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Batavia High School Receives Top Honor from the Illinois Art Education Association

CommunityEducationGeneral News ArticleHuman InterestPress Release

The Illinois Art Education Association has recognized Batavia High School as a School of Distinction for the third time. Batavia High School is one of only five schools receiving this prestigious award.

These recognitions celebrate schools with rigorous programs in art, design, and media education. 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 Schools 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
Participating in high-quality art, design, and media courses develops student creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills in valuable ways. Students in these programs develop social and emotional skills, as well as college, career, and citizenship readiness. Research indicates that schools with successful programs and educators like those at Batavia High School experience increased student attendance, engagement, and academic performance compared to schools that don’t.

Excellence in programming is driven by educators who are deeply engaged with broadening their expertise through participation in communities of practice and by seeking out content-specific professional development and training. The IAEA is proud to honor Andrea Schindlbeck, Jennifer Carpenter, Kayla Koss, Jennifer Melendez, Emily Smith, and Kathleen Tieri Ton for the distinguished programming and the significant opportunities offered to students. Batavia High School is led by Dr. JoAnne Smith, Principal, and Mr. Tom Kim, Superintendent.

At the Batavia Public School District, we take our mission very seriously: To help students learn and grow in all aspects of their development. Our 650 staff members have all dedicated themselves to ensuring our learning environments are productive, safe, and supportive. Their efforts help the nearly 5,500 students find their passions, engage in challenging work, and develop into educated, caring citizens. Our mission is evident in all that we do, and the impact is enormous

Batavia High School Receives Top Honor from the Illinois Art Education Association