Dan Rowell: Social Studies teacher

Mr. Rowell isn’t completely new to Wilsonville. He taught here last year as well, so many students may already know him! Before he came here, he worked up in Northeast Portland for a non-profit organization called NAYA that provided resources to children with all kinds of different needs.

From after school programs, to youth camps, to community events, Rowell worked incredibly hard for his kids. He mentioned that the children he worked with were in a lot of ways disadvantaged, partly because they weren’t living in an area like Wilsonville, where countless resources are readily available.

We have a system in place that’s conducive to the success of our students, but not every child is so lucky to have access to that. Helping those kids to succeed beyond just the day-to-day at school was his focus. Our school is so lucky to have him— Mr. Rowell brings empathy and care to students, which enriches their learning experience. 

When asked if there’s anything he’d improve about our school, he gave a thoughtful response. “I’m still relatively new here. There’s a lot I need to learn before I can understand what should be changed.”  This alone should speak to how fortunate we are to have him as a member of our community. 

His key goal as a teacher is to inspire his kids to learn beyond what’s in the classroom. Teachers have a responsibility to deliver students a specific curriculum, but more importantly, Rowell wants them to enjoy the process of learning. He explained that if they can build and maintain a curiosity and passion for learning after they leave his class, then he has done his job. 

The care that Rowell has for his student’s learning and success is so special. We’re so happy to have him here!