{"id":6846,"date":"2020-09-18T14:02:57","date_gmt":"2020-09-18T22:02:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/communications.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us\/?p=6846"},"modified":"2020-10-27T07:49:11","modified_gmt":"2020-10-27T15:49:11","slug":"ms-krista-etzwiler-awarded-golden-apple","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kpbsd.org\/schools\/comm-test\/2020\/09\/18\/ms-krista-etzwiler-awarded-golden-apple\/","title":{"rendered":"Ms. Krista Etzwiler awarded Golden Apple"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Ms.\nKrista Etzwiler, West Homer Elementary School Teacher
\n<\/strong>Kenai\nPeninsula Borough School District
\nGolden Apple Award | September 14, 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cProviding art opportunities for kids brings me joy. I like to think big and long-lasting so that everyone\u2019s efforts can be enjoyed by many people for a long time.\u201d<\/p> \u2013Ms. Krista Etzwiler <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

There is no\nofficial art teacher at West Homer Elementary; rather, classroom teachers\ndeliver art instruction to their students regardless of experience. Ms. Krista\nEtzwiler has been a leader in the school building in this curricular area by\ntaking on the undefined role of Art Educator. On her own initiative, she\nsupports her peers in their professional development in art instruction,\nenvisions and mobilizes school-wide art projects, volunteers to coordinate the\nArtist in Residence program, volunteers to plan the whole school Art Faire, and\nvolunteers on the Site Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Principal Eric Waltenbaugh describes her\ncontributions: \u201cThe projects she initiates at West Homer Elementary contribute\nto the vibrant creative school culture and enhance the overall educational\nenvironment. As part of the Site Council, she participated in the creation of\nthe entryway mural in the foyer of the building that aligns with our mission\nstatement. Also, as a Site Council project she spearheaded the creation of\npositive message posters that are displayed in all the bathrooms in the\nbuilding. Each year she volunteers to coordinate our Artist in Residence\nprogram working tirelessly on ensuring all students and adults in the building\nbenefit from this yearly experience. She seeks out and vets candidates,\ncollaborates with artists to meet our needs, and coordinates with teachers.\nEvery three years we put on an Art Faire and she takes it upon herself to\ncoordinate this school-wide show for the community. She has an eye for making\nthese experiences interactive for both students and the public, finding\ncreative ways to engage families. One year she experimented with QR codes where\nstudents recorded their artist statements and so when parents moved through the\ndisplays in the school, they could access the student audio statements by\nscanning the codes with their phones. She also designed critical thinking\nsheets students and community used to explore and think about the artistic\nelements present in the student work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After\nthe City of Homer put in a cement retaining wall on Soundview Avenue facing the\nschool, it did not take long for Krista to see the opportunity to collaborate\nwith local agencies to garner support for creating an installation that fit\nwith the school and involved everyone in it. In addition to the wall, she\nworked on a matching painted cement sign. In the process she discovered there\nwas power to the sign and was able to get it lighted once again. And, in true Krista\nspirit, she took it one step further to get strings of lights to adorn the five\nspruce trees at the entry to our campus. On dark winter days, it is a joy to\ntum in to the school and see the festive lights and colorful sign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We instituted a campus beautification day during the final\nshort week of\nthe school year where classes\nengaged in projects to beautify the school grounds. Krista got a number of classes involved in painting the\nconcrete light post bases on the ground in various coordinated colors to match\nthe building, retaining wall mural, and West Homer Elementary sign. Her efforts\nare visible throughout the West Homer Elementary building and grounds, and her\nenergy and support of her colleagues in their art instruction has improved\nstudent skills, enjoyment, and understanding of the\narts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education is proud to recognize Ms. Krista Etzwiler for her dedication to the students of the school district, past, present, and future.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n