Make the Connection: Professional Learning Communities

Amber graduated from Appalachian State University with her BFA in Art Education in 2012. This is her third year at Ashe County High School with an additional two years in Watauga County Schools at multiple K-8 elementary schools. Her goal is to create life-long citizens of the art world who continue to love, make and support the arts in spite of growing up.

Jill attended UNC-Greensboro for her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Appalachian State for her master’s in Instructional Technology. She has been teaching in North Carolina since 1998 and almost exclusively taught 7^th and 8^th grade visual arts.  She tells her students that she is the art teacher that doesn’t like to draw or paint, but that is okay.  Art is more than just drawing.  Art is the creative process and the results, good or bad, of that process.

Katherine serves on the North Carolina Arts Education Association Board as Region Seven Chairperson and currently teaches Visual Art at Ashe County High School in West Jefferson, NC. Previous to her current school, Katherine graduated from Appalachian State University in 2013 and spent her first year teaching at an alternative school in Raeford, NC. Traveling abroad to Italy and France with students, co-coordinating the NAHS at her school, serving on the board for NCAEA, and being a part of the 'Art Tribe' has given her a great opportunity to learn and share experiences with colleagues, students, and friends. 

Elizabeth graduated from Appalachian State University and began teaching in 2013. She teaches art at the elementary school level, has two years of experience teaching in a private school setting, and a semester of teaching art to second graders in Cortona, Italy. Being a part of a county wide PLC provides constant encouragement and advocacy for art education. She believes that having a county PLC helps strengthen the visual arts culture of Ashe County. 

Callie is an art educator who currently teaches at a K-6 Elementary school in Ashe County, North Carolina. She graduated with her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education at Appalachian State University and began teaching in 2015. She believes her job of an art teacher extends beyond teaching the curriculum, rather, teaching students that all forms of art exist as opportunities for an outlet to recharge and revitalize one’s self. Being a part of a local Art PLC has brought this belief to a new level of community revival for art educators of all grade levels within her county.

Jorena attended UNC-Greensboro for her BFA and Appalachian State for her Master’s in Elementary Education. She first began her career working with children in museum settings and has been teaching art in North Carolina public schools since 1999. Currently (and since 2004) she teaches visual arts to grades K-6 in Ashe County, NC. Tired of feeling so alone professionally, Jorena was a driving force in establishing the Ashe County Art PLC. Known as “the bossy one” she schedules meetings, puts together agendas, and makes sure the paperwork is in order to obtain continuing education credits for the PLC meetings.