Growing up in Jenison in a large family (4 brothers and 3 sisters),  my dad was a bulldozer operator, but digging holes in the dirt didn’t appeal to me like it did for a few of my brothers.  After graduating from Unity Christian High School, I earned a BA in Biology and Chemistry at Calvin College.  Later I earned a Masters degree from MSU in Biological Science.

During my years at CCHS, I have taught various science and math classes, have been the Student Council advisor, and have coached several soccer teams.  One of my favorite things about teaching chemistry is seeing students get excited while watching a cool chemical demonstration or performing an interesting lab activity.  As assistant principal, I see my role as an extension of the parents, guiding and discipling young people as they grow and mature.

When I am not at school, you can find me spending time with my wife Janey, the director of GCCS’s Polka Dot Garden Preschools, and my three sons, Bretton, Grant, and Reece.  As a family, we enjoy camping, spending time at our family cabin in northern Michigan, along with watching Tigers baseball or Spartan football and basketball.  To refresh my soul, I fly-fish for trout in local streams.  I also enjoy reading, completing crossword puzzles, and listening to classic music (classic rock, that is).

My prayer for my students is the prayer of the Apostle Paul for the Philippians in Philippians 1:9-11:  “And this is my prayer:  that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ–to the glory and praise of God.”