About Me
Background
I was born in Pueblo, Colorado where I lived most of my young life. I loved business classes in high school and math! After graduation, I started a Business Degree at what is now known as CSU-Pueblo, but after the first year, my plans changed. After an “accidental” audition for a group called the Young Americans, a singing and dancing musical theatre troupe touring the country, I was invited to uproot my life and move to California for a year to learn to be an entertainer! Needless to say, my parents were shocked (truth be told—so was I!), but I thoroughly enjoyed my year! I promised my parents that I would return after the year and continue my business degree, and I did…but, I also took a choir class! I started to sing more and more, perform more and more. I made many new friends in the arts, including a beautiful red-headed singer whom I am now happy to say is my wife of more than 32 years and the mother of my two amazing children. Needless to say my life’s direction changed. I felt led to pursue the JOYS of music in my life, and not just my life—I had decided to become a teacher in hopes of inspiring others.
My first teaching position was here at Cañon City High School in 1990, where I took a long term substitute position for a retiring Vocal Music teacher, and I LOVED IT! The kids were so eager to try anything I brought to them. The colleagues, including fellow teachers, administrators, and school board members were so supportive and appreciative of what I was doing. More importantly, I observed that the culture in the building and in the community was infused with an expressive and motivating gratitude that I found so encouraging. I felt embraced, encouraged and supported in my efforts to build a program that I knew was possible…a program that would provide the most encouraging and safe atmosphere for kids to express themselves through the performing arts…a place that “together” we could rise up to be greater than our individual contributions…a place where synergy would abound…and everyone involved could be changed…For Good!
I will never claim that this was achieved 100% of the time. I know that my efforts were far from perfect, and on many occasions, things didn’t quite work out the way I had intended, either with groups or with individual students. In the performing arts, just as in real life, there are disappointments and challenges. They are our opportunities for growth, and we need those too. I am, however, when I look back over the 30+ years I dedicated myself to building this program, extremely proud of the program I built, the opportunities I provided for kids, the safe and encouraging learning environment I created, and the many, many students lives that were changed.
I did not, however, build this program alone. I was blessed with an incredible team who shared my dream, and they made all the difference in the world. Amazing assistants/accompanists, wonderfully-talented colleagues, and the most passionate and dedicated students—that, when combined with a school system and a larger community that offers such enthusiastic support was, and is, the key to the program that I am so very proud to have been a part of creating.
One might think that the lessons learned, the skills developed, and the personal growth acquired through the Vocal Music/Musical Theatre program are exclusive to the performing arts. That is far from the truth of the matter! Our district is dedicated to developing a specific list of skills and traits deemed necessary to develop compassionate, responsible, independent and productive citizens, and I am happy to be able to share with you that every single one of those traits and skills is learned, developed and valued in the Vocal Music/Musical Theatre program at CCHS—every one of them! I would say that 90% of the students who choose to dedicate so much of their time to the program are not interested in pursuing music or performing as a career. They choose to be a part of something that dreams BIG! They learn to be tenacious, independent, critical thinkers as they follow, lead, create, listen, work together, encourage, support, sacrifice, and inspire! They learn the reward of dedication, hard-work, commitment and holding themselves and others accountable to high standards and goals. They learn that what they can do together, far exceeds the sum of what they could have achieved by themselves—they learn Synergy! I am very proud to say that former students include NASA scientists, doctors, lawyers, business owners, (some of my favorite) waiters/waitresses, authors, playwrights and of course a few amazing singers, dancers and all-around performers!
I share all this with you now, not as a list of accomplishments to impress, but to illustrate a point. One might easily brush aside my potential place on the school board as someone who is only interested in the Performing Arts. I would be remiss if I didn’t share that the inclusion of the Arts in general is very important to me in our schools, but I share all this with you to show you, the voter, that I have always been focused on developing the student as a whole, to preparing them for whatever direction their life may take them with skills and traits that I am confident will serve them well. Do I hope that music will always be a part of their lives—yes! Do I hope they will continue to support and value the arts into their adult lives—of course! But, my belief comes down to this—EVERY student that goes through Cañon City Schools deserves the opportunity to become the very best they can be—the Best Academic, the Best Athletic, and the Best Artistic! All three areas are equally important to developing our kids, our schools and our future!
I sincerely, hope that I am blessed with the opportunity to serve our district in a new capacity as a proud member of the Cañon City School Board!
