Hello my name is Paul Bacak (pronounced Bah Check) and I am originally from El Campo, Texas.

When I was in High School, I don't think I ever saw my counselor.  That can be a good thing!  Counselors help students with problems so I guess I never had a reason to see my counselor.  Regardless, I graduated from high school in 3 years and went to college undecided as to whether I wanted to be a teacher or attorney.

I got re-directed however, when I was in college by ROTC and spent twenty years in the Army in the Infantry and Field Artillery.  I have been a lot of places and seen a lot of things that I never would have been able to experience otherwise.  In my last assignment, I was the Chairman of the Military Science department at Southeast Missouri State University.  I had the chance to teach and administer for three years.  This experience got me redirected back to education.  However the sidetracking wasn't quite done yet.

After I retired, I worked overseas for different companies, training other countries army's for a couple of years.  Essentially, I was teaching specific topics to a particular audience, but the majority of the time we were in a classroom so I guess I didn't really get sidetracked all that much.

It was a great experience working in Saudi Arabia.  It is as hot as you think it is, but the interior of the country is not as uncomfortable as you think because the air is so dry.  In Bosnia, I worked on a team implementing a part of the Dayton Peace Accords signed in 1995 ending the Bosnian conflict.  After that, I was asked to be one of the first seven people to supervise the NATO peace mission in Kosovo, but it was time for me to return to my home and family.

When I returned home, I started on my master's degree in Guidance and Counseling and also started my training to become a certified classroom teacher.

I received certification for secondary special education, composite social studies and after completing my masters degree in December 2001 I became certified as a school counselor and also a special education counselor.  Since then I have been working on administration certification.  I have passed the state exam and have only two classes to finish!

Before moving to San Antonio, I taught at Alice High School in Alice, Texas and Seale Junior High School in Robstown, Texas.  I was also a counselor at Seale.  I moved with my family to San Antonio, Texas in July 2003 and worked at Warren High School until January 2005 when I moved to my current position in the counseling department at O'Connor. 

I have been married to the same wonderful woman, Melody, for 31 years.  We have 5 children and  5 grandchildren.  Our last child, Sarah, is a Graduated from Health Careers High School in June 2008.

I enjoy the students I work with at O'Connor.  You guys are the best! 

Go Panthers!!