What a Surprise!

I was surprised with visitors in my classroom today.  I always welcome anyone into our art studio, and I immediately asked students to let our visitors know what we were working on.  Little did I know, they were there for a very special announcement.  The visitors were from the district selection committee and I was chosen as one of 12 finalists for Teacher of the Year.  We are a BIG district, but little did I know that we have over 1500 teachers in our 26 schools until they told us.   When my 4th graders heard this they began singing Happy Award Day To You....to the Happy Birthday To You tune.  It was heart-warming.

Each of the amazing 12 finalists had a small write up on our district website.  Here is what they wrote about me.  Truly humbling!

Ms. Welling teaches art at Cedar Creek Elementary School and has been an educator for 36 years, 18 years with the R-7 district. She has received two PEAK grants from the Lee’s Summit Educational Foundation to establish an art library in her classroom.  She is a published author in Arts & Activities magazine and has won several leadership awards through Artsonia. Ms. Welling also received the R-7 Learning for Life award in 2012.

I absolutely LOVE what I do, and consider it an honor to work with kids!  I love exposing them to art in a way that makes them think from a different perspective.  I see kids blossom and come up with all kinds of new and refreshing ideas.   They are the leaders of our future generation!

  On a side note...our school...Cedar Creek Elementary had another teacher, Kari Swezy (3rd grade) receive a nomination.  I feel blessed and fortunate to work with such talented, caring educators!

So blessed to have this as a memory of my career!