She is looking forward to the challenges of her role as principal of a much larger school - also St Josephs - in Takapuna at the start of next year.
However, Queenstown will always be home and with family remaining in the region she says she will be back often.
Ms O'Connell-Cooper was born and raised in Queenstown and went to St Josephs herself before her secondary schooling at St Dominics in Dunedin.
She returned as principal to St Josephs six years ago and although the state-integrated Catholic School is growing and planning a new campus near Lake Hayes, she is excited by the opportunity to take on a larger city school.
"Here we have a sprinkling of children from many different parts of the world . . . St Josephs [Takapuna] has 41% of children from an Asian ethnicity."
St Josephs had metamorphosed since her time there under the Dominican Sisters. Then the school had a "big and a little room" and the teaching was "authoritarian".
She recalls when pupils went up Queenstown Hill to pick rosehips which the nuns sold to raise money for library books. Teaching and learning has changed dramatically.
"Schools are very different places now," Ms O'Connell-Cooper said.
The different approach gave children better insight into the reason why they had to learn things - motivating them even when they did not like something as much.
"If they can see the reason then they think 'OK'," she said.
The memento book from the pupils was one example of the digital world children were growing up in, she said.
A study by senior pupils about what it meant to be at a Catholic School had been presented to the board of trustees by a year 7 pupil on Powerpoint.
"It was a wonderful thing for teachers and the board to see through their eyes," Ms O'Connell-Cooper said.
The main difference was the reflection and prayer built into each day which encouraged a "family" atmosphere.
"If someone is going through a hard time then we will pray for each other . . . there is time for reflection and thought," she said.
She said her enduring memory of St Josephs Queenstown would be of the children and the staff.
"The best part has been looking after the kids," she said.
