Our Team
Board Members
Logan Thune
Logan has worked in the financial services industry since graduating from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2014, and he serves as a bi-vocational elder at Emmaus Road Church. He and his wife, Zoie, live on the west side of Sioux Falls with their family. God has blessed them with a handful of wonderful children. He has an ever-growing passion for classical Christian education and counts it a privilege to serve on the board of Covenant Classical School. In his free time, he loves reading, competing, watching Husker athletics, and hunting.
Ryan Chase
Ryan is the senior pastor of Emmaus Road Church in Sioux Falls, where he preaches, teaches, provides Biblical counseling, and leads the pastoral team. Before moving into full-time pastoral ministry, Ryan taught high school Bible for 8 years. And before all of that, he spent a few years in youth ministry, earned a degree in international business, ran a couple of marathons, lived in Mexico, traveled the world, and got his private pilot certificate. Ryan is an ACBC-certified Biblical counselor and has an MDiv from Sioux Falls Seminary. He enjoys watching and playing sports, dabbling in woodworking and meat smoking, and reading, but his greatest joy is being a husband to Barbara and a father to their children, four living and one buried in the hope of resurrection.
Tyler Bonynge
Tyler graduated from the University of Sioux Falls with an undergraduate degree in Theology/Philosophy in 2015. Since then, he’s been a blue-collar worker, ranging from pouring concrete to working as a shop manager for a sign installation company. He and his wife Melissa have been married since 2013 and have 5 children: Hudson, Kingston, Bennett, Myles, and Elias. Tyler currently serves as an elder at Christ Reformed Church in Sioux Falls. As a hobby, Tyler writes and produces music.
Joshua White
Joshua brings a diverse background in education and tech to Covenant Classical School. He graduated from Northwestern College, in Orange City, IA, with BA in religious studies and from Hebrew College with an MA in Jewish Studies. He has worked in classical education as an upper school humanities teacher and as a headmaster. He now works in data analytics and IT consulting. Josh and his wife have four kids and in his spare time enjoys training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and playing guitar. Finally, he maintains that "That Hideous Strength" by C.S. Lewis is non-fiction.
Teachers & Staff
Mariah Rasmussen
Social Media Manager & Content Creator
Mariah and her husband Lance live in Sioux Falls and recently celebrated their 1 year wedding anniversary. Mariah graduated with her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Sioux Falls in social media/marketing and assists her husband with his marketing/photography business. Since she has 20+ nieces and nephews, one of her true loves is spending time with children of all ages and abilities. Mariah most recently has been working with children in an elementary special needs classroom. In her free time, you’ll find Mariah nurturing her green thumb, exploring new recipes in the kitchen, visiting family, and traveling.
Kelsey Dorhout
Pre-K Teacher
Kelsey and her husband, Mitch, live in Sioux Falls and have three sons. She graduated from Augustana in 2017 with an elementary education degree. She has experience teaching in kindergarten, first grade, and fourth grade. Most recently she has been home with her three boys Elijah, Liam, and Graham for the past five years. Kelsey is excited to have the opportunity to be a part of Covenant Classical School. She and her husband are members at Emmaus Road Church. In her free time she loves to be outside with her boys, baking, or gardening.
Shanae Klaassen
Kindergarten Teacher
Shanae and her husband kyle live on a farm by Rock Rapids, IA. They are blessed with four children: Gracelynn, Elizabeth, Joanna, and James. Shanae graduated with her associate of Applied Science degree in 2016 from Northwest Iowa Community College and then with her Bachelor of Early Childhood Education degree in May of 2024 from Northwestern College in Orange City, IA. She plans to continue her degree at Northwestern College and get her Master of Arts in School Counseling degree. Shanae and her family attend Faith Baptist Fellowship in Rock Rapids, IA. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, recreational running, riding horse, and spending time at lake Okoboji. Shanae is excited to be teaching kindergarten again this year! She looks forward to getting to know the students and the families more! She praises God for the opportunity to be at Covenant Classical School.
Sherry Baldwin
First Grade Teacher
Sherry moved to Sioux Falls with her daughter and family in June of 2022 following the passing of her husband in October 2020. Prior to that Sherry served alongside her Pastor husband, directing the children and women’s ministries. During this time she continued to lead Chapel Services and Substitute Teach at Modesto Christian School, where for ten years she had served as Children’s Ministries Director. During that ten year season,she taught Children’s Church, directed Sunday School teams, produced and directed Children’s Drama teams, Performing Arts Camps, Vacation Bible Adventures, Fall Family Fun Day, Children’s Christmas Productions, and Easter Family Fun Day; all of these with the purpose of pointing families to Jesus, through the Truth of God’s Word. Currently, Sherry serves as Children’s Coordinator for her home church, Emmaus Road. In her free time she loves hanging out with her grandchildren, reading, writing, walking, and keeping up with family and old friends.
Kayla Siemonsma
Second Grade Teacher
Kayla and her husband, Andrew, live in Sioux Falls, SD where they attend Faith Baptist Fellowship. They have two children, Vivian (who met the Lord in 2023) and Calvin. Kayla attended the University of Sioux Falls for Elementary Education (BA) and University of South Dakota for Special Education & Early Childhood (MA). She has taught a variety of classes including special education, 2nd grade, and 3rd grade. In her free time, Kayla enjoys hunting, fishing, spending time at her family cabin, and playing board games with friends and family.
Valerie Grieve
5th Grade (Blended) Teacher
Valerie and her husband, Tyler, live in Sioux Falls and have three sons. She graduated from the University of Sioux Falls in 2018, has a background in elementary education, and is thrilled to be teaching as the 5th-6th teacher at Covenant Classical. Classical Christian education has become a passion for Valerie and her family. She and her family are members at Emmaus Road Church in Sioux Falls. Valerie enjoys roadtrips with her husband and sons, walking, reading, and homemaking.
Volunteers
Meghan Sireci
Campus Coordinator
Mitch Dorhout
Raise Right (T.R.I.P.) Coordinator
Interested in our philosophy of education?
“Merely having an open mind is nothing. The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid.”
- G.K. Chesterton