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Mrs. Angie Owen, teacher at Concordia Lutheran Elementary School in Fort Wayne, was honored at The Lutheran Schools Partnership’s “Very Important Partnerships” event on August 28 as the 2020-2021 Educator of the Year. Nominated by both co-workers and current parents of students, Mrs. Owen exemplifies Christian leadership and excellence in Lutheran education.
Angie Owen has spent all of her teaching career at Concordia Lutheran Elementary School, serving in a variety of ways to meet the varying needs of her school and students. She has served as a classroom teacher, art teacher, and curriculum leader, as well as drama and musical director. With her heart always on how to help students grow in their faith, in recent years, Mrs. Owen also started a Bible study for middle school girls at her school. In our northeastern Indiana Lutheran school community, Mrs. Owen has assisted with the “All Middle School” musicals that bring students from many Lutheran schools together. She has also helped the Concordia Lutheran High School drama department with set design.
While Angie’s Owen’s flexibility and willingness to do what is best for students is evident each year, it truly stood out during the 2020-2021 school year. When Concordia identified a need to offer an online option for their students last year, Mrs. Owen pivoted and taught both second and third grade in a virtual classroom. Her creative and engaging teaching style was a tremendous blessing to students learning under challenging circumstances.
One of the parents who nominated Angie for the TLSP Educator of the Year award said, “Mrs. Owen has done a fantastic job of teaching my son virtually. She goes above and beyond to keep him engaged, provide needed learning materials, and enrich his learning with student led projects. She is pushing him to be independent and take ownership of his learning in ways that are supportive of his academic and emotional development. Additionally, she provides him with a religious education that encourages him to love Jesus and try to live by His example. It is readily apparent that she goes above and beyond with regards to her time, effort, and commitment to her students. She has tackled remote learning with enthusiasm and knowledge about how to adapt the curriculum to this unique situation.”
The Lutheran Schools Partnership is pleased to honor Mrs. Angie Owen Educator of the Year for 2020-2021. Nominations for the 2021-2022 award will open in early 2022.
