Meet Westonka's Newest Feature Teacher: Rick Dahl

By Lorrie Ham

Rick Dahl has been selected as January's "Lord Fletcher’s Feature Teacher."

Dahl has spent his entire 28-year teaching and coaching career in the Westonka Schools. He graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a degree in K-12 physical education/health and followed that with a Master’s Degree in curriculum and instruction from St. Thomas University.

Dahl currently teaches physical education—team sports and eighth and ninth-grade PE—at Mound Westonka High School. He has taught all levels and grades of PE in the district and taught health at Grandview.

Dahl is in his 20th year of coaching boys’ basketball (18 as head coach). He has also coached golf for eight years and volleyball and track for three years each.  He has served as a referee for numerous sports for 20 years and has been a member of the Core Discipline Committee for many years.

Dahl has been named to the Minnesota Select Coaching Staff in boys’ basketball.

Previous career opportunities took Dahl to Florida where he was a deep sea fisherman and to Colorado, where he worked in the ski industry.

“I have been part of this community and school system my entire life, first as a student and then as a teacher and coach,” said Dahl, a 1976 MWHS graduate. “I have a great amount of pride and passion towards this school district and am very appreciative of this acknowledgement.”

“Mr. Dahl has been a tremendous gift to the Westonka Public School District. Since he is an experienced veteran teacher, Mr. Dahl has seen educational changes over time and has adapted to them,” said Assistant Principal Marty Fischer. “It has always been hard for Rick to see the State require less and less Physical Education. As a result, Rick has been outspoken and productive in his conversations about how to make activity a regular part of a student's day. Through many years of coaching and teaching, Rick has walked the talk, which has earned him a high level of respect from his peers across the district.”
 
Each Feature Teacher winner receives a certificate for a brunch for two at Lord Fletcher’s.