About Me

Mr. Olavarri

Email: molavarri@natomasunified.org (always gets through the spam filter) 

I have been teaching in Natomas Unified since Fall 2006.   I am a Drama teacher, but I am also credentialed in Math and Social Science.  I have taught the following classes:

• • Advanced Drama

  • Algebra I / Integrated Math 1

  • AP World History

  • Apex

  • AVID 9

  • Beginning Drama

  • CAHSEE Math / AVID Math

  • Geography

  • IB Theatre 

  • Peer Counseling

  • Scholars World History 

  • Short Film

  • Stagecraft

  • TV Occupations

  • World History 

After graduating from Sac State with a bachelor's degree in Drama I moved to New York City.  I lived there for three years and dabbled in the theatre as much as I was able.  The closest I got to stardom was as the director for a world premiere at the New York International Film Festival - which sounds fancier than it actually was.  Several of the people I worked with have gone on to have semi-successful careers and the Blue Coyote Theater Group is still working hard to make it as an independent production company.

While I was in NY I worked at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and then NYU.  In each of these jobs I got involved in Compliance and federal grant projects.  When I decided to go back to school, I moved to Vermont and got a job working at the University of Vermont.  I was the Breast Cancer Research Coordinator, and then became the Education and Training Coordinator working for the university's research departments (IRB). 

I went to grad school full-time with a focus in Curriculum & Instruction for Social Studies.  I did an internship at U-32 (a rather amazing school in East Montpelier, Vermont - thank you Glen and Kami).  The following year I got the opportunity of working at Centerpoint School which was part of Centerpoint Adolescent Treatment Services.  They were a brilliant group of people and we spent some awesome afternoons singing while Jeff played guitar.  When I moved back to California, I got a job teaching at La Vista in San Juan Unified.  Later, when offered a job a Natomas High school teaching Drama  it was too great of an opportunity to refuse. 

I have two kids, Genna and Milo.  They are amazing!  My wife Emily and I moved back to Sacramento to be near her family, and I was lucky enough to get one of the few drama teaching jobs in the area.  When we go to competitions, I know many of the judges and other teachers since I went to Sac State. It's a small world!!

As is obvious from the classes I have taught, I can never decide which is my favorite subject.  I always wanted to be a Renaissance Man and I just keep trying to learn.