Arts Department Named Outstanding Visual Arts Community

The Pennsylvania Art Education Association (PAEA) is proud to recognize George School for its outstanding commitment to visual arts education with the endorsement of Outstanding Visual Arts Community 2019. PAEA empowers its members to transform their practices, students, colleagues, and communities to build a strong art education culture and citizenry.

Schools receiving this endorsement demonstrate the importance of their visual arts programs with:

• Rigorous and inclusive programs: Arts programs demonstrate rigor using standards-based curriculum taught at every level by highly qualified and certified arts educators.
• Highly accessible programs: Art programs are offered to all students at every level of education with a sustainable budget for the visual arts.
• Highly visible programs: Schools and districts identify their programmatic accomplishments, curriculum for all levels, art staff, mission statements, and arts events using their school websites and social media.

Students at George School celebrate the importance of a well-rounded education with opportunities to engage in arts education courses.

“This award reflects George School’s dedication to the arts as an integral part of a rigorous and well-rounded education,” said Danielle Picard-Sheehan, visual arts department head. “It is also a testament to our students’ potential and my colleagues’ passion for teaching. I am privileged to teach with a faculty consisting of working-artists who encourage and recognize our extraordinary students from around the world. George School students bring global perspectives, skillful and thoughtful execution, and meaningful messages to the visual arts and the work they create. My colleagues and I are grateful to PAEA for recognizing George School’s outstanding visual arts program with this prestigious award.”

The 2018—2019 school year brought several awards and achievements for the visual arts program including two NCECA awards, Ryan Doyle ’19 winning a prize for a table he created in Advanced Woodworking and Design, five Gold Keys in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, and eight entries into the 2019 Phillips’ Mill Youth Art Exhibition.