Mrs. Meaghan Cook— an English teacher, soccer coach, and loving mother— has left an imprint on LFHS students, athletes, and community members alike.
Cook has been teaching at the high school for 12 years now, including one year of student teaching. She was 23 years old when she first started student teaching, and originally planned on only staying for a single semester. However, her cooperating teachers, Mr. Richard Moore and Mr. Raymond DelFava, had her stay for the full year because of her diligent work, and teach her second semester on her own. This is also Cook’s twelfth season coaching soccer at LFHS as she started when she began student teaching.
Cook always manages to be the best mother, teacher, and coach she can be. She has three children: George (4.5), Claire (3), and she just recently had her third baby, Erin (9 months).
“I really want to be the best mom I can be, so that is always my first priority. When I first started teaching, I remember my other colleagues saying that when you throw being a parent into the teaching mix, it becomes your first priority. So, I’m always trying to put my kids first and then manage my time between teaching and coaching,” Cook said. “I think teaching is my first love, and coaching came to me unexpectedly, but I love it and the girls that come along with it.”
Cook grew up in Lake Forest and has lived there her whole life, even attending LFHS as a student. To Cook, teaching at LFHS is a challenge, yet she loves it. Although Cook enjoys seeing herself in students, she establishes that she needs to be able to adapt to the times and not compare her experiences with others’. Her adaptability to these challenges with teaching and coaching is what makes her one of the most favorable people in the building. Cook has amazing relationships with everyone in the building, especially with her colleagues in the English department.
“I feel so lucky to have a department that feels like a family. I’ve been with them since I was 23 years old, so I have grown up with them. When I think of becoming an adult, being in my early twenties, getting married, and having kids, I see them. I’ve done so much of my life with them, so I consider all of them my close friends,” Cook said.
Living in a small town such as Lake Forest does come with obstacles, but over the years, Cook has overcome them. She notes how it can be hard to step outside of her house and not think about who she is going to see. However, Cook sees it in a positive light, believing that seeing students on a day-to-day basis is what speaks to teaching and living in a small town, and how the sense of community is always presented. Living in Lake Forest has made Cook feel more connected and invested in the community, and coming to school each day makes her think about what she wants for her kids as they grow older.
Cook’s favorite part about LFHS is the students. ”Being able to see potential in a kid, and being able to spark something new in each student is why I love English. Although these books and our curriculum are staying the same, the kids at LFHS are changing every year. So, being able to adapt our teaching to the students— to make it always connected to what life is like— is what I love about teaching,” Cook said.
