Five years ago, a job position was open in the Morgan guidance office. For the past five years, Karyn O’Beirn went from a parent of one, to a parent of 400
O’Beirn grew up in Wallingford Connecticut, and graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a degree in American history, as well as criminal justice, initially dreaming of becoming a college professor.
Before O’Beirn started to grow her family, she worked for a financing/ banking company, where she worked for 10 years. “I worked for General Motors, which eventually branched out into a different company,” O’Beirn said.
This company was down in Norwalk, and while she was working there, she met her husband. “After I met my husband, we got married, and had Saoirse. After I had Saoirse, I got to be a stay at home mom for eleven years,” she said.
Within those eleven years of being a stay at home mom, O’Beirn volunteered in programs such as Friends of Joel, Friends of Peirson, Friends of Eliot. As well as the soup pantry in town. This also made her more familiar with the school system.
“Being a stay at home mom is something I will never regret doing; it was amazing. Being able to stay at home with my child and watch them grow,” O’Beirn said. 
However, being a parent wasn’t her only job during that time. In between, O’Beirn would be a substitute teacher at Pierson. She did this for one school year, subbing for fourth and fifth grade.
Then in 2020, the Morgan job opened up. O’Beirn saw the job opening at Morgan and decided to look into it.
Applying for the job consisted of a couple different steps. “I had to send in my resume, get two letters of recommendation, then a couple rounds of interviews,” she said.
O’Beirn had to have an interview with everybody in the suite. She also had to meet with Mrs. Hagness and Mr. Luther. Then, she had to meet with superintendent Mrs. O’Donnell.
O’Beirn entered Morgan as many students were coming back from the Covid-19 year.
“Working during COVID was very similar to going to school during COVID. I had plexi glass surrounding my desk, and we were cohorting, so the school was very quiet then,” claimed O’Beirn.
Covid times were difficult for O’Beirn who prides herself on connecting with students. When COVID passed over, everybody looked so different to her; therefore, she didn’t recognize many people. 
O’Beirn is the first person you see when you walk into the guidance office. She has a very important, organized, job. “Some of my responsibilities are that I support everybody in the suite, but mainly the counselors,” she said.
O’Beirn is also the first person who students interact with, so she arranges students to meet with their counselors. She also runs the college visit program, as well as the future path program.
She believes that one of the best parts of her job is watching all the students come in as freshmen, and leave as seniors. Whereas she doesn’t enjoy preparing for standardized testing, like AP testing, SATs, PSATs, etc.
O’Beirn ended, “I am so grateful to have the chance to work in this building with some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met, and to watch students who I think are the best in the state succeed.”
