Art teacher Maggie Parks looks at the work in progress art piece by fourth grader Dellainey Potter at Fisher Elementary School. Parks will receive a national excellence award from the United States Society for Education through Art next month.
Marshalltown Community School District elementary art teacher Maggie Parks has been selected to receive the 2016 “Excellence in PK-12 Art Education Award” from the United States Society for Education through Art.
Parks teaches at Fisher Elementary School and Woodbury Elementary School and has worked for the district for 18 years.
“I am thrilled to be getting this,” Parks said. “I was honored just to be nominated.”
In the notification, the USSEA said it is recognizing Parks for her leadership in, and commitment to, multicultural and cross-cultural strategies in her schools and community and her effort to build respect for human dignity and diversity through art.
“I implement that in my teaching,” Parks said.
Parks was nominated for the award by Dr. Barbara Caldwell, Associate Professor at the College of Art and Design at Iowa State University.
“A generous and caring spirit, Margaret shares her passion for meaningful art education and deep respect for human and artistic diversity with the many students, professional organizations and communities she serves,” Caldwell wrote as part of the nomination letter.
Parks said the notice of her work planning a statewide art conference helped her land this award. Parks will receive the award on March 18 during the National Art Education Association Convention in Chicago.
Parks received the Art Teacher of the Year award from the Art Educators of Iowa in 2010 and has received several other awards and accolades during her 25-year teaching career.
