Welcome Letter

Dear Families,

I have the pleasure of teaching Visual Art to all children in grades PreK-6 at Marlborough Elementary School. I have enjoyed my position as an Elementary Art teacher for over 35 years. I want to extend to you and your child my warmest welcome into my classroom.   I am very excited about working with your child!

My philosophy for learning is that each child is unique. One of my jobs as a teacher is to help your child discover his or her individuality and work alongside them to maximize it. I believe in hands-on experiences and learning in creative ways, both individually and in groups. It is my goal to guide my students as a community of learners who are dedicated to working hard and having fun. My students make progress through honoring an atmosphere of respect, responsibility and safety. I want my students to feel confident that they can apply what they’ve learned in art class to real-life situations, and to develop an appreciation for the arts and to understand the reciprocal impact the arts have on them and they have on the arts.

I will introduce your child to a variety of art materials, styles, histories and cultures. Connections will be made with math and language arts topics when appropriate. In addition, many skills outlined in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) will be reinforced within our lessons. These include the verbal and written communication of ideas as they relate to visual art.

Throughout the year, student work will be exhibited in school and entered into local, state and international exhibits (dates to be posted in our school website calendar). Each child will also have at least one of their art pieces hung at the school’s annual art show.

Art classes meet once each week. Activities are structured such that students are provided sufficient time to complete their work during their scheduled class. Each assignment is accompanied by a rubric which students use as a guide to insure all objectives are met. Updates on your child’s progress are sent home at the conclusion of each trimester. Progress notes are sent midway through the trimester if students are at risk or slipping more than one grade. Work from students in grades 2 - 6 is posted in your child's Google classroom.

Collaboration, cooperation, and open communication between home and school are keys to building a strong foundation for a successful school year. Please feel free to contact me at any time. I can be reached through the main office (860) 295-6220 or via e-mail (dketterer@marlborough.k12.ct.us). If you would like to talk in person, I am available to schedule appointments before and after school.

Sincerely yours,

Denise Ketterer
Art Teacher
Marlborough Elementary School