Years at Monta Vista: 8(since 2000-01)
Other Schools:
Redwood MS (Saratoga, CA); Williamsburg MS/Yorktown HS (Arlington, VA)
Place of Birth: Phoenix, Arizona
Education: University of Arizona; George Mason University (VA)
Current activities at MV:
varsity boys soccer
jv boys tennis
Previous activities at MV:
volleyball, jv girls soccer, ropes course leader, chess club advisor, tennis club advisor
Subjects taught at MV:
algebra, geometry, pre-calculus, chemistry


V boys soccer was second in 07-08; JV boys tennis was second in 2008

. climb high..... ....will the ropes course be back?

Recent Vacations:
Yellowstone (Wyoming 2002); Ixtapa (Mexico 2002)
Mt. Rainer/Mt. St. Helen (Washington State 2003)
Western Caribbean (cruise 2004); Costa Rica (2004)
Cabo San Lucas (Mexico 2004); New Orleans/Caribbean (cruise 2005)
Yellowstone (again! 2006); Vancouver/Victoria (2006); Hawaii (2006)
Alaska (2007); Washington, D.C. (2007)
Australia (2008)

Hobbies:
playing soccer (of course!)
reading fiction
taking vacations

Ms. O's almost 4 week absence due to an eye injury
(report on 11/4/06)
On Friday, Sept. 22, 2006, Ms. O was playing soccer. She was hit in the eye with the ball. She knew something was wrong because there was no vision in the eye. It didn't hurt though. The bleeding of the eye that resulted ended up being 17 days of bed rest and almost two more weeks at home because the eye bled two more times. She returned to school on Friday, October, 20! Even though she was back at school, it was another week and a half before she was allowed to actually lie down flat to sleep. The healing process isn't over because she is still on drugs and the eyesight isn't back, but as of the first week of November, she has resumed her regular routine minus the sports. Before the injury, Ms. O was playing soccer 4 nights per week and volleyball one night per week. She slowly jogged about 50 yards the other day and her muscles could feel it. She has permission to begin non-contact, non-weight movement, but she is still a little gun shy.
(report on 12/13/06)
Ms. O thought everything was going well. The initial trauma is healing well, but high pressure remains in her eye. She has tried quite a few different medications and is hopeful that things will improve. However, she hasn't been allowed to run (and she's afraid she's forgotten how) and has been missing a class here and there to continue her check-ups. She probably will not be able to visit with her siblings, parents, and nephews in Arizona for the two weeks of break due to doctor's appointments. She has her fingers crossed that no surgery is necessary, but unfortunately she received literature from the doctor about the types of surgery she might need the last time she saw her doctor.
(report on 2/16/07)
After 4 months of non-activity, Ms. O was allowed to exercise beginning in January! When Ms. O tried to do sit-ups, she didn't really get off of the ground. Ms. O is still out of shape, but she can jog a lap (!) without stopping now. She also doesn't get little throbs in her head as much. She also has permission to begin soccer...that will be the real test. Ms. O isn't out of danger, but it appears that an eye drop regimen might last for a while. Her last doctor appointments were 2 and a half weeks apart and her next one is in six weeks. Not having to go to the doctor each week is already a huge improvement.
(report on 5/8/07)
Ms. O has been playing soccer since mid-February. She is still not fit and the non-activity has made getting back into shape a long term event. However, she has headed the ball several times and was even knocked in the goggles (two different colored lenses that look absolutely fashionable..NOT) the other day. Inner occular pressure is still a concern, but soccer only affected the original bleeding injury. Therefore, Ms. O can participate in sports as long as she wears her goggles all of the time (even while coaching and just standing on the sidelines). Her medication regimen is still changing and from the last doctor's appointment, it appears that changes will occur for the rest of 2007. However, if the pressure remains stabilized and there is no evidence of nerve damage (with a test at the end of the year), then surgery might be avoided for even longer!
(report on 6/11/08)
The last 12 months was a good eye year. No major problems detected at this time. The goggles are a hassle, but the fewer doctor visits have been a blessing.