Van Nuys
For most people, work and home life remain separate, but for math teacher Nathan Van Nuys and social studies teacher Katie Van Nuys, the two are inseparable.

“Our marriage would be a lot more boring if we didn’t work at the same place,” Nathan said.

Their story began in the parking lot of Chantilly High School. One morning, Katie walked into the teachers’ workroom to inform Nathan that his car had been completely totaled by a sleeping driver, who crashed into it and sent it flying about 40 yards from its original parking spot.

“That was the second interaction I had [with Katie] that made us start to hit it off,” Nathan said. “We transitioned from Chantilly to McLean together. It’s just easier to move from school to school as a packaged deal.”

Although they work in the same building, they don’t have much time to interact during the day. Instead, they embrace their commute as a time for bonding.

“We each have a buddy for the ride and we save on tolls [while also making] Dunkin’ stops in the mornings before school,” Nathan said.

Some students occasionally mix them up, especially if they aren’t familiar with either
teacher.

“I always love the first few days of school becuase there’s always a couple of children that come into my room that are Katie’s kids and vice versa,” Nathan said.

Katie incorporates real-life examples from her family to illustrate psychological concepts in class. When discussing gender roles, she uses their own dynamic in balancing family responsibilities as an example.

“I use my family as examples all the time because it’s helpful for students when there is something to hook the material to,” Katie said. “When I tell stories about him, people know him. It’s not just a random teacher talking about their spouse that you’ve never met.”

Howell
Social studies teacher Ian Howell and French teacher Valerie Howell are new to
working in the same building. Ian has been part of McLean’s faculty since 1996, while Valerie recently joined after a lengthy tenure at Madison High School.

“Two teachers had been here for over 20 years [in the French department], and when they left, a spot opened up. I knew I had to act quickly,” Valerie said. “This school’s reputation for its language programs, especially the French immersion one, made me always hope that I could come and teach here.”

Despite sharing a workplace, the couple rarely crosses paths during the day, as Valerie teaches in the mods while Ian teaches inside the main building. Like the Van Nuys, their real connection happens during their commute.

“We get more time together in the car to talk about things, especially if it was a busy day,” Ian said. “If there’s a new burden or obligation at school, you know what the other person is going through, and we sometimes team up and do it together. ”

Little moments—like Ian helping Valerie move into her new classroom, sitting next to each other in meetings or simply sharing lunch—make working at the same school more enjoyable.

“We can make copies for each other,” Valerie said. “Or, if our son has an appointment with a doctor, it’s likely that one of us can take the period off to make sure that happens.”

The Howells have experienced all of life’s ups and downs side by side, and now, sharing a workplace has only brought them closer.

“Before, we would compare [our] different schools on things that were happening. It’s better now because if there’s something that’s bothering us, then we go through it together and we can relate faster,” Ian said. “We have only been [apart] 10 days in the 30 years we have been married so far.”