Mr. O’Brien is in Your Corner

Dmitri O’Brien has been with Great Hearts at the Archway Cicero location for seven years, working with a few different departments during his time there, including Exceptional Student Services (ESS). In his new role as Behavior Support Specialist, he will be working with the academy leadership at each campus to correctly identify and successfully manage behaviors that they work with on a day-to-day basis.

“I pretty much help teachers, deans, and headmasters with kids that need support. I will help teachers identify behaviors in classroom and try to help them catch needs early and then manage those behaviors in the classroom to help make their classroom a more peaceful setting.” Said O’Brien. “For this year, because this is a new position, I’ll be offering trainings throughout the summer, to help everyone get a grasp of what my role is and what I can help them with. O’Brien explained that new teachers coming in, with a passion to teach, don’t always realize the importance of classroom management.

He will be offering support to administration, coaching for teachers, and in some situations, O’Brien will come in and observe a classroom when needed. O’Brien said he doesn’t want teachers to feel that they have failed if they need his assistance. “I am here to offer support and come along side the teachers so we can work together. I am learning something new every day. This is a great opportunity for everyone involved.” He realizes that he will typically only get called when there is a problem, but he doesn’t ever want school staff to feel like they are bothering him. “This is my job, it’s what I signed up for!”

Dmitri has degrees in social work and child psychology from Northern Arizona University. Right out of college, he began his social work career. “I worked for a company called Child & Family Support Services where I would go to homes or to the schools of the kids that I was assigned to their cases. These were extreme cases and I worked more with the teenagers. I kind of got thrown into the fire at 21 years old, right out of college and dealing with kids that are going through some real-life issues. I’ve always been a person that likes helping others with problems. I like problem solving I like hearing what others are dealing with and finding ways I can help.” He attributes some of his success with kids to his listening skills. “My mom always just says it’s because I’m super nosey, but I’ve always just thought of it as very curious, and I really do enjoy helping others and I think that kind of just led me in that field.”

Dmitri was raised by his single mother and his grandfather until the age of 9, when his grandfather died suddenly. Dmitri’s mother was very close to his grandfather and had a difficult time with his death. Now without his grandfather, and with his mother working most nights, Dimitri had to grow up fast and take on a lot of responsibility at a very young age. He said getting through the hardships with his mother has made them close. “Today, she’s still my best friend. She is always there for me, and I am there for her, too.”

He attended Valley Lutheran in high school, a small 1A school. “I think I only had 46 in my graduating class,” he recalled. “In college, I was given the opportunity to get to play division I football. I guess I kind of took that for granted at the time. I didn’t realize the rarity of coming from a small high school and getting to go and play at a big college.” Now as a coach, I realized like how some of these kids that I see that are really good, but they’re just not getting the attention. I was lucky enough to get that attention from a small school. That put me in the best position to succeed when it came down athletics.” That small high school he attended recently honored him but inducting him into their Hall of Fame. He coaches flag football, weightlifting, girls basketball, track and field, and tackle football for Cicero Prep, where he makes sure his athletes are getting the attention they need to be successful.

Do you have a story or know of a story that you would like to see featured at Great Hearts?  Please contact jmoore@greatheartsamerica.org.