| Lutheran
High Westland, MI Staff |
| Administrators |
 |
Mr.
Steven Schwecke (e-mail)
Principal, M.A.
Teaches Religion 11/12
|
|
Mr.
Daniel Ramthun (e-mail)
Assistant Principal , M.A.
Teaches Religion 11/12
Chapel coordinator
|

|
 |
Mr.
Timothy Gieschen (e-mail)
Guidance Counselor, M.Ed
Teaches Physics, Adv
Alg, and Web Design
Coaches JV Girls' Basketball
National Honor Society advisor
Technology coordinator |
|
Mr.
Michael Unger (e-mail)
Athletic Director, M.Ed.
Teaches Adv Alg, Trig/ Calc, and
A P Calculus
Coaches men's track
|
 |
| Office
Staff |
 |
Mrs.
Michelle Walker (e-mail)
Administrative Secretary |
|
Mrs.
Lisa Haller (e-mail)
Athletic and Attendance Secretary |
 |
|
Mrs.
Shelly Bahr (e-mail)
Part-time secretary |
|
Mr.
Randy Baldwin (e-mail)
Custodian
|
 |
| Faculty |
| |
Mr.
Mike Garbarz
Part-time, teaches Marketing and Business Managment |
|
Mr.
Gerlach (e-mail)
Art and Keyborading
M.A. Eastern Michigan University
Student Council Advisor |
 |
 |
Mr.
Paul Gusé (e-mail)
Health, Phys Ed,
American Government
Coaches varsity football and
softball
BA from Concordia–Ann Arbor |
|
Mr.
Andrew Hathikhanavala (e-mail)
English 12, Choirs, Band,
and Yearbook.
BA from Concordia–Ann Arbor |
 |
 |
Ms.
Kelly Nieman (e-mail)
Spanish teacher
Drama director
BA from Concordia–Ann Arbor
|
|
Mr.
Ruth (e-mail)
teaches Religion 9 and 10 and Industrial Arts.
Coached Volleyball and Track |
 |
 |
Mrs.
Donna Strang (e-mail)
English 9,
Eng 1, Psychology
S.A.D.D. advisor
B.S. from Concordia, River Forest
M.Ed. from Wayne State University. |
|
Mr.
Kevin Wade (e-mail)
BA from Concordia–Ann Arbor
Biology, Adv Biology, and Env
Science.
Coaches football and baseball |
 |
 |
Mr.
Kent Weier (e-mail) teaches Advanced Placement U.S. History, U.S. History, World
History, and English.
He is the school photographer.
He received his M.A. from the University of Nevada and his M.Ed.
from the University of Michigan. |
|
|
|
| Kitchen |
 |
Mrs.
Sharon Kelley (e-mail)
Head cook |
|
Mrs. Peg Refenes Cook |
 |
|
Previous
Teachers
 |
Rev.
Joel R. Baseley taught German
at Lutheran Westland in the 2001-2002 school year. In 1972-1973
he attended the University of Wisconsin (Madison) in the Honors
Program / Pre Med. From 1973 through 1977 he attended Concordia
Teacher's College in River Forest, Illinois, and attained the B.S. in
Ed. degree. In 1979 he attained the M.S. in Chemistry from the
University of North Dakota. Between 1980 and 1984 he held
various positions: Instructor at Concordia University in River Forest,
Associate Scientist / Organic Section Supervisor at Hazelton
Environmental Services in Northbrook, Illinois, and Supervisor of Mass
Spectral Analysis for Hazleton Laboratories America in Madison,
Wisconsin. In 1988 he receive the M.Div. degree from Concordia
Seminary in St. Louis. He was the pastor at All Saints
Evangelical Lutheran Church in LaGrangeville, New York (1989-1994),
before becoming the Associate Pastor at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in
Dearborn. He translates German as an avocation, enjoys music,
and has written articles for theological journals and presented papers
at pastoral conferences. He is married and has three children. |
 |
Brendan
Knorp taught Choir, Band and
Religion at LHW. He is currently director of music at Trinity
Clinton Township. He has been back to play guitar as part of the
orchestra for our musicals.
He and BrookeOrozco released a Christmas CD in 2006 |
| Ms.
