Mr. Westra's Classes

Welcome to my classes

Everything you need to know about each class can be found here, plus some extra stuff

A Little About Me

Although I lived in Calgary until I was eight, my family moved to a farm 25 miles NE of Edmonton, where I went to grades 3-9 in Gibbons, and 10-12 at Sturgeon Composite High School in Namao. Upon high school graduation in 1982, I went to the University of Alberta for one year in the Engineering program, and then most of two years at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa. Eventually I went back to school (in 2001), and graduated in 2003 with a B.Ed from the University of Saskatchewan.

Between 1985 and 2001, I worked. For two years I was the Front-End Manager at Champion Feeds in Westlock, AB., responsible for the buying and selling of everything that was not feed related. In 1987, I became a partner in Westralia Farms. We milked 60 cows three times per day, ran a 200 head cow/calf operation, and farmed approximately 4500 acres of predominately feed grains and oilseeds. During this time I sat on many community boards, as well as volunteered in a variety of community clubs.

Farming has given me a wide-range of experiences that I have been able to incorporate into my teaching. I have built my own house, and many out buildings. I have built and/or modified equipment that was used in our business. It was necessary to become competent in accounting practices, as well as soil science/management and much more in order to be successful in the farming business.

I left farming in 2001 to return to school. I graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 2003, which was the year many teachers in Alberta were laid off. Thus, the only employment I could obtain was in Beechy, SK., where I worked for two years. After subsequently teaching for one year at Ashmont Secondary in Ashmont AB., I moved to Calgary with my two children, where I was the Chair of Mathematics and Science at Calgary Christian School. In December, 2013, I received my Masters in Education degree from the University of Calgary.

In the fall of 2015, I decided to take on a new challenge, and moved to Chilliwack, BC, to teach at Unity Christian School, where I was employed teaching Grades 9-12 Math, Science, Chemistry, and Physics. However, after only one year is was clear to me that I had moved too far from my family so I returned to Alberta in 2016. I taught part-time for a couple of months in an Elementary grade five class before obtaining a full time position at the Morinville Learning Centre where I was employed as the Math and Science Teacher as well as the Technology Specialist.

At Thorhild Central School I am a high school math and science teacher, as well as junior and senior high building construction.