Our PTA Membership Chair caught up with Chad Greenwaldt, new U.S. Studies and Academic Extensions Teacher at Upper Campus, to welcome him to LHCS.
What subject/grade(s) do you teach? I teach 7th grade U.S. Studies and 6th Academic Extensions, which is essentially teaching students necessary social emotional skills.
How you would like students to address you?
Mr. G
Please share a little about yourself: I grew up in Isanti, MN and moved to Coon Rapids as a high school freshman graduating in 1997 went to U of M as a Russian History major and Culture Studies and Comparative Literature minor and received my teaching license from Augusburg. I have 3 kids. A daughter Anna, who is 14 and a freshman as SW high school, my son Charlie, 12 who is a 6th grader at Anthony, and Niko who is a 2nd grader at Windom. I've been married going on 16 years in February to my wife Sonja who is a lawyer working as the director of planned giving for MPR. We have a 3 year old dog Zoey and 7 chickens that my daughter Anna begged us to have:) their names Speedy, Nellie, Dave, Pipi, Donna, Bean, Ginny of various breeds. I love my wife's enchiladas or take out from Brasa or George and the Dragon.
What do you love about teaching? I love being around the energy of middle school students. I believe you need to center every lesson around the student and creating memorable experiences for them whether it is a battleship game of gold rush or a civil war dodge ball. Significant learning does not happen without a teacher having a significant relationship with students.
Do you have any hobbies or special interests outside of the classroom? Often times after class you can see me running around Lake Harriet with my kids. I love zombie novels and I am a huge fan of the Walking Dead series.