Headshot of Ms. Hoffman

Amanda Hoffman

High School Counselor

Master of Science, Professional School Counseling, Buena Vista University; Bachelor of Science, Psychology and Religion, University of Iowa

Supporting Each Individual

Ms. Hoffman joined the faculty of Iowa Connections Academy in 2024, having already spent well over a decade as a professional student counselor. She has learned that all students have one thing in common—each is a unique individual, each with unique needs. “In this world, there are a variety of humans,” she says, each one of them with “changing needs and demands.”

The online learning environment is particularly well-suited to addressing those needs. With one-on-one sessions and flexible scheduling, “Iowa Connections Academy allows students and their families the opportunity to meet [their] needs in a flexible and personal way,” Ms. Hoffman says.

It’s exactly why she chose to become a counselor. “My desire to help students and provide support for them and their families led me to school counseling,” she recalls. “The ability to make an impact on students has kept me in the profession.”

Experiences Beyond the Classroom

Beyond her professional counseling experience, Ms. Hoffman brings another important perspective to the Iowa Connections Academy community: she has been an online school parent. She understands the kinds of extracurricular opportunities that are available to online students because of the scheduling flexibility, and the value they provide.

“When my son was online,” she says, “we worked very diligently to make sure that he had opportunities outside of school to connect with our community and other young people.” 

Activities included volunteering at a local food pantry and taking part in Meals on Wheels, an organization devoted to feeding needy and often isolated senior citizens. “He learned a lot from those experiences,” she says, things “that he couldn't learn in a traditional classroom.”

In her free time, Ms. Hoffman likes to travel and go camping as much as possible. At home, she likes reading and taking time to “hang out with my husband, my sons, and my dogs.”

Iowa Connections Academy allows students and their families the opportunity to meet [their] needs in a flexible and personal way.

— Ms. Hoffman