Complete BIO

Complete BIO :

I grew up just a few miles north of here in Yancey County where a lot of my family still live. I have an older sister and a younger brother.. I graduated from Mountain Heritage high school and went on to get a degree in Mathematics with a teaching certificate from Mars Hill College (at least that is what it was then).  I ended up graduating in the middle of a school year so when I tried to find a job in teaching there were none to be found. 

I landed a job programming computers here in Asheville and shortly after that moved to Buncombe County and got married to my wife (whom I met on a blind date over spring break from Mars Hill). We have been married 40 years this coming November. We have 3 wonderful children and 6 boisterous grandsons that keep us busy. All three of my children graduated from AC Reynolds high school. 

I worked in the computer industry programming business applications around western North Carolina, upstate South Carolina, and Virginia for the most of 20 years representing three different companies supporting the same businesses. The last 10 years I was self employed. In 2004, I ended my programming support and started teaching full time at AC Reynolds Middle School. While there I taught mostly 7th and 8th grade mathematics and Math I. My last year there I switched roles and taught Project Lead the Way (PLTW) to all three grade levels. I taught Medical Detectives to 6th graders, Computer Science for Innovators and Makers to 7th graders, and App Creators to 8th graders. 

I took the opportunity to move to Nesbitt in 2019. I love working with the students and staff here at Nesbitt. I started teaching Principles of Engineering where I was able to teach both the mathematics and the application of engineering. Since then, I have moved up to teaching the PLTW Capstone course to the Seniors where I am able to facilitate the creation of unique and creative products that stem from a problem that has been identified and documented. I also teach two different upper level PLTW courses available to Juniors and Seniors.  Digital Electronics looks at the world of 1's and 0's and how electronics can take input, save it, and create output based on the data. Computer Integrated Manufacturing teaches students how to use various machines that are used in the Manufacturing world. This includes a CNC milling machine as well as robotic arms.

While teaching at AC Reynolds middle school, I started another journey that I just completed in 2022. I started by enrolling at Gardner-Webb University and obtaining a Masters Degree in middle school education. That was step 1. Step 2 was working on and completing my Doctorate of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. My dissertation was a program evaluation of the internship program through the CTE department. That was a long journey but it is now complete. 

While not teaching I love spending time with my kids and grandkids. I have been involved with the Boy Scouts of America since my sone was in kindergarten. He started as a tiger and I started as a Cubmaster. He went all the way through and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. After that he has gone on in Scouting and is now a District Executive for the Daniel Boone Council. I currently am the Daniel Boone Council's Eagle Chair and am in charge of approving all Eagle Project proposals. I also worked Summer camp from 2012  until the pandemic closed the camp in 2020. I am a Vigil member of the OA and Wood Badge trained.