My first teaching position was here at Cañon City High School in 1990, where I took a long term substitute position for a retiring Vocal Music teacher, and I LOVED IT! The kids were so eager to try anything I brought to them. The colleagues, including fellow teachers, administrators, and school board members were so supportive and appreciative of what I was doing. More importantly, I observed that the culture in the building and in the community was infused with an expressive and motivating gratitude that I found so encouraging. I felt embraced, encouraged and supported in my efforts to build a program that I knew was possible…a program that would provide the most encouraging and safe atmosphere for kids to express themselves through the performing arts…a place that “together” we could rise up to be greater than our individual contributions…a place where synergy would abound…and everyone involved could be changed…For Good!
I will never claim that this was achieved 100% of the time. I know that my efforts were far from perfect, and on many occasions, things didn’t quite work out the way I had intended, either with groups or with individual students. In the performing arts, just as in real life, there are disappointments and challenges. They are our opportunities for growth, and we need those too. I am, however, when I look back over the 30+ years I dedicated myself to building this program, extremely proud of the program I built, the opportunities I provided for kids, the safe and encouraging learning environment I created, and the many, many students lives that were changed.
I did not, however, build this program alone. I was blessed with an incredible team who shared my dream, and they made all the difference in the world. Amazing assistants/accompanists, wonderfully-talented colleagues, and the most passionate and dedicated students—that, when combined with a school system and a larger community that offers such enthusiastic support was, and is, the key to the program that I am so very proud to have been a part of creating.
One might think that the lessons learned, the skills developed, and the personal growth acquired through the Vocal Music/Musical Theatre program are exclusive to the performing arts. That is far from the truth of the matter! Our district is dedicated to developing a specific list of skills and traits deemed necessary to develop compassionate, responsible, independent and productive citizens, and I am happy to be able to share with you that every single one of those traits and skills is learned, developed and valued in the Vocal Music/Musical Theatre program at CCHS—every one of them! I would say that 90% of the students who choose to dedicate so much of their time to the program are not interested in pursuing music or performing as a career. They choose to be a part of something that dreams BIG! They learn to be tenacious, independent, critical thinkers as they follow, lead, create, listen, work together, encourage, support, sacrifice, and inspire! They learn the reward of dedication, hard-work, commitment and holding themselves and others accountable to high standards and goals. They learn that what they can do together, far exceeds the sum of what they could have achieved by themselves—they learn Synergy! I am very proud to say that former students include NASA scientists, doctors, lawyers, business owners, (some of my favorite) waiters/waitresses, authors, playwrights and of course a few amazing singers, dancers and all-around performers!
I share all this with you now, not as a list of accomplishments to impress, but to illustrate a point. One might easily brush aside my potential place on the school board as someone who is only interested in the Performing Arts. I would be remiss if I didn’t share that the inclusion of the Arts in general is very important to me in our schools, but I share all this with you to show you, the voter, that I have always been focused on developing the student as a whole, to preparing them for whatever direction their life may take them with skills and traits that I am confident will serve them well. Do I hope that music will always be a part of their lives—yes! Do I hope they will continue to support and value the arts into their adult lives—of course! But, my belief comes down to this—EVERY student that goes through Cañon City Schools deserves the opportunity to become the very best they can be—the Best Academic, the Best Athletic, and the Best Artistic! All three areas are equally important to developing our kids, our schools and our future!
I sincerely, hope that I am blessed with the opportunity to serve our district in a new capacity as a proud member of the Cañon City School Board!
Educational Background
Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education with an emphasis in Vocal Arts – What is now known as CSU-Pueblo
Masters Degree in Administration and Supervision – University of Phoenix
Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction – Adams State University
Masters Degree in Administration and Supervision – University of Phoenix
Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction – Adams State University
Certificates Held
Professional Teacher License: K-12 Music Education
Principal License
Principal License
Leadership
CCHS Vocal Music Program – 30+ years
CCHS Musical Theatre Director – 30+ years
CCHS Fine Arts Department, Chair – 10+ years
Co-Chair of Solutions Committee
CCHS Musical Theatre Director – 30+ years
CCHS Fine Arts Department, Chair – 10+ years
Co-Chair of Solutions Committee
Program Development
CCHS Encore! & Tiger Ladies Show Choirs
23 Consecutive years in the Top Show Choirs in Colorado
CCHS Madrigal Singers
Vocal Performances Classes
Broadway – Our Way! Musical Theatre Camps
CSU-Pueblo – 10 years
CCHS – 10 years
23 Consecutive years in the Top Show Choirs in Colorado
CCHS Madrigal Singers
Vocal Performances Classes
Broadway – Our Way! Musical Theatre Camps
CSU-Pueblo – 10 years
CCHS – 10 years