Teacher Name: Nneka Onuora
Position: K-12th Grade Special Education
Phone: 907-438-2311 EXT. 3
Email: nonuora@smcsd.us

Hello, I’m Nneka Onuora, the Special Education teacher at SMCSD. This is my first year in special education, and I’m thrilled to be on this new journey. I look forward to sharing my experiences and knowledge, and I’m even more excited to learn and grow as a first- year special educator here!

I’m a midlife career changer, now entering my fourth year as a teacher. I earned a BA in International Relations/Political Science from Georgia State University and an MPP from George Mason University in 2007. My initial career was in management consulting and project management at Booz Allen in Washington, DC, where I enjoyed the fast pace, travel, and meeting new people. However, my heart wasn’t there.

Much to my parents' shock and dismay, I made the unconventional choice to leave. I relocated to Africa, where I worked in various educational sectors, including serving a state governor in Nigeria, overseeing the Universal Basic Education Board, and managing the Girls Education Project with UNICEF in northern Nigeria. It was during this period that I found my true passion—education!

After returning to the U.S., I joined Urban Teachers, an accelerated teacher preparation program, and earned my MSc in Education from Johns Hopkins University. I began my teaching career at Dallas Independent School District, where I was fortunate to work with outstanding mentors and coaches who played a key role in my development. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to teach first grade, second grade, third grade ELA, and fourth grade math. Education is my passion, and I am always exploring new strategies to help my students grow and achieve their full potential. I’m excited for the future and look forward to continuing my journey in education!

I recently married my best friend, my husband. We both have a shared passion for traveling, history, and art. So far, I’ve traveled to 38 countries, while he’s lived and worked in five different countries. We’re planning our dream holiday to visit Mt. Everest in the near future—just the Base Camp, though! This adventure is something we’ve been looking forward to as we continue exploring the world together.

Saint Mary’s is a truly unique place! It’s breathtakingly beautiful here. It’s a warm, and welcoming community where anyone from any background could feel at home and that’s what makes it a special environment to work in. I look forward to seeing the bright smiles of our students every morning, and I love learning new words in Yup'ik from them. It’s an exciting and wonderfully mysterious place to be!