I am SUPER excited to be here! This is my 20th year teaching and my sixth year here at now Reservoir. I went to High School, grew up and currently live in Pekin. I have taught all levels of Mathematics at the Middle School level (3 years of 6th grade, 10 years of 7th grade, 6 years of 8th grade and now my second year of 5th grade). I earned my Bachelors and Masters degrees from Illinois State where my focus was on Middle School Math Education. In addition to being the 5th grade math teacher, I am also the baseball and chess coach.
My wife, Michele, and I have 2 young children: Garrit, who is 13 and in 8th grade and Abby, who is 12 and in 7th grade. They both attend school in Pekin. We also have two Toy Poodles, Leia and Jaina.
In my spare time, I like to play baseball and golf. I also enjoy watching my favorite sports teams: the Chicago White Sox and the San Francisco 49ers. I retired nearly 3 years from the Illinois Air National Guard after serving 26 plus years.
With the transition to the Common Core Math Standards, the expectations have been raised. As a result, the students are expected to have a deeper understanding of the material. There are many gaps that I am trying to fill in and as a result, many of the students will struggle. The best way for your child to be successful is to copy the notes / examples and COMPLETE THE HOMEWORK. I am available to offer individual assistance before or after school if I know in advance. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. I will do my best to keep you updated on the progress of your child in my class. I send home progress reports every other Monday after the first 4 weeks of each new semester. They can be signed and returned for extra credit. All quizzes and tests can also be signed and returned for extra credit. I want to keep everyone aware of what is going on in my class.
Please feel free to contact me anytime you have questions or if you would like to meet to discuss your child's progress.
My wife, Michele, and I have 2 young children: Garrit, who is 13 and in 8th grade and Abby, who is 12 and in 7th grade. They both attend school in Pekin. We also have two Toy Poodles, Leia and Jaina.
In my spare time, I like to play baseball and golf. I also enjoy watching my favorite sports teams: the Chicago White Sox and the San Francisco 49ers. I retired nearly 3 years from the Illinois Air National Guard after serving 26 plus years.
With the transition to the Common Core Math Standards, the expectations have been raised. As a result, the students are expected to have a deeper understanding of the material. There are many gaps that I am trying to fill in and as a result, many of the students will struggle. The best way for your child to be successful is to copy the notes / examples and COMPLETE THE HOMEWORK. I am available to offer individual assistance before or after school if I know in advance. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. I will do my best to keep you updated on the progress of your child in my class. I send home progress reports every other Monday after the first 4 weeks of each new semester. They can be signed and returned for extra credit. All quizzes and tests can also be signed and returned for extra credit. I want to keep everyone aware of what is going on in my class.
Please feel free to contact me anytime you have questions or if you would like to meet to discuss your child's progress.