Angela Hoekman to Serve as K-12 Art Teacher at SFLS
Sioux Falls Lutheran School is pleased to announce that Mrs. Angela Hoekman will serve as our K-12 art teacher at SFLS beginning in the fall of 2021. Her predecessor, Mrs. Lisa Compton, graciously split her time between SFLS and the Children’s Home Society (CHS) this school year. Increased K-12 enrollment, to include a second section of kindergarten, requires more time than Mrs. Compton can offer moving forward. We are grateful for the lasting impact she gifted the SFLS community, and we wish her God’s richest blessings as she focuses her full efforts on serving the CHS community.
Mrs. Hoekman earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Dakota State University in Madison, SD. From 2001-2004 she served as the K-8 art teacher at Sioux Falls Catholic Schools. After taking time to raise her family, she returned to education in 2014. Over the past several years she has served as a junior kindergarten teacher and/or preschool teacher at Sioux Falls Catholic Schools, Trinity Learning Center (where she also served as the learning center director), Central Preschool, and most recently at First Baptist Children’s Center.
Check out the Q&A below to learn more about Mrs. Hoekman and her passion for art education.
Tell me a bit about yourself and your family.
My husband, Tim, is a firefighter with the City of Sioux Falls. We have three children: Isaiah, Annaliese and Toby. Our family loves playing board games, camping, and enjoying the outdoors. Outside of the classroom you might find me gardening, decorating, scrapbooking, sewing, studying, or reading. Most likely I will be volunteering or listening to a high school marching band, carpooling my daughter to ballet, or watching a baseball game.
How did you decide to pursue a career in education?
Watching students' faces light up when they make a connection in what we are learning is why I decided to pursue a career in education. I love building a passion for life-long learning with students.
Tell me a bit about your teaching style.
“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” —Albert Einstein
I believe great teachers are passionate, sincere, innovative, nurturing, and growth-minded. In my classroom, you’ll find students actively engaged in learning. We explore thinking ‘outside the box’ and approaching tasks from different perspectives as we focus on creativity. Students use their natural curiosity to build confidence and integrate their creativity.
What do you look forward to about teaching children who range in age from kindergarten to 12th grade?
Building relationships with students and being part of their lives is what I am most looking forward to! I am excited to promote a strong school culture where students are connected and engaged in learning. What a joy it will be to see students grow in art education as they build on those skills year after year. I am blessed to join the excellent school culture at Sioux Falls Lutheran, sharing my faith in the classroom and school community.
What excites you most about integrating your faith with your passion for art education?
God’s beautiful world is all around us to enjoy! Every day we experience the awe of creation—from the sunrise to sunset, every creature, and the calm after the storm. God has created every tree, hilltop, mountain, plain, ocean, lake and river—each and every piece of every landscape. Each detail was uniquely designed and created for his glory, just like us! In art class, we will use the creativity God has given us to create pieces of art while we study art history and artists from around the world, practice techniques, and explore art careers.
Favorite Bible Verse:
“You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you.” —Isaiah 26:3 (GNT)
About Sioux Falls Lutheran School
At Sioux Falls Lutheran School, our mission is to develop capable, Christian servant-leaders in a complex world who are World Ready and Faith Secure. We are passionate about giving our students the tools they need to be successful academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. We strive to accomplish this goal by maintaining high academic standards, employing excellent teachers, and upholding a Christian worldview drawn from Scripture. Ultimately, we are committed to partnering with parents and the church to raise lifelong learners who use their gifts and the fruits of the Spirit, in faith, to touch a troubled world with God’s grace.