Ms. Ortiz is our English and History teacher at Montrose, and she has kindly agreed to share some facts about her life. She was born on June 20th in Rockville, Maryland. She is the third child in a family of four, with two older brothers and one younger sister. In her lifetime, she has lived in many different places — including South Bend, Indiana, and Phoenix, AZ — before moving to New England. 

While attending all-girls Oakcrest School in Virginia, her favorite subjects were English, Philosophy, Latin, and World History. Later, she went to the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and majored in a Great Books program which developed her love for reading. Although she loves reading for fun and has read many books, her favorite is Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. She also enjoys books by Jane Austen. 

In my interview, Ms. Ortiz shared that she loves teaching middle school students and said: “I especially love it when they dive into our class discussions and debates and take ownership of their learning. It is so wonderful to watch them grow and learn to ask questions.” We know from her teaching that she is very passionate about her subjects and her support for her students, which makes her a great teacher!

Ms. Ortiz has many interests and hobbies. She enjoys running, cooking, painting, playing volleyball, and spending time with her friends. In fact, her best friend from high school lives in Russia now! Her most memorable memory is watching the sunrise over the Grand Canyon with her friends. Travel is also important to her, and if she could, she would love to live in Italy; she enjoys the history of the ancient world, the people, the language, and the food. As a history teacher, she would have liked to live in 20th-century England. She sees herself as an introvert loyal to her family and friends. 

Christmas is her favorite holiday and time of year, and on Christmas Eve, she eats fish and tells stories with her family, which is an Italian tradition. She loves the entire season, and she noted: “…it is a beautiful time to reflect on God’s great love for us.” In five or 10 years, Ms. Ortiz believes she will still be teaching and enjoying life in New England. This is just a small glimpse into the life of Ms. Ortiz, and we are so lucky to have her at Montrose where she inspires us all.

Sorina Yeghian ’26, Contributing Writer

26syeghian@montroseschool.org