Mrs. Sheila Ziems earned her Bachelor's Degree from Concordia University, Nebraska, and has more than 25 years of teaching experience at Trinity. She is a co-teacher of the second grade class. She also teaches Spanish to the fourth and fifth grades, as well as Social Emotional Learning to students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Mrs. Ziems has a special knack for zeroing in on student strengths, even those that might not be tied directly to grades, such as showing kindness or creativity. It’s not uncommon for a complimentary note to be posted in a student’s locker. She also often nominates students to receive Trinity Tiger Traits of Testimony (Triple T) awards to publicly recognize their positive efforts. These weekly awards recognize students who have demonstrated one or more the of following traits: care, compassion, collaboration, communication, citizenship, compassion, collaboration, curiosity, composure, citizenship, and clear thinking. “My greatest superpower is getting kids to see their potential in their academic, social, emotional, and spiritual journey,” she said.

As a seasoned educator, Mrs. Ziems recognizes that students do not all learn the same way. “I incorporate movement, speak with enthusiasm, and mix up my teaching approach to catch students’ different learning styles. I also use manipulatives in lessons whenever possible and do pair/share activities instead of always waiting for one student to answer at a time,” she said.

Whether she’s teaching reading skills to second graders, introducing the basics of the Spanish language to fourth graders, or working with third graders to help them understand their emotions, she expects students to respect God, each other, and their teachers, as well as have fun while learning. “I want students to be able to think for themselves, to be problem solvers, to see the needs of others, and show empathy and compassion,” she said.

Mrs. Ziems is married to Lyle, who teaches science and religion courses at Lincoln Lutheran Middle and High School. They have three adult children. She enjoys reading, walking, painting, and spending time with her parents and children. Mrs. Ziems is very active in supporting the refugee community of Lincoln. She mentors several families and feels very blessed to have friends from all over the world. In her spare time she works at an orchard and cleans an Airbnb.