I teach Economics and Government at CDO High School. This is my 27th year in the district. I taught 7th and 8th grade Social Studies at Cross Middle School for 25 years. Last year I worked as a mentor for 1st and 2nd year teachers in the district - making observations, providing feedback, as well as assiting with classroom management, planning and locating resrouces. My duties also included providing professional development for teacher across the district. While I originally intended to continue working in the mentoring program, when I saw that the Econ/Gov position had opened here, I jumped at the chance to teach at what I believe is the best high school in Southern Arizona.

Although I was born in Pittsburgh, PA, I grew up in Tucson. I attended Ochoa Elementary School in South Tucson, St. Michael’s for 7th and 8th grade, and graduated from Salpointe in 1983. I attended the UofA for a year, took a year and a half off, and then went to NAU, working summers at the Grand Canyon as a trail and river guide (let me know if you are headed to either the North or South Rim. I’d be happy to suggest places to see and things to do while you are there).

While working in the Canyon, I had the opporunity to take people on hikes and trips down the Colorado River. Part of my job was to teach people about the flora, fauna, geology and human history of what they were seeing. It was this experience that created my love of teaching. I finished degrees in both Social Sciences and Secondary Education in December of 1990 and worked as a substitute in the Flagstaff Unified School District that spring. I moved back to Tucson in June of 1991 and was hired at Cross Middle School where I taught for 25 years. I beleve it is essential that students be able to relate their own experiences and knowledge to what we are studying in class. I, therefore intertwine historical events and other concepts with current events, pop culture and daily life in order to make what we are studying relevant and engaging.

My wife and I have four children: Sean – 26 works at Desert Diamond Casino, Haley – 25, Trevor - 23, and Abbey – 22 are all working on college degrees. Our family enjoys camping, hiking, backpacking, and skiing/snowboarding. The boys and I hunt and fly-fish. Mrs. Fife and I enjoy taking our motorcycle out on nice weekends. We live in the CDO community.