Philosophy of Education
I believe every child has the right to a free quality public education regardless of their ability level, learning style, primary language, what they look like, where they come from, how or if they worship, who they love or how they identify. Education is about looking beyond the child’s intellect and seeing the whole child. It is about providing students with opportunities to be challenged and still succeed. To me the best learning environment is one that celebrates diversity, with students and staff all coming from different backgrounds to teach and learn from one another. I also believe that education starts at birth. Within weeks of my children being born I had them registered for ECFE classes at The Family Center here in Bloomington and they continued classes there all the way through preschool. As a special education teacher I know the importance of preschool because I've seen first hand the positive impact it makes in a child's success in school. I also feel that our schools need to keep pace with a rapidly advancing world so that our kids can graduate high school with the skills necessary to be successful in either college or carrier. To do this we need to expose children to experiences beyond traditional academics with enrichment activities including: Tech-Ed, Vo-Tech, the Arts, music and sports.
Personal
After working my way through college and teaching for two years in Albuquerque, my wife Danielle and I moved to Minnesota in 2003 for her to complete her pediatric residency at The U of M. After a year of being here we were hooked and knew that this was the place we wanted to call home. We moved to Bloomington seventeen years ago and have two children in BPS schools. There is no place we would rather live. In 2011 I chose to put my career on hold to become a stay at home father. It was a tough adjustment as I have worked full time since I was 15 years old. It is a decision I've never regretted. Being able to stay with my children every day and watch them learn and grow has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. When I took a break from teaching my desire for advocating for children did not stop. I joined the Family Center's Parent Advisory Council and have continued advocating for preschool, early education and all day kindergarten. I truly feel that investing in early childhood education is the best investment we can make in our society. Our family focus is and always will be one of child advocacy: Dani the child health advocate and me the education advocate. In our careers we have often times used each other's professional knowledge as a resource in our attempts to teach, or treat, the whole child and feel that our professions go hand-and-hand. This has been especially true during this past year as we experienced a worldwide pandemic. Children can not learn if they are not healthy, and they can not be healthy if they are struggling in school. During the last few years I have continued my career in education by completing my Ed Specialist degree in Educational Leadership with an administration license in director of special education. Bloomington is a great city with a great community with some of the best schools in the country and I'm proud to call it my home.
Professional
2018 to current: Substitute Teacher Edina Public Schools
Had to leave the fulltime classroom to take care of my ailing mother
2017-2018: Special Education Teacher Hopkins Public Schools
After six years of being a stay at home father, I have decided to return to the classroom.
2003- 2011: Special Education Teacher in Burnsville Eagan Savage Public Schools
While teaching in ISD191 I taught at several different schools and all grade levels. I taught high school in the district's Setting IV Emotional and Behavioral program for a short time before teaching elementary in the district's Setting III Emotional and Behavioral program for
three years. These programs were for special education students who had behaviors considered to be too extreme for them to be taught in their neighborhood schools. Working with students with these difficulties was challenging, but also very rewarding. For me the key to success was forming personal connections with my students and families and advocating on their behalf with school administrators and school staff so they could be successful. These kids needed to know that someone was going to care for and respect them unconditionally.
2001-2003: Special Education Teacher in Albuquerque Public Schools
This was my first teaching job and at that time in Albuquerque inclusion was not practiced in many schools. The classroom I taught in was in a portable building in the back of the school and my students were segregated from their general education peers for the entire day. As a young idealistic teacher fresh out of school, this did not sit well with me. I partnered up with a great general education teacher and we started the school's first inclusion classroom where students with special needs were taught all day in a general education classroom. When we started this program many in the school were against it because keeping the special education students out of sight and out of mind was the norm. Over the next two years our program became extremely successful and became a model for inclusion classrooms in the district.
2000-2003: Title I Homeless Project for Albuquerque Public Schools
This was an after school and summer program for elementary and middle school students that were designated as homeless, living in shelters or short term housing. As an educator, this was one of the most rewarding jobs of my career. It was incredibly fulfilling to see kids, who didn't know where they'd be sleeping that night or where their next meal was coming from, enjoy the simple pleasures of a game of Checkers or laugh at a funny movie by providing them with a safe place to be a child. It was also a great way to help these students catch up on their academics so that they could reach their full potential.
Had to leave the fulltime classroom to take care of my ailing mother
2017-2018: Special Education Teacher Hopkins Public Schools
After six years of being a stay at home father, I have decided to return to the classroom.
2003- 2011: Special Education Teacher in Burnsville Eagan Savage Public Schools
While teaching in ISD191 I taught at several different schools and all grade levels. I taught high school in the district's Setting IV Emotional and Behavioral program for a short time before teaching elementary in the district's Setting III Emotional and Behavioral program for
three years. These programs were for special education students who had behaviors considered to be too extreme for them to be taught in their neighborhood schools. Working with students with these difficulties was challenging, but also very rewarding. For me the key to success was forming personal connections with my students and families and advocating on their behalf with school administrators and school staff so they could be successful. These kids needed to know that someone was going to care for and respect them unconditionally.
2001-2003: Special Education Teacher in Albuquerque Public Schools
This was my first teaching job and at that time in Albuquerque inclusion was not practiced in many schools. The classroom I taught in was in a portable building in the back of the school and my students were segregated from their general education peers for the entire day. As a young idealistic teacher fresh out of school, this did not sit well with me. I partnered up with a great general education teacher and we started the school's first inclusion classroom where students with special needs were taught all day in a general education classroom. When we started this program many in the school were against it because keeping the special education students out of sight and out of mind was the norm. Over the next two years our program became extremely successful and became a model for inclusion classrooms in the district.
2000-2003: Title I Homeless Project for Albuquerque Public Schools
This was an after school and summer program for elementary and middle school students that were designated as homeless, living in shelters or short term housing. As an educator, this was one of the most rewarding jobs of my career. It was incredibly fulfilling to see kids, who didn't know where they'd be sleeping that night or where their next meal was coming from, enjoy the simple pleasures of a game of Checkers or laugh at a funny movie by providing them with a safe place to be a child. It was also a great way to help these students catch up on their academics so that they could reach their full potential.
Education
Mankato State University (2017) Education Specialist degree in Educational Leadership / Director of Special Education
University Of New Mexico (2001) Masters of Arts degree in Special Education
University Of New Mexico (2000) Bachelors of Science degree in Special Education and Elementary Education
University Of New Mexico (2001) Masters of Arts degree in Special Education
University Of New Mexico (2000) Bachelors of Science degree in Special Education and Elementary Education
In the Community
- Bloomington Public Schools Volunteer
- Member of Bloomington League of Women Voters
- Fundraising Director for Bloomington Girls Hockey
- Former baseball and soccer coach for Bloomington Athletic Association
