Background: Born in Wisconsin as a pastor’s kid, growing up happened in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa. In 1986, I was blessed to take my wife’s hand in marriage. In 1988, I graduated from Concordia Teacher’s College in Seward, NE, with a B.S. in Secondary Education, majoring in Math and Physical Education. In 2008, I completed my Master’s Degree through Concordia University, Chicago, receiving an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction. My teaching career has taken me from Louisiana to Texas to Illinois, where I have spent the past 24+ years. During that time, my primary teaching responsibilities have been in the areas of math and science. For the last 24 years, I have also served in the capacity of parish musician/Kantor, directing choirs and playing the organ for Divine Worship. In my life outside of school, I am a volleyball official, serving the state as a rules interpreter, clinician, and state final official. My wife and I are also heavily involved in the Comfort Dog program through Lutheran Church Charities and have been since its earliest stages.

My current teaching responsibilities include junior high science, math, physical education, religion, and music. I also serve the church and school as Kantor, overseeing the music program. This is my 5th year teaching at ZCLS.

Teaching Philosophy: Teaching God’s children in a Lutheran school setting is a blessing and a challenge. I am blessed to have the good fortune to come to school each and every day and share the good news of the Gospel of my Lord and Savior with families, not just children. In my everyday interactions with students, parents and other teachers, God works through (and despite) me to bring His message to people that need to hear it. The challenge is in:

the responsibility that comes with sharing that Good News

balancing the Law and the Gospel in all that we do

conveying the truths of God’s Word in a world that seeks to do its own thing

leading students to understanding the beauty of God’s design in math and science

seeding them with the knowledge of what others may pass along as “truths”

teaching the children (and their families) to be “in this world, not of it”

I gladly and humbly accept that challenge, both by the grace of God and with His help.