My wife and I share a genuine interest and concern about the current state and future of our public schools. As we set our roots in Creighton and plan ahead for our family, I would like to volunteer my time as a Governing Board Member and make it my responsibility to provide an excellent public education.
My parents instilled in me a strong sense of civic duty and responsibility. Furthermore, an amazing college mentor and friend of mine further inspired me to be active in my neighborhoods, always stressing the significance of community. I take these values seriously, and I am proud of my military and teaching history.
One commitment I am especially proud of is my choice to join TEACHFORAMERICA, a movement dedicated to eliminating the achievement gap. I taught 8th grade Social Studies in the heart of Phoenix. I learned that by setting high expectations, investing community members and families, and enforcing wide-ranging accountability, all children are capable of learning and succeeding at extraordinary levels. My students overcame economic hardships, academic deficiencies, and language acquisition challenges to master the content standards with a class average above 90%. Furthermore, my students advanced an average of two grade-levels in Reading! I am so proud of them.
My wife was a teacher too. Antje taught 7th grade Language Arts in the Roosevelt District in south Phoenix. Still passionate about education, Antje is now involved with a company providing innovative technology solutions for teachers in their classrooms.
Following one of my passions, I transitioned into the business world to a role directing the success of local, independent businesses. This has given me the flexibility and opportunity to remain involved in my community. With success both in teaching and in business, I am ready and committed to being an excellent Governing Board Member.