About Your Teacher

A Little About Me

• Fourth-generation Colorado native.
• Started my own business right out of high school.
• Later moved into education because it was something I loved.
• Have worked in a variety of roles, including executive director of schools and principal.
• Now in my sixth-plus year at Ponderosa — I took this job mid-year to cover for a teacher who had left.
• I decided I never wanted to go back to being a principal, and I just stayed.

I love these kids. I want them to be successful, and I work long hours to make sure I'm offering the best courses I possibly can.

What This Class Is About

Designing & Building Real Games

Game Design A combines creative problem-solving, computer science, and interactive media. Students plan, build, test, and improve computer games using accessible game-development tools — mechanics, player experience, level design, storytelling, programming logic, visual design, and debugging.

No previous game-design or programming experience is required.

A Common Question

"Do They Just Play Games All Class?"

Game Design is a development course, not an open gaming period.

Students may play games when it's part of an assigned analysis, testing activity, or approved development process — and they should be able to explain how it supports the assigned learning objective. Unrelated games aren't played during class.

Classroom Culture

Our Core Rules

This isn't about punishment — research consistently shows a phone's mere presence drains working memory, even unused. This policy protects concentration so students can actually learn.

Artificial Intelligence

Green Light / Red Light AI Policy

AI isn't the enemy — it's a modern tool students need to learn to use effectively, responsibly, and honestly.

Pace & Workload

Classwork, Not Routine Homework

This course does not traditionally assign routine homework. Students get substantial class time to complete design exercises, prototypes, and projects — the expectation is that they use it well.

This class moves quickly. A student who misses the introduction to a development tool or a key concept can fall behind fast — a student who's absent returns to a class that's kept moving.

Late & Missing Work

If Work Is Missing

1. Identify exactly what's incomplete.
2. Review the posted instructions, examples, and materials.
3. Ask questions when clarification is needed.
4. Schedule time outside of class to complete the work.
5. Attend after-school assistance when reteaching is necessary.
6. Submit the completed work through the course procedure.

An absence doesn't automatically remove a deadline, especially for long-term projects announced in advance.

Grading

How Grades Work

A game project is never graded only on whether it launches. Projects are evaluated on design quality, functionality, clarity, appropriate challenge, testing, revision, and the student's ability to explain the completed work.

Grades are not given. They are earned through hard work, consistent effort, completed development work, and demonstrated understanding.

I'm Here to Help

After-School Support & Contact