New drama and English teacher brings talent to the table

Drama teacher Sarah Thermond takes a deep breath as she prepares to perform, her heart racing as she tries to calm her nerves. As the bell rings, she turns to face her newest audience: an English class.

Thermond, who currently teaches drama and 10th grade English, is excited to call this her first year in a formal school environment.

After working at the California Theatre Center as a professional actor, director of school shows and administrator, Thermond decided to become a teacher.

“I became a teacher mostly because the job I had for the last year involved a lot of different things, and one of the big ones was going into schools, doing outreaches and workshops, directing students and all of that, and I found myself finding it very consistently rewarding,” Thermond said.

Not only is Thermond an exciting addition to SHS’s staff because of her experience in theatre, she also is an alum of SHS, having graduated in the class of 2007. 

That also makes Thermond, a 2011 college graduate, one of the youngest teachers on campus.

“I’ve kind of decided to just embrace it, instead of trying to pass myself off as this older person who has worked in many school districts,” Thermond said. “That’s not who I am, and I think that’s OK.”

Thermond majored in drama and English at USC. She thinks the two are interrelated and considers them her two main interests.

“For our last AP Lit project [in Cathy Head’s class], we took our whole class into the theatre and performed the unfinished murder mystery that Charles Dickens died before he could complete,” Thermond said. “It was very intense, but it was really cool, and it was a nice moment of combining drama with my English class.”

Sophomore Jack McCarthy, who has been directed by Thermond three times in conservatory summer camps, thinks Thermond is different from drama teachers in the past because instead of lecturing, she allows her students to use their creativity while practicing skills that they have learned in class.

“Ms. Thermond is a really creative, fun person who lets us experience things for ourselves, rather than talk about them to us,” McCarthy said. “She’s really ensemble oriented, and she includes everyone and makes everyone a part of what she’s doing.” 

As well as being part of the English Department, Thermond is also looking forward to being in charge of productions in the McAfee Center such as “The Crucible,” which will be performed Nov. 15-18. 

“I’m very excited to direct shows in that space with all of the talent that we have in this department,” Thermond said.