Christina Luing
K-8 Principal
Christina Luing is the K-8 principal at Iowa Connections Academy. She joined the school in 2015 and has been teaching since 2013. Ms. Luing earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education with an endorsement in reading and language arts from Upper Iowa University. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree. Ms. Luing shares her story below:
“Before I was a teacher, I was in retail, climbing the corporate ladder. When a new role was presented to me, I had to decide if I would really be happy in the role. After long consideration, the answer was no. I had thought back to previous jobs and activities I had done through the years, and the one thing that always stuck out was teaching and coaching children. Their excitement for learning and creativity is what sparks my day. I made the decision to go back to college to become a teacher. You are never too old to learn or change your path!
“I love being able to work with students of all ages and all needs and help them gain a passion for learning. At our school, families come to us for a wide variety of issues. No matter the case, confidence in learning is the biggest achievement we can help them to find. One thing I really love about working for Iowa Connections Academy is getting to know the families and students. We get the opportunity to work with families for several years and have more contacts with students, parents, and siblings than most teachers at brick-and-mortar schools do. I love being able to have that connection and seeing how little personalities grow through the years!
This school is a great way for students to take ownership of their learning. They will sharpen their skills in independence and communication. There may be a learning curve for adjustment at first, but it gets easier with the support of the staff and teachers.
— Ms. Luing
“The courses at Iowa Connections Academy help students learn how to be self-advocates for their learning, and online school helps them with time management. When students move into college and career, they will already know how to best plan for their days and how to seek out answers. All the teachers and staff truly want to help see the students be successful and are here to help build confidence in all the students and Learning Coaches.”
Ms. Luing lives in Ankeny and has a daughter and a son, both in elementary school. They enjoy being outside as much as possible. During the summer, her family enjoys riding bikes, swimming, and hiking through Ledges State Park.