"As a principal, it's like having your own kids in your building," Keith said. "You have to go out of your way to try and not show preference, so you have that idea about not playing favorites."

Laptops aren't used in gym class, and Mindy hasn't had to deal with a whole lot of change during her tenure.

"At this age level, they want to be active," Mindy said. "We do skills, we do rules, we do strategies, and they just want to play. That hasn't changed a whole lot."

The Morgans don't have any big immediate plans after retirement, save for spending more time with their two grandchildren. The Unruhs recently bought a lakefront house in Avon, near Galesburg and look forward to road trips and cruises.

Both of the men aren't ruling out a possible return to teaching, whether it be on a substitute or temporary basis.

"I'll miss the socialization with the kids," Keith said. "There's not a day where we don't laugh about something, whether it's at each other, or with the kids."

"The staff and the kids have been awesome," Tom added.

The women know for sure they are done.

"I've always said that if only one of us is working, it isn't going to be me," Mindy said. "I'm going early, but physically, I need to go. These joints are wearing out."

"Because he's retiring, I thought it was time for me too," Jan added. "I'm ready to retire. It's been a long teacher career, it seems like. But I just thought, since he's going, I'm going to go too."

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Source: Sauk Valley Media, https://bit.ly/2MrTZhf

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Information from: Sauk Valley Media, http://www.saukvalley.com