Meet Middle School English Language Arts Teacher Alan West
Sioux Falls Lutheran School is pleased to welcome Mr. Alan West to the SFLS family! He will join our middle school team as our English Language Arts teacher during the 2023-24 school year. In addition to ELA, he will also teach middle school computer and 5th grade science during the upcoming school year.
Mr. West holds a degree in education from St. Cloud State University. With more than 30 years of experience in education, he has served in a variety of roles including 4th grade teacher at St. Anthony’s Elementary School in Hoven, 5th and 6th grade teacher at Freeman Public School District, and middle school teacher at Tea Area School District where he taught English, math, social studies, physical education, health, and 5th grade. He also has a variety of coaching experience at the middle and high school level, including football, boys and girls basketball, track, and girls golf.
Check out the Q&A below to learn more about Mr. West and his passion for education.
Tell me a bit about yourself and your family.
I have four brothers and am from a small town in Minnesota called Clarkfield. I graduated from St. Cloud State University. In my free time I enjoy fishing, hunting, and golfing, and I recently picked up another activity called pickleball. I really enjoy being active and outdoors.
In my family I have one son, Hunter, who is a senior in college at SDSU. I also have twin daughters, Haidyn and Hannah, who will be seniors this year at Tea High School. We love spending time with our cousins, going to church, fire pitting, and watching the Vikings on most days.
How did you decide to pursue a career in education?
My admiration for a lot of my teachers when I was growing up inspired me to pursue a career in education. In particular, my third and seventh grade teachers.
Tell me a bit about your teaching style.
I enjoy connecting with students by sharing my real life experiences with them. I believe by doing that the students will respond and open up more to having real conversations.
What do you enjoy most about working with middle school students?
I love the interaction and communication you can have with middle school students. Building that rapport with them and connecting to them is exciting for me.
Favorite Bible verse:
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” –2 Corinthians 5:7
About Sioux Falls Lutheran School
At Sioux Falls Lutheran School, our mission is to develop capable, Christian servant-leaders in a complex world who are World Ready and Faith Secure. We are passionate about giving our students the tools they need to be successful academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. We strive to accomplish this goal by maintaining high academic standards, employing excellent teachers, and upholding a Christian worldview drawn from Scripture. Ultimately, we are committed to partnering with parents and the church to raise lifelong learners who use their gifts and the fruits of the Spirit, in faith, to touch a troubled world with God’s grace.