About Mr. Peapenburg
This is my fifth year at PHHS. I have been in education since 1995. I have taught at various levels including middle school science, high school science (biology, chemistry, physical science, earth science, forensics, EPICS engineering, health, college study skills, AVID), and worked with undergraduates at the university level. My educational background includes a B.S. in Zoology and a Post-Bac teaching certificate in secondary education from Arizona State University (Tempe and West campuses) and a M.Ed. in K-12 Educational Leadership and a Principal's Certificate from Northern Arizona University. I also work part-time in the Phoenix Zoo's Education department, primarily with the Night Camp program, teaching school groups who spend the night at the zoo about animals and conservation (I get to work with about 50-60 different animals when I am at the zoo!).
I have been married for 26 years and have two children, one starting her sophomore year at GCC and one starting his freshman year at GCU. I enjoy bicycling, downhill skiing, hiking, gardening, hunting, and fishing. My two best vacations with my family were spending a week in San Francisco right on Fisherman's Wharf and a week-long cruise through Alaska's inner passage.
In the Spring of 2019 I was faced with a challenge during second semester when I was admitted to the hospital and underwent surgery for a quadruple CABG and missed six weeks of school. I made it back for the last week of school and have fully recovered.
My classroom is home to various creatures that help to keep us all connected to nature and sometimes they even serve as therapy animals. During the course of the school year you will become acquainted with a Mexican Black Kingsnake named "Lightening", two Leopard Geckos, "Phoenix" and "Ragnar", a Chilean Rose-hair tarantula named "Cassiopia", an Arizona Desert Blonde tarantula named "Nyx", a colony of Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, Bark Scorpions, Stripe-tailed scorpions (kept under lock and key for safety reasons), and the occasional critter rescued from other teachers' classrooms.
I am also the sponsor for the "Animal Care and Conservation Club". We have several outings each year to learn what is happening the the world of conservation and get involved in service projects to help with community rescue organizations. Club meetings are every other Thursday in Room B-128.
During the Covid-19 lock down I stopped shaving for four months and ended up looking like "Grizzly Adams" and painted the inside of my house.