Patriot Profiles - Kris O’Connor

Considered to be a pillar of Newark Charter School, Kris O’Connor has been a Patriot since 2002 when she completed her graduate internship in the trailers on Barksdale Road, the first home to NCS. Lucky for us, that internship turned into a full-time position!

Today, Kris is a parent of two current Patriots and a school counselor in the Jr/Sr High School with the majority of her time focused on students in 10th and 11th grades. “I love the students, getting to know and partner with their families and I have the most amazing coworkers around!”

When asked about her favorite NCS memories, Kris said emphatically, “Hard hat tours with our first ever freshman class (NCS Class of 2017) and having that group of students sign the concrete floor of the gymnasium. All of the “firsts” that came along with growing into a high school from pep rallies, dances, school store launching, kickball games against faculty – those memories mean a lot to me and it was so much fun to watch the community evolve.”

The spring is a special time at Newark Charter School. Kris’s favorite tradition is the annual Patriot Walk. “The Patriot Walk is by far my most favorite NCS event. Words cannot describe the excitement, love, pride, nostalgia and sense of accomplishment that flows throughout all of our buildings that day. I have had the treasured experience of leading each graduating class through the buildings after launching it with our very first class (2017). I am moved to tears each year, I absolutely LOVE it!”

As our community comes together for this next phase of growth, we hope you have the opportunity to know Kris. She’s one of the best we have!