Bayless named Missouri’s Elementary Art Educator of the Year

Posted 11/13/19

Gerald Elementary School’s art teacher, Jessie Bayless recently received a high honor...

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Bayless named Missouri’s Elementary Art Educator of the Year

Posted

Gerald Elementary School’s art teacher, Jessie Bayless recently received a high honor. She was selected as the Missouri Art Education Association (MAEA) Elementary Art Educator of the Year for 2020.

Bayless says she was nominated by a fellow art teacher from the Russellville school district. She was notified last week that she had been selected.

It was an honor just to be nominated, Bayless believes.
I’m the art teacher at one of the best elementary schools in the state,” she says. “This reward reflects all of the dedicated educators I work with. They come to school every day with a passion in their hearts to bring out the very best in every student,” she continues.

The staff at GES strongly supports the arts education, which Bayless notes, makes her job easier.

Her students challenge and inspire her, pushing her to be both a better teacher and a better artist she says.
The goal of the MAEA is to advocate quality visual arts education by supporting creative teaching, providing opportunities fro professional development and encouraging the study and implementation of best practices in their discipline.

This is the sixth year Bayless has been teaching at GES. She has formed the Gerald Elementary Art Club for her older students. They meet during their lunch recess once a week to learn advance techniques and to work on fun projects.

She has also started full art shows for GES students including a large collaborative piece done by all grades. Artists of the Month is also a program that Bayless has implemented.