Norlean Berndt taught Biology and Advanced
Biology. She was a counselor, Student Council advisor; and
member of the National Honor Society committee as well as the North
Central Accreditation, Building, and Science committees. She
earned a B.S. in Science and an M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling, and
she has extensively studied biology, biochemistry, and science
methods. Her home state is Minnesota. She taught forty
years in Minnesota, Michigan, Hong Kong, Concordia—Ann Arbor, and
Westland. |
| Ms.
Born (e-mail) was the World
Geography teacher. She was also in charge of Structured Learning
Classes here at Westland and supervised the Structured Learning
Classes at the other Lutheran high schools. Currently teaches at Lutheran North in Detroit |
| Mrs.
Renee Brenner taught
Spanish 1, 2, and 3, as well as directed drama. She had a B.A.
and was working on her Masters Degree at Wayne State University.
She taught 8 years at LHWL. She also taught Spanish at Lutheran
High School South via distance learning. Currently teaches at Saginaw Valley Lutheran High. |
 |
Mr.
David Brown (e-mail) taught
Pre-Algebra and 9th grade Girls Physical Education at Lutheran
Westland. He curretnly teaches Math at Lutheran High School South.
He coached women's cross country and women's track. He attended
high school at Lutheran North. He received his B.S. from
Concordia, Seward, Nebraska, and his M.A. from Eastern Michigan
University. He taught 14 years at Detroit Lutheran West and 10
years at Lutheran Westland. |
| Ms.
Amy Eickmann taught Business Education and
Yearbook. Her home town is St. Louis, Missouri. She
received her B.A. from Concordia—Wisconsin in 1988, and her M.B.E.
from Eastern Michigan in 1996. She taught from 1988-1991 at
Suffolk Lutheran School in St. James, New York. She taught at
Westland from 1991 through the spring of 2002. |
 |
Mr.
Ronald Gentz taught
Algebra, Chemistry, and Geometry. He coached varsity
women's basketball and varsity women's softball.
B.S. from Michigan State University |

|
Mrs. Jane
Lienau taught German 1, 2,
and 3, English 12, and Advance Placement English and also was the
senior class advisor. She was raised in Whitefish Bay,
Wisconsin; she received her B.A. from Valparaiso and her M.A. from
Eastern Michigan University. Her teaching experience included
teaching at Lutheran East, West, Northwest, and Westland. Her
husband and both children have graduated from Lutheran West. |
|
Mr. Frank Ollinger taught Physics and Introduction to
Physical Science. He received his B.S. in physics and his M.S.
in mechanical engineering at the University of Missouri—Rolla.
Prior to teaching at LHWL, Mr. Ollinger was an engineer at Ford
Motor Company and McDonnell-Douglas Corporation (Boeing). His
wife is a former teacher at LHWL and his four children are alumni. |
Mr. Dennis Prechel was Lutheran Westland's Librarian.
He also was the coordinator for Advanced Placement testing and the
supervisor of the school's web site. He received an M.M.
(University of Houston), M.A. (University of Houston), M.Ed.
(University of Houston), and M.S.L.S. (Wayne State University).
He came to the Detroit area in 1985 after working in Houston, Texas,
for fourteen years. He has worked at Lutheran North, Northwest,
and East as well as Lutheran High School Westland. He currently works at Lutheran High Northwest. |
 |
Ms. Julie Twietmeyer taught Health, PE 9, and Women's PE
10-12. In addition, she coached freshman volleyball and JV
basketball. She graduated from Hope College in 1999. |
Mrs. Ruthann Wagner taught English 10 and all music
classes (Mixed Chorus, Concert Choir, and Band) in the
2001-2002 school year . She received her B.M.Ed.
and M.A. from Eastern Michigan University and has completed twenty
hours toward a D.M.A. in choral conducting at Michigan State
University. She has maintained a private music studio since
1978, taught at Belleville High School, held the position of Director
of Music at First Presbyterian Church and Emmanuel Lutheran Church in
Ypsilanti, and was a member of the faculty at Eastern Michigan
University from 1992-2001. Mrs. Wagner has performed extensively
throughout the tri-state area as soloist and conductor as well as in
staged operatic performances. She is married to husband John and
has two children, Phil (LHWL '97) and Elisabeth. |
Previous Staff
|