• BA - University of Northern Iowa, Major: elementary/middle school education, Minor: K-12 mathematics
• MA - Drake University, Educational Leadership, K-12 Administrative License
• Administrative Evaluator approval license

I taught three years of 3rd/4th grade in the Pella Community School District.  During this time, I led monthly professional development grade level meetings, led bi-weekly district-wide grade level math meetings, worked with administration to develop and facilitate After School Math Factory for second, third, fourth, and fifth graders to improve mathematical computation, led a district-wide grade level data driven leadership team, was a School Improvement representative, was a Board Advisory Committee representative, and was an elementary leader for Department of Educational Review.  I have also co-authored a book entitled, No Teacher Left Behind. 

I live in Pella with my beautiful wife Nicole.  She is a kindergarten teacher at Lincoln Elementary.  Last year a parent told her, "I thank God that he created the perfect kindergarten teacher!"  We also have a small puppy named Wes.  You might see Wes during Tulip Time in his Dutch costume.

My dad and mom still live in Hull, Iowa.  My dad owns DeJong Hardware Hank, and my mom is an office manager at the Rock Valley Nursing Home.  My older sister is a technology manager at Wells Fargo in West Des Moines, and my brother is student teaching in Florida.

My hobbies include collecting scoreboards/baskeball backboards, playing basketball, playing board games, fishing in Canada, and attending Iowa Hawkeye sporting events.

My favorite Bible verse comes from Proverbs 3:5-6.  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall make your paths straight."  I believe that leading needs to be done with a servant heart. Philippians 2:3-4 teaches, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”