FROM THE BATAVIA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT 101 WEBSITE:
The Illinois Art Education Association has recognized Batavia High School as a School of Distinction for the second time. Batavia High School is one of only three schools receiving this prestigious award.
Batavia High School art teacher Kathleen Tieri Ton has been named the 2023 IAEA Secondary Art Educator of the Year.
The recognitions celebrate schools with rigorous art, design, and media education programs. To earn the School of Distinction Award, Batavia High School evidenced practices directly reflecting the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, Illinois Fine Arts and Media Standards, and Social-Emotional Learning Priorities.
The School of Distinction Program recognizes schools that demonstrate excellence in the following areas:
curriculum and assessment
authentic learning
showcasing student learning
connected communities
leadership and advocacy
professional development and training
Kathleen Tieri Ton was selected as the 2023 Secondary Art Educator of the Year because the IAEA awards and scholarship committee found her professional performance, service, and leadership to be exemplary.
Kathleen is an art educator with expertise in design and creative career education at the
secondary level. She is dedicated to making art and design accessible to all students, supporting students interested in creative careers, and creating welcoming school communities. She is passionate about the power of curriculum design, collaboration, the role of the teacher, and the impact of learning spaces on art and design students.
Kathleen holds a BA in Studio Art from Indiana University Bloomington and an MAT in Art Education from Columbia College Chicago. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Art Education at Indiana University. Kathleen lives in Batavia, IL with her husband, three children, and a menagerie of animal friends.