Louise Teringo has just re-joined SHS’s staff as a new Assistant Principal, in charge of grades 10 and 12. During the 2021-2022 school year she taught Spanish. Below, get to know her and her life outside of school.

Q: What is your hometown?

A: Cleveland. I grew up in Maple Heights.

Q: What is your alma mater?

A: John Carroll University.

Q: What made you want to work in education?

A: Since I was little I used to play teacher. My sister was older than me– I used to make her be the student. She was like: “I’m older than you, shouldn’t I be the teacher?” I’m like: “no, I want to be a teacher.” I just always wanted to be a teacher. I don’t even know why. I just think it would be so cool to impart something new and fresh knowledge on someone.

Q: What was your previous job before coming to the SHS?

A: I was a Spanish teacher for 12 years. I taught Spanish at Brush High School. Then I became an assistant principal and went to Bedford for four years. Then I went back to Brush to be an assistant principal for five years. Then I went to Twinsburg, was an assistant there and then a high school principal. I was there for 12 years. I retired, and then was called when I was in retirement and told, “Hey, I have these two classes [at SHS], would you like to teach Spanish?” I was like, “oh my God, that sounds so funny.” So I was part of the language department for one year right after COVID. It was 2021-2022.

Q: What is your favorite part of your job?

A: Working with kids, working with students. I want to be able to enjoy coming to work. I believe that if you feel that there’s intrinsic happiness in you things will be easier when you go to work. If you’re just stressed 24/7, I don’t want to work there. That’s why I think it makes me enjoy what I do because I get to work with students. I get to joke with them. Everyone has to go to school. People have to work. I mean, unless I win the lottery, I gotta go to work. So at least I can be fulfilled and happy at what I do and have a positive attitude.

Q: What are some of your hobbies outside of school?

A: I love to shop, I love to look for deals. I’m a bargain hunter– I think this is why I can’t retire because I like nice things. I’ll always say, “Oh my God, I got such a great deal on a bag.” My husband will be like, “How many purses do you have?” [And I respond,]“Hon, that is not a purse. It’s a bag.” And my kids will go, “Mom, where did you get that bag, that is atrocious.” And I’ll be like, “I don’t know, I like it.” That’s what I like to do. I do like to connect with friends. I’m a people person.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 15 years?

A: I better have grandchildren. We have four kids– my husband and I– four daughters, and none of them have kids. And I’m like, “What are you waiting for?” I’d like to be that grandma that takes their grandkids to get ice cream, or go on vacation or take them to the game. That’s me, I would love to do that. My parents helped raise my kids, and I want to help raise my grandkids.

Q: What music do you listen to?

A: I’m a country girl. But I like the top 40s. And I like oldies. I’ll listen to Sinatra just to chill. I kind of gravitate to country [music]. Billy Joel’s my favorite musician. I’ve seen him at Madison Square Garden three times.

Q: What was your favorite subject in high school?

A: I loved foreign language, but I liked music.

Q: What is the best place you’ve ever vacationed?

A: Italy. In Bologna, I booked a food tour because I wanted to see where authentic pasta and sauce and cheese comes from.

Q: What is something you think is special about Solon High School?

A: Everyone is so gosh darn nice. People are just nice and polite. And I’m not saying where I worked everybody was just jerks, but they’re just nice [here]. Like walking down the hallway I’ll hear, “Hi Miss Teringo.” I don’t know everybody’s name, but I’m like, “Hey, hi sweetie.” They know me, but I don’t know them. So I feel like I need to acknowledge them. But everyone is just so nice.

Q: And if you didn’t work in education, what field would you work in?

A: Fashion. My daughter works in fashion. She is that girl. She works for Georgia Armani in New York City. My other daughter’s a teacher, so I get the best of both worlds. I like Italian fashion. I like the designers, I like Gucci.

Q: What’s your favorite food?

A: Pasta. I can eat pasta every day. I’m a carb girl. I like to eat– I don’t apologize for it.

Q: Do you have any advice for people wanting to go into education?

A: We need more people who go into education. I think kids need role models and people that care for them. I think that we need certain professions, but especially service and care workers, like nurses, educators and first responders. I think there is such a need for them. That’s why I wish young folks would just give it a shot.

Q: Do you have a favorite memory from high school?

A: The friendships I made. We had so much fun. I was a student council officer, I was president of my class, and we just had so much fun. I’m still friends with those people to this day. We just bonded.