by Journalism student Nick R.
Mrs. Sophia Spennewyn, a fresh hire for the 2024-2025 school year, previously worked at New Life’s Summer Blast but has now joined the full-time faculty as the new Lower School intervention teacher.
Intervention for all ages is extremely important. Intervention focuses on dedicating extra time to smaller groups of kids who may need extra assistance in learning certain subjects such as math, science, or English. Following the 2023-2024 school year, there was an opening for the lower school reading intervention position.
When I heard about the opening for a reading intervention position, I was really excited to apply
Mrs. Spennewyn
This position, however, isn’t Spennewyn’s first experience working for New Life, nor is it her first time working as an intervention teacher.
“I have worked in the district for two years and spent the last two summers with the Summer Blast program, focusing on early education kids.” Spennewyn continued, “I really enjoyed working with the Summer Blast staff and appreciated how they brought the Lord into every moment.”
It was her good experience at New Life working at Summer Blast that led lower school principal Dan Palkki to reach out to Mrs. Spennewyn about the newly open position.
“When Mr. Palkki reached out to me about this opportunity, my husband and I prayed about it for a couple of days,” she says, “It was a tough decision, but being in a place where the Lord is loved and discussed openly has truly changed my life.”
She ultimately chose intervention because her mother was a special education teacher and Spennewyn remembered needing extra help with reading when she was younger.
“Growing up with my mom as a special education teacher inspired me to become a teacher myself,” Spennewyn remarks, “I chose to focus on intervention because I struggled with reading as a child and went through a reading intervention program in fourth grade to catch up to my peers.”
One of Mrs. Spennewyn’s coworkers, though an indirect one, is Mr. Duncan Spennewyn, her brother-in-law. Mrs. Spennewyn didn’t expect to be working with her brother-in-law, especially not as teachers who are both new to New Life.
“Working with my brother-in-law has been an incredible experience,” she says, “Watching him step into his various roles at NLA has been truly inspiring. It’s also been quite amusing how many people thought we were married at the beginning of the school year!”
“I’m super happy to be working with her,” Mr. Spennewyn agrees, “I don’t see her much but I pass her in the great room from time to time. I think she is a great addition to New Life!”