2017 All-Star Teacher finalist Dale Waldo

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Mr. Waldo began teaching in 2001 after spending 23 years in private industry in Sales and Technology Management positions with several multi-national companies. In 2001 he started as an Intern teacher at Folsom Cordova Unified School District at Mitchell Middle School teaching technology to middle school students. He got his teaching credential from Project Pipeline the same year. Mr. Waldo has taught 6th, 7th and 8th graders throughout his entire teaching career. He currently teaches 6 – 8th grade Project Lead The Way classes and is trained in ten of the GTT units. Mr. Waldo has coached Track and also is the MineCraft Club and Engineering Club Advisor at his current middle school, Folsom Middle School.

Mr. Waldo believes strongly in the importance of student engagement and hands learning environment. Mr. Waldo is constantly adapting and refining curricula that will engage all students and give them a Life Long Learning experience.  Examples of Mr. Waldo’s commitment to student learning is his constant drive to get materials to make his student’s learning environment better such as power tools donated by Harbor Freight and soliciting enough funds to acquire eight 3D printers. His students are able to learn Additive and Subtractive Manufacturing in middle school which is ahead of the usual timeframe. 

Mr. Waldo in his first year at FMS converted an old classroom into a fully functioning Fabrication room with multiple woodworking tools (Subtractive Manufacturing). The next year he began to acquire 3D printers and created an Additive Manufacturing environment for his students.

Mr. Waldo has spent his entire sixteen years teaching in the Folsom Cordova USD after his twenty-three years in industry. He is often heard saying to students “BEST Day Ever!” 

Mr Waldo has a Business Administration Degree from CSU Chico and has been a PLTW teacher for twelve of his sixteen years of teaching. He spent several years as a Master Teacher for PLTW training new teachers to PLTW at colleges and Universities throughout the U.S. during the summer months.

In 2014 Mr. Waldo received the PLTW California Middle School Teacher of the Year Award.

Mr.Waldo has been married to his lovely wife, Diana, for thirty years and has two awesome children Tyler and Jennifer “JJ”. Tyler graduated from CSU Chico with a Degree in Business Information Systems and JJ is pursuing a Doctorate Degree in STEM Cell Research.

If he is fortunate enough to win the All Star teacher award, Mr. Waldo plans to use the $20,000 to complete the Folsom Middle School Makers Lab where all teachers can engage their students in Hands On Learning.

Mr. Waldo truly makes everyday “The Best Day Ever” for his students!

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