Despite this only being Ms. Van Ostrand’s second year at Eagle Rock, she is already the sponsor of our school’s ASB (Associated Student Body) and BSU (Black Student Union), as well as the Junior Varsity girls basketball coach. Being involved in sports and extracurricular activities is one of her favorite things about teaching high school. Ms. V loves to build relationships with students and create fun activities for them that aren’t “stereotypically” what people would expect school to look like.
Before coming to Eagle Rock, Ms. V lived in Illinois, where she taught. One of her favorite things about our school is how open the campus is. She appreciates the positive effect the outdoor space has on the students and the diversity of people shown on our campus.
Diversity is one of the reasons that Ms. V chose to be a teacher. Growing up, she only had a teacher of color once she was in college. Ms. V never wants another student to have that same experience and also wants to help other students who may feel a calling to teach. She chose to teach English because creative writing has always been a passion of hers, and she loves literature. She published a book in 2019 and wants to encourage reading and writing in her students.
Ms. V cares about teaching and her students, constantly encouraging them to pursue things they are passionate about the same way that she has done. She prides herself in her ability to communicate with students and think outside the box. These are what make her such a great teacher.