ResourcesAurora Frontier Teacher Named Art Educator of the Year
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Aurora Frontier K-8’s Thad McCauley received the honor of Middle School Art Educator of the Year through the Colorado Art Education Association at the organization’s fall conference in Breckenridge.
Thad has taught in APS since 2001, and in that time he has made himself an integral part of the Aurora community as well as an active member of CAEA. “I came to the realization that if I was truly passionate and dedicated to my profession, it was not enough to remain confined within the walls of my classroom,” said McCauley. “Rather, I bore a responsibility to advocate and dedicate my time towards the promotion of the success of arts education throughout the state.”
It is clear when you step into Aurora Frontier that Thad’s passion for arts education will not be confined to the walls of his classroom - art is literally everywhere you look in his school. He has also spread his students’ art into the community through many projects, including Pinwheels for Peace and donating decorated bowls to the Empty Bowls Project. Thad has also done many presentations at the CAEA fall conference, including an impromptu repetition of one of his workshops when another presentation was cancelled.
Nominator Kim Williams spoke of her time volunteering with Thad at the Scholastics Art Awards.
“I knew that day that Thad was going to be one of those people whose intense passion for our profession would motivate him to step up to the plate whenever he saw a need, not for the promotion of some selfish interest, but in order to promote art education for all.”
- Kim Williams
Thad’s principal Cassie Parra has been impressed with Thad’s ability to reach students, especially those who are difficult to reach. He does this through fostering an atmosphere of trust and acceptance in his classroom.
Thad’s award nomination has been sent on to the National Art Education Association for consideration for the national middle school art educator of the year award.
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