Yocum Primary will not only have a new principal but a new assistant principal this fall. The El Dorado School District would like to announce that Lisa Hooks, 2022 ESD Teacher of the Year and 2022 EDEF Middle/Junior High Educator of the Year, will assume this position.
Lisa Hooks began her teaching career 22 years ago in the El Dorado School District. She spent 15 years teaching a variety of math subjects at Rogers Junior High/Washington Middle School, before becoming the Math Facilitator at Retta Brown Elementary for five years. She just finished her second year at Barton Junior High as a PreAP and general Math 7th-grade teacher. Mrs. Hooks looks forward to the opportunities and challenges this new role will bring. “I am excited, because I love to see young children become more successful in math. I’m also excited to help the teachers at Yocum Primary,” she commented.
Before she received her Master in Educational Leadership from Henderson University, Mrs. Hooks graduated from Southern Arkansas University with a Bachelor of Elementary Education with a math specialization. She believes that relationships are a big part of successful teaching. When teachers know and understand their students' backgrounds, personalities, and personal struggles, they can implement various resources to help their students overcome any learning obstacles. However, Mrs. Hooks believes this responsibility doesn’t fall solely on the classroom teacher; it’s a community effort, and one she strives to build. This community involves all parties who play a role in her students’ lives. She believes “the learning process is shared by leadership, teachers, students, and parents; no one teacher should be held responsible for the teaching of students.”
Hooks has been married to her husband, Tony, for 24 years, and they have two children: Camron (19) and Becca (16). She loves to camp and spend time with her family. A few of her hobbies include crafts and puzzles.
We are excited about the wealth of knowledge and experience Mrs. Hooks will bring to Yocum Primary!