Lauren Barr, both a teacher and coach here at Lake Shore High School, has decided that her time has come to leave the school and pursue a new career. This left many students questioning why, and what is to come in her future?

Barr took a new position at United Wholesale Mortgage in Pontiac, Michigan. She said, “There are not many differences, actually. Instead of high school English, I will be teaching adults about the company policies, mortgage knowledge and company culture.”

Although she said there aren’t many differences, she will still miss teaching. Barr said, “I will also miss teaching English. I love teaching novels and writing. I’m just a nerd for English, so I’ll definitely miss that.”

Barr was hesitant to leave Lake Shore, but ultimately, it came down to her mental health. She said, “I became two people: Ms. Barr, who was positive and cheery and Lauren, who was drained and exhausted.”

She continued on to say, “Teachers give a lot of themselves in order to be good at the job and I just gave up too much.” Wanting to better herself, she decided that this new job was the right fit for her.

This job is a major improvement for her. She said, “The biggest benefit of working at UWM is a better work-life balance for me. The culture is also so fun, so it’s a great place to work.”

As a soccer coach, Barr still hasn’t completely left her Lake Shore life behind. She said, “Although I can’t continue to coach due to the work hours, I hope to come back to watch some Lake Shore games and work the clock.”

She encourages everyone to reach out to her if they ever need anything. She gave the email [email protected] for students to use if needed.

She even said, “My colleagues, friends and students are the best. I will always be available to them.”

Loved by many, Barr’s students speak out. Senior Madison Swoveland said, “I’m going to miss her, but I’m glad that she is doing something that makes her happy.”

Junior Briana Koontz agrees with Swoveland. She said, “I am happy she is able to move on to bigger and better things. I’m excited to know that she is still going to be in the community.”