About Me

Education

I graduated from the Baltimore School for the Arts, located in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1992 and then attended Towson State University for one year, majoring in dance performance and education. In 1993, I joined the Pennsylvania Ballet, where I was a soloist dancer until my retirement from dancing in 2004. My dancing career allowed me the opportunity to travel to various countries throughout the world and to many places in the United States. During my time in the company, I took courses at Gloucester County College and at Rowan University in an effort to obtain a degree in education.

In 2006, I graduated summa cum laude from Rowan University with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education/English. I also received my Teacher of Reading certification. I completed my Master's degree as a Reading Specialist at Rowan University in December 2012.

Experience

Upon graduating in 2006, I taught third grade at School #5 in Winslow Township, NJ. After a year in Winslow Twp., I was hired as a fourth grade teacher at Kindle Elementary School in Pitman. I taught fourth grade for a year, second grade for eight years, another three years back in fourth grade, a year teaching third grade, and now my third year back in fourth grade (Phew!). This is my seventeenth year teaching!

Additionally, I am starting my sixth year as an adjunct professor in the Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Education department (LLSC) at Rowan University.

Bio

I currently live in Ocean City, NJ and have been married for 25 years to my wife, Valerie, who teaches at the School of the Pennsylvania Ballet and the Princeton Ballet School. I have two wonderful children. Adam, 19, who attends Rowan College of South Jersey, and Lilyan (Lily), 14, who is a freshman at Ocean City High School.

I enjoy spending time with my family, going to the beach, traveling to interesting places, and rooting for my hometown teams, the Baltimore Orioles and the Baltimore Ravens. I am passionate about reading, which is something I love to pass on to my students.