Teacher Roomies | Video

Evan Kruegel | 9/21/2012

With limited availability in Williston, the school district had to get very creative this summer to find housing options for all their new teachers. After exhausting their resources, they decided to pair up teachers as roommates.

When Middle School Choir Director Nick Ganoe found out he was going to have to live with a roommate, his immediate reaction was one of mixed emotions.

"The first thing I thought when they told me I was going to have a roommate out here was, ‘Oh, I kinda thought I was done with college.’"

First year band director Nicole Pomerleau had a similar reaction about living with math teacher Angela Stoczynski. The two had never met before moving in together.

“At first it was kind of a bummer knowing here I am with my first job wanting to be on my own, and to find out I was going to have a roommate. But after thinking about it, it was kind of a relief moving to a new place like Williston to have someone else there that I could connect with right away."

Stoczynski was initially nervous as well.

"I was excited because it reminded me of college so that was fun, but I was worried about not knowing the person, wondering if she`d be cool or if we`d be interested in the same things so there was a lot going through my mind."

But the situation has worked out well. The three teachers live with three others in the same apartment complex, and as first year teachers, they`ve set up a great support system.

"It`s definitely been an experience. I think from the outside just hearing about it you might think initially that it would be a negative experience but I`d say its been mostly positive. There`s definitely a feeling of extra support in the building because we`re all in the same boat," said Ganoe.

It`s working out well so far, but as housing options increase over the next year, these teachers hope it`s not a long term fix.

"If I need to be living with a roommate for a couple years I`d be alright with that, but eventually getting out on my own would be great," said Pomerleau.

In the end, these teachers are willing to make certain sacrifices, to start careers doing what they love.

COMMENT ON THIS STORY

BACK TO NEWS | BACK TO WILLISTON STORIES