Greetings!

My name is Dale Kern and I’m extremely honored and excited to be joining the Westgate community as the High School Social Studies teacher. I received my Bachelor of Arts in History from Tennessee State University where I also minored in Political Science. While I was there, the emphasis of my studies centered around eras of social change in US history and the practices implemented by people who sought social justice. I earned my State of Colorado teaching license through the ASPIRE to Teach Alternative Licensure Program at CU Denver.  

 The 2019-2020 school year will be my fourth year teaching. Before coming to Westgate, I taught US History and Music at Lookout Mountain Youth Services Center in Golden where I worked with at-risk youth who were in the custody of the Division of Youth Services. My time at Lookout gave me experience practicing trauma-informed care and guided me in adopting the principles associated with TIC; safety, choice, collaboration, trustworthiness and empowerment.

As a social studies teacher, I believe that it is imperative to not only develop the readiness of my students as critical thinkers and engaged citizens; but to also help facilitate learning experiences where they can find growth and personal enrichment.