My Quick History

I grew up in Salem, Oregon. I have six brothers and sisters. I am a graduate of the University of Oregon (BS Journalism, 74) and San Francisco State University (MA Education 78). I worked for the YMCA, United Parcel Service, and a private family counseling organization. I earned my teaching credential from the UW in 1990. I've taught at Stevens Elementary ever since.

I began with five years teaching third grade. Then I spent five years teaching fourth grade. I spent seven years teaching fifth grade before I moved to the gym.

Things that make life interesting

I love to read, play my guitar, and ride my tandem bicycle with my wife, Sheila. We've ridden more than 20,000 miles including in France on the Alpe d'Huez, around the Big Island of Hawaii, and from the Grand Canyon to Mexico. Most every summer I work at a camp for children with cancer. I’ve always been an environmentalist. We recently canceled our trip to New Zealand because it would be too large an impact on our carbon footprint.

Values I hold dear

I'm not a parent, but there are some things I think it's important to convey to your children: a love of reading, a sense of kindness, how to be fit, and that electronic entertainment is not the most important thing since sliced bread. Here's how you can do them.

• Read to them, with them, around them.
• Talk about the nice things you do for others every day.
• Turn off the television before 8 p.m. and limit their use of electronic games.
• Get them to exercise daily: it helps their brains!
• Get them to sleep early: it helps their brains!