By Chloe Hsieh and Kamilah Snyder

For most teenagers, high school is a period of life-defining friendships, group drama, and messy interpersonal relationships– but what about the second population within schools?

Before the bell for first period rings, two teachers are standing in the hallway chatting. Down the hall, another pair laughs in the copy room waiting for the machine to finish with their materials for the day. Although students often see teachers as just figures in a classroom, many of them rely on strong friendships behind the scenes to get through the demands of the school day. 

In a profession defined by constant decision making, long hours, and emotional connection, having a trusted colleague is more than convenient–it’s essential. 

More often than not, teacher friendships are the invisible support system that keeps schools functioning long after the final bell rings. 

“Especially at a school, it’s important to have a lot of support beyond just lesson planning,” history teacher Ms. Exler said. “A lot of teachers tend to bring work home with them and it’s really hard to still be a person outside of the classroom.”

So aside from the love for academic demonstration, why do teachers remain in their chosen professions? The simple answer: friends made along the way. 

Oftentimes, studies have shown that strong positive relationships between teachers were enough to decrease feelings of burnout and stress. 

Luckily for Granada Hills Charter (GHC), the rate of teacher “BFFs” is nothing less than outstanding, with teachers across campus enjoying close relationships that exceed mere professional work relationships. 

For some, this looks like our staff who now work with former students, such as history teachers Simon Robertshaw and Jonathan Bent. 

“It’s been a natural progression from being his teacher to now his colleague,” history teacher Simon Robertshaw said. “During busy and stressful weeks, we provide each other with a sounding board. We make sure to have a sense of humor and not focus too much on any one thing.”

For the pair, what works best is their shared sense of what it means to be a good teacher. 

“Good teaching in my mind is more than just your content, when you develop relationships with your students you can get them to reach higher levels of success,” special education teacher Jonathan Bent said. “Robertshaw and I are in line with this and everything which makes working with him so simple.”

For others, it’s about the new friendships made along the way. History and International Baccalaureate (IB) teachers Andy Kim and Hannah Exler have curated a friendship of friendly conversation, golf days, and shared meals.  

“We have conference period off, so we just chat and catch up, and sometimes we will make a daily walk to Ralphs,” Mr. Kim said. “Having good friends is so important, it’s about finding those people that you want to hang out with outside of school.” 

But aside from just fun, Mr. Kim and Mrs. Exler find immense value not just in their friendship, but in teacher friendships campus wide. 

“Teaching is hard,” Exler said. “We are always juggling different things and wearing different hats, and so having something that understands you without having to explain it is very helpful.”

Across campus, teacher duos exist in nearly every department. 

In the English department, Rachael Phipps and Maureen Grandchamp still carve out time for their early morning chats before the first bell rings.

“It’s nice to have someone who’s been through similar experiences who you can confide in and sometimes complain to,” Ms. Grandchamp said. “It helps you feel grounded in what you do, and laughter in the mornings is also good.”

Especially cherished, is the pair’s ability to understand one another, and get through the day with the comfort of friendship. 

“Having a partner with whom you can commiserate and bond over shared experiences is a  unique type of bond,” Ms. Phipps said. “Sometimes it’s a trauma bond and sometimes it’s a celebration bond–both are special.”

These instances however, are not just moments of fun and laughter between colleagues. Rather, they’re the things that keep teachers afloat. To us students, these seemingly small snapshots of campus life are the key to a happy and productive staff. 

At GHC, our teachers value community time and time again as a way to make work feel like home. And honestly, who wouldn’t want to be taught at a school where even the staff has each other’s backs?