Ms. O’Connor is a veteran high school English teacher with over 25 years of classroom experience. A native Californian, she grew up exploring the state’s cultural diversity before settling in Santa Cruz County for junior high and high school. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts in English and her teaching credential from San Jose State University.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‍‍​‍‌​​‌‍‍‌​‌​‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌​‍​‌​‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

Before becoming an educator, Ms. O’Connor pursued a career in acting in Los Angeles, where she developed a strong foundation in improvisational theater—skills she now finds invaluable in the classroom. Her inspiration to teach came while working as an administrative assistant at an independent school, where she saw firsthand how high school could be both academically rigorous and deeply supportive. That experience motivated her to return to college and begin her teaching journey.

Ms. O’Connor loves working with young people, inspired by their energy, curiosity, and potential. She especially values the moments when students offer insights that deepen her own understanding of literature—or the world around her.

Outside the classroom, Ms. O’Connor enjoys reading fiction, practicing yoga, and spending time with her friends, family, and cats.