When you step into Kay-Lynne Schaller’s Family and Consumer Sciences classroom at Anthony Wayne Junior High, you immediately sense her passion for education, creativity and student engagement. As both a dedicated teacher and an FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) advisor, Schaller is an award-winning educator, who inspires students to embrace hands-on learning, leadership and real-world skills.
A Unique Journey to Teaching
Kay-Lynne’s pathway to teaching led her on a journey of skill building that she draws upon when working with her students. She began as an art major at Hartnell Community College in California before moving into the restaurant industry, where she worked for nearly 20 years. She earned a certification for massage therapy, which ignited fascination with anatomy and physiology—until chemistry changed her course. Kay-Lynne returned to Ohio to be near family, met the man who would become her husband, and it was ultimately he that encouraged her to pursue a career in education.
Teaching Family and Consumer Sciences was a natural fit. She loved to sew, cook and create, and she found joy in sharing those skills with students. Though she moved often due to her husband's career in radio, she ultimately found her way back to the District, where she was first hired in 1994. After taking time off to raise her children, Kay-Lynne once again returned to AWLS when Penta Career Center took over Family and Consumer Sciences as a satellite program. She has thrived in the role since 2007.
“I haven’t done anything the traditional way,” Kay-Lynne admitted. But that non-traditional path has given her diverse experiences, making her a dynamic and engaging educator.
Passion for Teaching and Student Growth
Kay-Lynne’s enthusiasm for teaching is evident in the way she describes her students, instructional style and the subject area of Family and Consumer Sciences. She teaches seventh and eighth grade students elective courses, Principles of Food and Textiles and Interior Design. The courses blend creativity with practical skills, and from sewing projects to discussions about nutrition, her students gain knowledge they can apply in their daily lives.
“I love my job. I really do. These students, parents and families are incredible,” she said. “Most families see the value in these classes, because students come home excited to share what they’ve learned. They’re trying new foods, having conversations they never had before, and gaining skills they can use throughout their lives.”
Kay-Lynne’s classroom management style and philosophy of professionalism sets a high standard for her students. She encourages responsibility, participation and collaboration, instilling skills that will serve them beyond junior high.
“I tell them that I am a professional educator, and this is my livelihood and my life’s work—and their work is to be a professional student,” she said. “They get ‘paid’ through skill building, opportunities and experiences, and the only way my classroom works is for everyone to treat each other professionally.”
Leading Through FCCLA
Kay-Lynne’s role as an FCCLA advisor is an extension of her passion for student development. She first got involved in the organization during her initial years at Anthony Wayne, taking students to leadership conferences where they could learn, network with others and compete. Today, the AWLS-Penta Chapter of FCCLA is known not only in Ohio but nationally, thanks to the high level of student achievement under her guidance.
“FCCLA provides an opportunity for students to discover potential they didn’t realize they had,” Kay-Lynne explained. “I help them set the goal and give them the tools they need to be successful. They have to commit to doing the work.”
She spends countless hours coaching students through the rigorous competition season, helping them through the planning process and offering advice to help them perfect their presentations, portfolios and communication skills. Though the coaching hours are unpaid, she finds immense satisfaction in the work.
“I get so excited when I see the kids do well (at competition) because I know what they sounded like when they started. My role is to find each student’s strengths and help them develop their own style,” she said. “We have really smart kids here and I’m amazed by the things they are doing.”
Her commitment to student success has paid off—not just in competition victories but in the long-term impact she’s had on her students. She recalls two former students, now college graduates, who reached out to volunteer as competition judges.
“Whenever I run into adults that I mentored years ago as students, they tell me FCCLA helped them become strong candidates for scholarships and become confident presenters in the workplace,” she said. “It’s incredibly gratifying.”
Opportunities for Making a Difference
Kay-Lynne’s influence extends beyond lessons in safe food handling and public speaking. Students in her classes practice creativity and critical thinking when exploring topics like sustainability. She frequently assigns projects that promote upcycling to reduce waste.
“One of the competition projects focuses on transforming old items into something new that you can use,” she said. “I currently have two students that have never sewn before creating a completely unique apparel item out of “retired neckties” and other old clothing. They’ll develop an oral presentation on the impact of textile waste and how they developed their “Repurposed and Redesigned” project.”
Further, one of the standards in the Principles of Food focuses on sustainable food practices. To help students understand this concept, Kay-Lynne recently had students find and make recipes to use up the ingredients in the fridge and pantry before they went to waste.
She said the fridge clean out challenged students to negotiate which groups could use which ingredients, find and modify recipes and serve their finished food to their classmates.
Students also learn the importance of giving back to their community. Under Kay-Lynne’s encouragement, students hold successful donation drives each semester - often collecting hundreds of nonperishable food items and hygiene products that are donated to those in need in the AW community.
Her dedication has not gone unnoticed. Kay-Lynne has been recognized as an Ohio FCCLA Honorary Membership Recipient, Toledo Blade Teacher of the Month, Penta Career Center Teacher of the Year, and OATFACS Teacher of the Year. Her students are equally successful, with the walls of her classroom lined with trophies and newspaper clippings of her students’ accomplishments.
Despite these accolades, Kay-Lynne remains humble.
“I have major imposter syndrome,” she laughs. “But I draw my inspiration from the teachers who made the biggest difference for me. I have high expectations for my students and encourage hard work by telling them if we are going to do something, let’s make it great.”
Kay-Lynne’s impact and influence is evident in the success of her students that she has mentored and the feedback she receives from graduates and students’ families. Her passion for teaching and encouraging students to be the best version of themselves continues to make a difference for their futures.