Please tell us about yourself.
I grew up in Canada and first came to the U.S. for college. I thought it was cool that I could study engineering at a Christian college, as that wouldn't be possible in Canada. I graduated from Calvin College in 2005 with an engineering degree and promptly entered the field. After working for three years, I felt a tug toward something else where I could use my skills but express my faith more openly. In 2008 I enrolled at GVSU to become a mathematics teacher. In 2009, about three weeks before school started, I was hired at St. Patrick High School. I'm currently finishing up my eighth year here, and I have loved every minute of it.
Describe your school.
St. Patrick is a unique school. Having preschool through 12th grade all under one roof brings many blessings. Our identity is firmly rooted in Christ. The staff incorporates the Catholic faith into basically everything. There is no doubt, just from walking through the halls, that this is a Catholic school. Every day, staff and students work together to accomplish our mission statement: We pray! We learn! We achieve! Our school is like an extended family. Large families have students spread out across many grade levels, cousins get to see each other every day, and we are all united together in community at our weekly school Mass. Elementary students have mentors from the middle school and high school.
Catholic schools are different because...
Learning about our world and how it works in unity with the God who created it changes EVERYTHING.
What drew you to teaching at a Catholic school?
My faith is important to me. Days that don't include me sharing my faith with those around me just seem "off." This was one of the main reasons that I chose to leave the corporate world. I felt that instead of expressing my faith I was actively having to repress it. Three years of this definitely took its toll on my emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Catholic schools were a solution to my dilemma.
What is your favorite part about teaching? What are your greatest rewards?
My favorite part about teaching is being in a position to be a positive Catholic male role model. I'll never know the depth or breadth of my impact on my students, but the opportunities are essentially limitless. My greatest rewards are watching students wrestle with a difficult concept and seeing their satisfaction in figuring it out…and PTO luncheons, of course!
In your experience, what do Catholic schools do best? What does your school do best?
Catholic schools are, by far, the best places in the world at producing disciples of Jesus Christ. Our students are well prepared to make a positive, faith-based impact at the local, national, and international levels.
Our school does several things very well:
1) Our mentoring program called "Big Rocks Little Rocks" provides a high school or middle school mentor or two for each elementary student who stays with them for six years. They build a positive relationship through going to Mass, stations of the cross and service learning projects together. The benefits of this program extend to both the younger students and their mentors.
2) We attract large families from outside the area due to having all grades in one building. Our free tuition deal beyond four children makes Catholic school more affordable for large families with children in several age groups. We have gained three large families in the last two years alone.
3) Our athletic program does an excellent job keeping faith, family and sports in perspective. One of the biggest regrets of my whole life is, as a youth, participating in a sporting culture that emphasized individual achievement at the cost of anything else and continually tore people down as a matter of routine. At St. Patrick it is the complete opposite - the athletic association, coaches, teachers and players have worked very hard over many years to create a culture that uplifts both the individual and the team in an atmosphere of mutual respect with our opponents. As a result of this, our athletic teams are continually lauded with sportsmanship awards. I am absolutely envious of my students who get to participate in such a positive athletic program.
From the Principal:
Terry was an engineer and decided to become a math teacher. Terry and his wife, Carmen, moved from Grand Rapids to begin their life here in Portland when he was hired as a math teacher at our high school. He and his wife Carmen are the proud parents of five children. They are actively involved in the school and parish community with too many things going on in their lives to list here. I think Terry and his family would be great for the Teacher Feature.
To learn more about St. Patrick Catholic School - Portland, click here.