Instructor Information

James Hansen

Mini Biography: 

Hello! My name is James Hansen.  Some students call me Mr. Hansen, but most just call me Hansen. I'm good with either of those. I have been in education for over 15 years now.  I spent 12 years teaching science at West Point Junior High. After teaching, I became an assistant principal. For the first two years of being an assistant, I stayed at WPJH. In the summer of 2018, I made the move over to SHS.  I love working with young people and I especially love to teach. I miss the classroom and am ECSTATIC to get the chance to teach you.

You might be wondering why an old science teacher like me is teaching an online woodworking class. As it turns out, I have been working with industrial power tools since I was five years old! You see, my father and hero, Jack Hansen, along with my dear mother Virginia, started a wood business called Hansen's Woodworks way back in the 70's. It began as a small business with my dad cutting out wood circles and my mother painting them. They would glue a magnet on the back and sell them as decorative refrigerator magnets. Over the years it grew into a huge business that employed nearly 50 people.

I was raised in a woodshop. I began my woodworking career drawing Star Wars figures on pine boards and cutting them out on a band saw. Over time, I learned to use all of the machines and earned a nice paycheck as a teenager working at the family business. Eventually my parents retired and sold the business. I stayed on and helped the new owner. I went from making small craft items to learning how to make furniture. This is when my woodworking skills really exploded.  Even though I eventually left the world of woodworking for the world of education, I have never given up my passion for woodworking. I slowly purchased my own set of machines. My children don't call our garage "the garage". It's called the "shop". My poor wife has never been able to park her car in our "shop" because it's always been full of woodworking machinery.  I am happy to say that I am a woodworker for life, just like my amazing father who was literally a Jack-of-all-trades.

My other two passions in life are my family and golf. In 2000, I married my beautiful wife Tamra. Eventually we had five amazing children. They are Olivia, Alexa, TJ, Max and Chad. They are tons of fun and keep me young. I love them all so much and am so lucky to have them in my life.  When I'm not at work, with my family, or in the shop, I am on the course. I love to golf.  My plan when I retire is to spend time with the family, putter in the shop and play on the course.

Contact Information

School Telephone: 801-402-7922

Email: jbhansen@dsdmail.net