The Secret Lives of OCSA Teachers

It’s safe to say that, nowadays, most of us spend more time around our OCSA teachers than our own families. We enter our teachers’ classrooms, consume their knowledge like baby birds feeding straight from their mothers’ beaks and leave. But aren’t these people still, like, total strangers? I mean, we know that Mr. Sprekelmeyer was a firefighter, Ms. Coates loves Diet Coke and Ms. Gallagher used to be a Disneyland princess, but maybe it’s time to ask the more serious questions: What don’t we know? Who are these mysterious beings after they shed their OCSA ID badges at the end of the school day? (Cue suspenseful music.) 

For starters, we go to an arts school, so it should come as no surprise that some of our very own OCSA teachers are musicians themselves. Literature and Composition teacher, Pamela Smith, for instance, was a singer all throughout high school and college, even gigging with a band known as Mere Image. Today, she still gigs with a friend roughly three times a year. “We sing songs from the 90s, current songs,” she explains, “really whatever we love.” Similarly, Science 8 and Biology teacher, Kristen Lee, also grew up entrenched in music, first picking up the acoustic guitar in seventh grade. It wasn’t until her college years in Los Angeles that she felt inspired to make her own music. She explains that it was a “long and sometimes discouraging process, full of various YouTube tutorials on how to record and edit.” She now has multiple songs on Spotify and continues to broaden her musical horizons, tackling the drums as her most recent endeavor. Adding his own flair to this mix, Literature and Composition teacher, Patrick Thompson, leads a double life as a DJ! He began by playing rap and hip hop tunes at college parties but now plays more house and techno music for private events. He describes DJing as one of his favorite things to do, as it keeps him “current and knowledgeable” on evolving musical trends. He even expresses interest in DJing on 10th Street. Psst, OCSA Leadership, did you catch that? 

On a completely different note, Kelly Cano, Jessica Berliner, Katie Rush, and Jessica Daniel have recently embarked on a joint venture into the world of sourdough-making! Channeling their shared love of Harry Potter, they’ve affectionately named their individual starters—which are living mixtures of salt and flour—Albus Dumbledough, Ron Wheatley, Lord Volderdough and Luna Loafgood, respectively. Ms. Rush, who has noted the “fun and therapeutic” nature of the hobby, confesses that she now makes more sourdough than her family could ever eat. 

Rounding out this interesting group, let’s not forget middle school science teacher, Jess Daniel, who is currently the proud owner of 14 chickens! Inspired by her childhood love for her pet chickens, she felt compelled to start incubating chickens again when she recently moved houses with her husband. She has even created a TikTok account to showcase these “personality-filled” feathered companions to the world (go check out @nikkiscitychickies!). 

Now for some honorable mentions: 

• Daniel Huynh has done Chinese lion dancing for the past 10 years. 

• We are in the presence of hidden gamers! Robert Bourg recently replaced his Graphics Card with a 4070 Ti Super and favorites World of Warcraft. And Marissa Mares treasures the Lego Star Wars video games.

• Sara Abedpour does kickboxing. She can “hit you with a jab-cross-hook!”

We are beyond fortunate to have OCSA teachers who not only excel in their profession but also lead intriguing lives beyond the classroom. By engaging with them about their diverse pursuits, we can build deeper connections, which might even result in greater excitement about their classroom offerings. So, don’t hesitate to get to know your teachers better—for all we know, somebody’s out there hoarding llamas in their basement.