Mr. Ross VanDerBill
Personal Profile
I was born and raised in Richfield, Minnesota which is a suburb of Minneapolis. I am the youngest of three kids and have always enjoyed being the “spoiled baby” of the family. I am married to a wonderful woman named Lisa since 2009. She has been a true blessing to me! I have always enjoyed camping, backpacking, canoeing, and kayaking, basically anything that can get me out of the city and into the woods. I also enjoy playing and watching sports, especially my Minnesota Twins and Vikings. I spent six years in the Minnesota Army National Guard and completed a 16 month tour in Iraq from 2006-2007. I spent most of my time sticking out of the top of a Humvee with a machine gun which is not something I would recommend!
Professional Profile
I attended Calvin Christian School for K-8 and then went to Richfield Public High School. After high school I went on to Dordt College where I majored in World and American History and Secondary Education and received my coaching endorsement. After graduation I spent a year substitute teaching in the Minneapolis area at numerous public and private schools. I never thought that I would be in charge of classes like Home Economics, choir, or 3rd grade P.E., but God gave me the strength to get through it and I learned a lot! After getting married I followed my wife here to the Chicago area and was able to take a position as an assistant teacher at Elim Christian School. I worked in their Autism Program with a wonderful class of 18-20 year olds with severe Autism. I was able to serve as a long-term substitute in my classroom during my teacher’s maternity leave and during summer school. I learned more than I ever thought I would about patience, compassion, love, trust, and many other things from my students and staff there and count my experience at Elim as one of the greatest blessings of my life. I feel that all of the people, places, and students that I have worked with in the past years have prepared me for a successful time here at Timothy!
Philosophical Profile
My philosophy of Christian education revolves around the theme that this is God’s Creation and that He can and should be found in every square inch of what we learn. Providing students with this basic outlook during their formative Middle School years is important as they become young adults and begin evaluating their own lives, beliefs, and opinions. Students in my classes will also be equipped with the basic skills, knowledge, and motivation that will allow them to become successful students, citizens, and servants of the Lord.
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