About Me
I have been with the Greater Johnstown School District since 2012. I completed a dual-degree program at Duquesne University, earning Bachelors degrees in History and Secondary Education. I taught at Templeogue College, an all-boys school in Dublin, Ireland, for 12 weeks to gain international teaching experience in Geography, History, and Economics. I also taught History at North Hills School District in Pittsburgh as part of my Student Teaching experience. After graduation, I taught Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth for 1 year at Westmont Hilltop High School. I earned my Masters in Business Administration from IUP and graduated in December 2015.
My favorite aspect of social studies is pushing students to be analytical thinkers and creators of content. When implementing the Hamilton Education Program last year, my students wrote performance-based projects based entirely on primary sources.
After studying the recovery efforts of the 1889 Johnstown Flood (our hometown), we built a recovery/revitalization plan for Johnstown for 2020. It is not based on any floods or natural disasters but uses the same principles to propose solutions for the issues of today: poverty, blight, homelessness, drugs, etc. We also designed green spaces and nature spaces to improve health, fitness, and happiness in our town. We submitted our project proposals to a national contest.
While studying the 2016 presidential election, we hosted our own school-wide mock election. We required students to register to vote; we built a polling place in the school; we invited local media outlets; we created a digital ballot so all 650 students could vote on our Chromebook voting machines; we recorded exit poll data; we collaborated with a local school district and compared results; and we even invited Deb Roberts from ABC News to come do a national news story. (And she did!)
I believe student learning is enhanced by encounters with real world experts. My classroom has welcomed visitors from the U.S. House of Representatives, PA State Representatives, WJAC-TV, Radio Pakistan, German media, local business owners and entrepreneurs, as well as other scholars, charity groups, and prominent leaders.
Outside of the classroom, I enjoy spending time with my wife and two kids, coaching football, traveling, exercising, exploring music and concerts, playing guitar, painting, and reading.
"Congratulations to our 2020 Duquesne University School of Education undergraduate, graduate, and alumni award winners! Our award winners are selected annually by a School of Education faculty committee who review their work and contributions in education - both inside and outside the classroom. These recipients have been chosen for their outstanding scholarship, leadership, and service in education aligned to Duquesne University's Spiritan Tradition of Caring. "
