The Starkville School District”s Parent of the Year is actually a teacher, but not on the district”s payroll.
Susan Ford, whose daughter, Harper, is a kindergartner at Sudduth Elementary, founded Art Partners two years ago to provide semi-private art lessons to children who likely wouldn”t have access.
The program is funded by a grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission through the Starkville Area Arts Council. In two years Art Partners jumped from serving 12 students to 63 this year.
“I can”t find anyone else to teach 63 children for $5,000,” joked Starkville Superintendent Judy Couey, who was on hand Wednesday morning at Sudduth to surprise Ford with a certificate and flowers.
“I”m a little overwhelmed,” Ford said Wednesday at the news she”d earned Parent of the Year honors in her first year as an SSD parent.
To keep her from being overwhelmed by the Art Partners program, the $5,000 grant was used to hire three artists who offer students 45-minute lessons, in addition to supplies.
Art Partners, which is available to students in kindergarten through fourth grade, also functions as art therapy for many students recommended by teachers.
“We focus on kids that have a natural ability for art and teachers also pick a child. Whether that child is having trouble at home or academically or just loves art,” said Ford.
Principal Lisa Thompson said art serves as a positive release for many of her students via the Art Partners program.
“Some children have a hard time expressing what they might be going through, but they can always draw about it when they can”t talk about it,” said Thompson.
In addition to being an artist, Ford, who teaches art lessons at Ward-Stewart Elementary, is also involved in the Sudduth PTA and the Starkville Junior Auxiliary.
The SSD names a Parent of the Year for each school as well as district wide. Winners at the school level include: Katy Richey, Ward Stewart Elementary School; Denise Cosper, Henderson Intermediate School; Cathy Curtis, Armstrong Middle School; Jennifer Damms, Starkville High School; and Stephanie Sherman, Millsaps Career and Technical Center.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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