David Falkenau

I worked as the Dean of Academics and Student Services Coordinator. I conducted teacher observations, hire & fire, managed student discipline and related data, ran the after school program, and served as building principal in the absence of our Principal, Dr. Jason Fowler.

I instructed the K-4 Archery program and taught 7th grade History, English 10/10H, English 11, Graphic Design, Yearbook, SCUBA, Surf Craft History & Design, and led our worship music team on vocals, guitar, and piano during the 2016-2017 school year.

I was Dean of Students for 3 years at Penn High School. I also managed Pennway Alternative School in a Director capacity, while also serving as the Dean of Students. I doubled the graduation rate and the number of credits our students earned in only one year as Director.

Since 2012, I have served as Dean of Students for 3600+ students at a premier "A" rate "Four-Star" school.

Artisan Surf Designs started out as a grass roots concept which sprouted from my own passion for skating, surfing, various mediums for riding waves, and my design concepts. When I got married, my wife started collaborating with me on clothing ideas, board bags, and other items, and we started working toward building the company into something bigger. After that it become a family run business, with my son Gavin, my daughter Bella, my daughter Eden, and my 3 brother-in-laws, Aaron, Miles, and Damion Pallasch. We have been looking to expand the business to start working with other shapers, designers, and artisans out there who might fit with our business model, and want to get their products out into the surfing industry under the Artisan Surf Designs brand. My business model is simple - supply a product of the highest quality and craftsmanship, made from the strongest materials with the least impact on the environment to fill the demand of our customers. Keep our customers happy, and give them an experience that will want them to return. Work with our customers on refining products that they own and use to keep it the best product that it can be for all of our customers in the future. Deliver the truth, and never try to sell a lie - honesty is always the best policy. Treat our customers as we would want to be treated ourselves. As I said, it's pretty simple. Follow these parameters and the product will sell itself. I am a member of the Surfrider Foundation, a strong supporter of Patagonia, and look to the Barkers (Nona and Steve) from Eagle Creek Outfitters for business advice as mentors. These three pioneer companies are the catalyst of my inspiration, and I use their philosophies to guide Artisan Surf Designs. I live my life while free-surfing; designing, refining, and shaping surfboards; designing and foiling fins; designing and framing hollow wood surfboards; making skateboard decks; wood-shedding, writing, recording, mixing, mastering, engineering, and performing my music (Fender Rhodes & Saloon Style Upright Piano, Fender Strat & Tele Guitars, Acoustic Guitars, Drums, Bass, Harmonica, Percussion, Vocals, Harmonies); screen writing & writing poetry; compiling footage for my mini-dv and 16mm film music and surfing documentary; woodworking; designing and silver-smithing jewelry; trying hard to be a great husband to my beautiful wife, a devoted and loving father to our three beautiful blessings (Gavin, Bella, and Eden) and one big furry blessing (our dog Nick); and I am aspiring to be a master craftsman and Artisan, like my buddy Skip Frye, and many others (Bill Thrailkill, etc.) who have influenced my surfboard shaping. My ultimate goal in all of this is to find fulfillment in using my gifts to positively influence the lives of people like YOU. I got into education eighteen years ago in 1995, when I began substitute teaching for the South Bend Community School Corporation, and later with School City of Mishawaka, both in Indiana. I began teaching full time fifteen years ago in 1998, after graduating from Indiana University. I've been employed full time at Harmon Hall Las Americas, Veracruz, Mexico (1 semester); Ross Beatty Jr./Sr. High School, Cassopolis, MI (2.5 years); Fallbrook High School, Fallbrook, CA (1 year); The Army and Navy Academy, Carlsbad, CA (10 years); and Penn High School (3 Years as DEAN OF STUDENTS in 2012-2015, and Director of Pennway Alternative School). I got into the Fire Service in 2008 as a First Responder. In 2009, I earned my EMT-B certification through Miramar College, San Diego, CA. Along with being a Professional Educator and Dean of Students, I've been a Firefighter-EMT with Elfin Forest / Harmony Grove Fire Department and the San Diego County Fire Authority, Campo #46 (Cal Fire / SDCFA ACADEMY #14). I earned my DO1A at Miramar College, completed another 12 semester units at Alliant International University and earned another teaching credential - CTEL/TESOL/CLAD - which gives me 21 masters level credits as well. Currently, I just graduated from Paramedic school at the Elkhart General Hospital Health Education Center in Goshen, IN on April 12, 2014 with my NREMT-P. I am also earning my Master of Educational Leadership (Admin) through Western Governors University, Indiana. A college professor and mentor once told me that I am a renaissance man. I liked the "ring" that had to it. So when people ask me what I do for a living, I like to tell them that I've been somewhat of a renaissance man for hire. Now it is time to focus on God, Family, and my job. When my family lived in O-side, Jerry Ingham and I built a completely portable and removable 8' wide x 16' deep x 9' high surfboard shaping bay; a 16' wide x 16' deep x 9' high wood shop; and a 8' wide x 24' deep x 9' high work shop, complete with fans, filtered ventilation, smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, all designed with safety in mind. I moved Artisan Surf Designs to State Street, one door behind Legends SUP, in Carlsbad, CA., a space 10.5' x 22' x 9.5' high (owned by the waterman legend Bryan "The Lion" Smith, Jeff Warner of Warner Design Co., and Tom Tople of Legends SUP), to keep my hobby and passion for making surf-craft alive. Cal Schafer shapes his ZEN SURFBOARDS label out of the same bay - kinda like Skip Frye and Hank Warner used to do at Harry's in PB. Cal has mastered the art of shaping and is an amazing fin foiler as well. I am always trying to work hard towards being environmentally conscious, while keeping the future generations of surfers in mind with everything that I design and build. Our ocean is more polluted and more crowded than it has been in any time in its history. It is our legacy to walk lightly on the path we choose to walk, and take with us whatever we began our journey with, leaving only footprints, and the knowledge we've learned for younger generations apply to their walk. I work mostly with wood, and if I'm not using U.S. Blanks, I try to use non-TDI surfboard blanks. I dispose of surfboard foam waste at local surfboard manufacturing facilities to assure that my waste is disposed of properly. I also use recycled wood and salvaged wood for my projects. So if you have any wood that you want to get rid of, let me know beforehand! IF MORE MANUFACTURERS OF SURF PRODUCTS WOULD DO THIS, SURFING WOULD HAVE A CLEANER IMAGE!!!!!!! My overall focus with building surf-craft has always been to learn and master the art of shaping, while refining boards I've made and ridden, so that one day, I will have made that "magic" board -- the one that works exactly the way it was designed to work. I have finally reached the point of shaping 4 "magic" boards (based on feedback from riders and my own experience on two of them). I strive to one day shape fine custom surfboards like my friends Skip Frye, Bill Thrailkill, Josh Hall, and all my other friends, mentors, and influences whom I've had the honor of knowing throughout this journey; to build beautifully crafted hollow wood surfboards, like Paul Jensen, Danny Hess, and all of the wood board artisans on Swaylocks; to design, cut, and foil my own wood fins like Geppy, Hasselgrave, Cherry, McCormack, Marlin Bacon, and Daniel Partch; to design, cut, steam bend, and build skateboard decks to keep the look of the classics alive; all innovated with templates and foils designed with specific rigidity for speed, like Simmons and Thrailkill, or for flex, drive, hold, trim, and glide in various waves and conditions, Like Skip Frye. I also mill my own wood for custom nose and tail blocks, custom wood surfboard racks & board hangers. My wife sews fin covers, board socks, board bags, board straps, and carriers, all custom tailored to fit any surfboard or fin combination.

