Spicewood Elementary School Spicewood Elementary School art teacher Jen Holsinger-Raybourn has been named the 2018 Texas Art Education Association Outstanding Elementary Art Educator.
Holsinger-Raybourn has been an educator for 9 years, most recently teaching at Spicewood. “Mrs. Holsinger-Raybourn is a hard-working and thoughtful leader at the campus, district and state levels. Jen is an exceptional elementary art educators at Spicewood Elementary School in Round Rock ISD working with students within at this Primary Years Programme campus where she excels at inquiry–based learning. Jen’s art room is a model for our district and she always welcomes student teachers, colleagues and community as she shares her practice. She has also served as co-president of the Round Rock Art Education Association (RRAEA) that supports teacher professional development and raises money for student scholarships for students in visual arts. Additionally, she has served at the Texas Art Education Association (TAEA) Vice-President of Youth Art Month where she ran an exceptional program that has been recognized by NAEA in 2018. Currently, she is serving as the TAEA Elementary Division Chair working with elementary art teacher across the state and modeling what a high-quality elementary art program should include and deliver for student learning,” said Tim Lowke, RRISD Assistant Director of Visual and Performing Arts.
TAEA is the largest state professional art education association in the nation and annually they recognize members from across the state with awards in various divisions. The Elementary Art Educator Award is given to one TAEA member from the elementary division who has significantly contributed to the association and to art education on the state, local and / or national levels. The nominee must currently be employed in the appropriate division and must have worked at the level for at least two years. Individuals are honored for these awards only once.
“Jen is at the forefront of innovation in incorporating technology seamlessly and has presented at NAEA on technology within her art room entitled Next Generation Digital ARTroom in New Orleans, alongside presentations at Texas Art Education Association and Center for Educator Development in the Fine Arts. Due to her leadership/innovation within art education, our district has seen a significant increase in art educators accepted into Next Generation Digital Classroom Initiative, impacting thousands of art students at all levels. Jen makes technology a tool that is a natural and constant part of student’s art education learning rituals and environment daily. The imagery/learning responses that come from her students are amazing examples of 21st century learning and have been recognized by our leadership at events including convocation,” said Tim Lowke, RRISD Assistant Director of Visual and Performing Arts.
Holsinger-Raybourn will receive her award from the Association on Friday, November 9, 2018 from 2-4pm at the First General Session of the TAEA 58th Annual Conference at McAllen Convention Center in McAllen, TX. For more information on the Texas Art Education Association, visit taea.org.