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Born in the Fifties and raised in Southern Minnesota, I have been a Minnesota resident and a diehard Vikings fan through 4 Super Bowl meltdowns and other disasters. My dad was a fertilizer salesman who took me on trips to see dealers all over Central Minnesota and down to Northern Iowa (we would knock off early most summer days to go to the fishing hotspot nearby, naturally!) He influenced my love of nature (he had a degree in Botany from the U of M) and sports. My mom raised 3 kids and worked at Montgomery Ward in Redwood Falls, MN – I have fond memories of mom always having hot soup and sandwich ready for me as soon as I slammed the screen door shut when I came home for lunch on school days; my only trauma of any significance growing up was being turned away at the Redwood Theater for the performance of “Axel and his Dog” because they were at the limit of capacity (I had waited in line with my mom for several hours to get in!) That and passing a kidney stone (very painful but not as painful as childbirth, ladies!) are memorable incidents growing up. When I was in 8th grade, my dad got a transfer to Albert Lea …eventually, before my senior year, we moved back to Redwood Falls where I graduated to the sounds of “Let It Be” by my all time favorite artists, The Beatles. I am a huge music fan from the time The Beatles first appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show through the late seventies punk era and I have lots of vinyl LP’s representing everything from folk to rock to jazz to the blues. I attended Mankato State College in Mankato and earned both my undergraduate and graduate degrees – I majored in secondary education with a history area of concentration and with plans to teach. I did teach one year in Bloomington at a junior high school before deciding to go back and get my secondary counseling licensure, which I did. I commenced my 28 year career as a school counselor at an outpost in extreme west central Minnesota, Canby High School. While there, a good friendship led to my love of sailing and bicycles and all things outdoors – oriented. The deer and pheasant hunting was another plus in that part of the state as well! Down the road in Worthington, MN I met my future wife and the mother of my two excellent children, Daniel – now a high school senior and Kathleen – a high school freshman; both attend Redwood Valley High School in Redwood Falls of all places! My old school was demolished in the early 90’s to make way for the brand new, spanking building and awesome facility my kids now enjoy. They have amenities such as an indoor ice rink, a performing arts center and a field house which are great! My kids, the pride of my life, live with their mother in the town I grew up in. My ex is a secondary school principal in a neighboring school district. I presently live in beautiful Lakeville where I enjoy the cultural advantages the metro area has to offer. I feel blessed with the many things I have experienced in my life and one of the best things to happen to me was when Tom Ellis and the other BlueSky Charter School veterans took me in as their registrar – I love what I am doing and I am glad to help our many families and students in the BlueSky Charter School world! |
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