To Whom It May Concern: As proof of professional work experience, David V. Falkenau was hired by Academy by the Sea (Surf Camp / Summer Camp / Academic Academy) on June 6, 2002, and continued as a new hire with the Army and Navy Academy (UC approved, WASC accredited, 7-12 college prep. secondary school in coordination with California State Standards / California San Diego County Office of Education Public School Curriculum) on June 26, 2002. The following is a breakdown of UC approved, WASC accredited, college preparatory courses that Dave taught in his tenure here at Army and Navy Academy: 2002-2003: Reading 7 Reading 8 Creative Writing 2003-2004: Creative Writing English 10 Photo 1 Advanced Environmental Science 2004-2005: English 10 Advanced Environmental Science 2005-2006: English 10 Advanced Environmental Science English 10 Advanced 2006-2007: English 10 English 10 Advanced 2007-2008: English 10 Advanced English 10 2008-2009: English 10 English 10 Advanced 2009-2010: English 10 English 10 Advanced ESL/TESOL Advanced ESL/TESOL 2010-2011: English 10 English 10 Advanced 2011-2012: Advanced ESL/TESOL English 10 Advanced English 10 David taught the following during his tenure here either during the school year aside from his master schedule at the Army and Navy Academy or during the summer months at Academy by the Sea: Ath/Intramurals (Health / Physical Education / PT / Sports) with Rick LaRoche and Capt. Henry Howell; Creative Writing & Film/Screen Writing, including a 110 page screen play as a final project (wrote curriculum for Creative Writing as well to get it UC approved); Photography I/II (wrote curriculum for it as well to get it UC approved); 7th/8th Science (Summer with Ben Douglas); Music/Recording (summer mac lab); Oceanography (wrote curriculum for it as well to get it UC approved); Marine Biology (summer with Gretchen Hay); English 9, 11 (including English 10, 10 Honors, 12, AP12, and Journalism for Don Frates until Stanton/Raimondi replaced him after his bout with cancer); as well as ESL/TESOL. He also served as advisor for Surf Club (2002-2008), Sailing Club (2002-2003, 2008-2011), Cadets for Christ/Band of Brothers (2003-2008), Fellowship of Christian Athletes (2003-2008), Music/Recording Club (2009-2012), as well as coaching Surfing (2002-2008) and Wrestling (2004-2006). David has been certified in CPR/AED since 2002, was certified as a Life Guard here by American Red Cross Instructor Dan Loden (2004-2012), was a certified First Responder from (2008-2010) and worked for us as an EMT in our Health Center from (2010-2012). David dedicated himself to our students / cadets and our school for ten years and one summer, concluding his tenure with us on August 31, 2012 to work as Dean of Students for Penn High School, Mishawaka, IN.