Hello,

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

My name is Paul Duerr and it is my distinct privilege to introduce myself.  I grew up in Lodi where I attended St. Peter through 5th grade.  I am a graduate of Lodi High School where I played basketball all 4 years.  After high school I graduated from California State University Stanislaus with a Bachelors degree in mathematics - it was my goal to be a high school math teacher (God had other plans - long story).  I attended Concordia University in Irvine to receive my California Teaching Credential.  While earning my California Credential I worked in both of the big Orange County Lutheran High Schools - Crean Lutheran and Orange Lutheran - serving a variety of roles from substitute teaching to tutoring to coaching basketball.  

I am shocked to type that this will be my 10th year as a full time teacher of my own classroom.  I have taught every age level from 3rd grade through seniors in high school and have found middle school to be a wonderful age to teach.  I love teaching middle school students as they navigate the transition from being young elementary students to young adults.  I have found that middle school students still, often, have the curiosity and willingness to listen to instruction of a young child while also developing a personality that is learning to think for themselves and question the world around them.

My number one goal as a teacher is to help students grow spiritually, particularly in their faith in our Savior Jesus Christ.  It is my hope and goal that students walk out of my classroom when they finish 8th grade knowing what they believe, and WHY they believe it.  

The article posted below my picture, was incredibly formative on me during my early years as a teacher.  This article helped me develop my philosophy on education and our role as teachers and schools in helping our students develop.  I fear I am not eloquent enough to summarize the points made in this article so I have posted it here for you to read.  It is a short, and wonderful, read for anyone associated with education - especially students.  

I am excited about the opportunities the Lord has provided for us in the 2023-2024 school year and look forward to seeing each of the students grow throughout this school year.

Mr. Paul Duerr