Why did you come to East?

“I’ve always wanted to teach in Des Moines, I have heard so many good things of the Des Moines Public School Systems and they are usually the front runners to everything that’s changing with education and I want to be apart of that and grow with the students,” Aaron O’Tool said.

Any advice you have for the students?

“For the freshman and sophomores, try your hardest and do your best you first couple years in high school, it’ll make you like as a junior and senior a lot easier. My advice to the upperclassman is to take risks don’t be afraid of failure. I’ve taken risks, I have failed many of times, but it’s how you respond to those failures that make you successful and so much stronger,” O’Tool said.

Who is your role model and why?

“It would have to be Mr. Lampy. He was my band teacher and my instructional coach. He taught me to be the best drummer I could be. As a instructional coach he pushed me to become a better teacher, a better person and he is the sole reason I got back into education,” O’Tool said.

What is the best and worst thing about teaching?

“ The best thing is the kids, just being able to see the potential each student has. The worst thing is not seeing those kids use their potential. People struggle growing up, lives might not be the best, I understand that, but with the potential they withhold and their drive it kills me to see students not succeed,” O’ Tool said.

What do you like to do outside of school?

“I bar tend on the weekends, other than that I like to play sports I in the winter time is snowboard, in the summertime I wake board and I golf play tennis, basketball anything that is competitive count me in,” O’Tool said.

What inspired you to change jobs?

“I missed making a difference in people’s lives I missed the daily routine and having a social life,” O’Tool said.