Meet the Director

Bonnie O’Connell is a strong student advocate who is passionate about helping students succeed in their academic pursuits at Manchester. Her passion for student success has led her to work with teachers to incorporate intervention strategies for high-risk students in all of the schools in which she has served. She firmly believes in addressing the needs of the whole person regardless of real or perceived barriers including age, language, mobility, or cultural differences. Bonnie is skillful at helping students and staff identify ways to make classroom adaptations for students who have learning difficulties.

Bonnie came to Manchester College after 31 years of experience in public education, mostly in the Fort Wayne schools, as a teacher and administrator. She has been an adjunct instructor at the University of Saint Francis, Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne and IVY Tech in Fort Wayne. As a school administrator, Bonnie chaired key educational committees related to performance-based accreditation, staff development, training and leadership, curriculum development, multicultural education, and programs for high ability and at-risk students.

Bonnie has traveled to Ecuador with teachers to establish professional relationships with four impoverished schools. Staff development strategies shared with these school staffs included methods and materials for teaching English, while sanitation and textbooks in Spanish have been the focus for the schools with the fewest resources.