O'Connor placed second in Regionals, behind Earl Warren High School. However, the team slid down again at state, finishing 14th, but recorded a 42,000+ score at state for the first time in school history. O'Connor closed the gap dramatically in 2008, coming within just 532 points of defeating Holmes for the Regional title, and advanced to state again in the top ten.

2007 was also the second time a O'Connor team recorded a 40,000+ score. However, O'Connor could not hold on, and slid to 11th place overall at the State competition, which set a new record for the highest placement of an O'Connor team. O'Connor did not become a top ten school in Texas Academic Decathlon until 2007, when it ranked inside the top ten for the first time in school history in the Statewide region rankings (also known as the Teams Advancing to State list). In addition, O'Connor has had three students win individual medals and scholarships at the state competition for their overall performance: In 2010, O'Connor became the second Northside school to break into the State Top 10, earning 6th at the state competition. 2004 saw O'Connor fail to advance to state for the first time since 1999, but O'Connor has advanced to state every year since. In 2002, O'Connor broke 40,000 points for the first time at state. In 2001, it obtained its highest finish at state up to that point, finishing 17th. O'Connor has been a perennial state qualifier in the Texas Large School competition, having first advanced to state in 2000. All have competed at the State or National Level, adding to the 'Panther Pride' that the small town of Helotes and its inhabitants share for the school.

O'Connor has fielded successful Academic Decathlon, Super Quiz, National Science Bowl, Forensics, and UIL Competition teams. O'Connor, while still relatively young, has a strong tradition of doing well in academic competitions. As of 2013, it is the Northern most school of NISD, and is one of the largest schools (in population) in the district. O'Connor was Northside's sixth major high school (now up to 10). Sandra Day O'Connor High School is a four year comprehensive high school located in Helotes, Texas (just northwest of San Antonio) which opened in 1998 as part of the Northside Independent School District.

Sandra day o connor high school helotes