Visual Arts

Only the top 5.5 percent of districts in the state, including GISD, earned the honor this year.

The Texas Art Education Association (TAEA) announced the 94 winners of the 2024 District of Distinction Award. Among the list of honorees is Gainesville ISD. The districts received the honor for providing a well-rounded education that advocates and integrates visual arts curriculum to inspire creativity and build social emotional learning that connect learners to their community and beyond.

TAEA is the leading advocate for the visual arts in the state. The organization has previously honored outstanding TAEA members for work in their classrooms and districts. This is the fifth year that TAEA is honoring districts that meet rigorous criteria as evidenced from data.

For the 2024 award, over 1,200 districts were eligible to apply. Each district submitted documentation they met from the 14-point rubric over the 2023-2024 school year. Only 94 districts met the high standard and will receive the outstanding honor indicating they are in the top 5.5 percent in art education of districts in the state.

Gainesville ISD is a district with approximately 3,100 students across five campuses and is proud to have a vibrant Visual and Fine Arts presence at all five campuses. The Visual Arts team and the district of distinction lead teacher is Gainesville High School Art teacher, Robin Perkins. Additional visual arts teachers who helped earn this award are Melissa Knight (7-8), Kelly Stogner (5-6), Janet Johnson (2-4), and Whitney Vogl (PK-1).

“Gainesville ISD has set a high standard for visual arts advocacy, integrated visual arts curriculum, encouraged creativity, community participation and student growth,” said Nealy Holley, Chair of the Visual Art Administrators of Texas, a division of TAEA, “It is a true testament to your visual art educators’ skill, dedication, and flexibility that the quality of their programs continued to provide strong and comprehensive visual art educational experiences to students.”

"Being one of only 94 school districts selected out of 1,200 across the state is a tremendous honor for Gainesville ISD, and it speaks volumes about the dedication and talent within our district,” said Superintendent Dr. DesMontes Stewart. “I want to commend Mrs. Perkins for her exceptional guidance in this work and extend my heartfelt gratitude to our art teachers for their hard work and commitment. My challenge to the staff has always been to raise the bar, and they have truly risen to the occasion, offering a visual arts experience that our students will cherish for years to come. I cannot express enough how proud I am of this outstanding achievement, and I eagerly look forward to us continuing to elevate our standards in the field of visual arts."

Ninety-four districts, including GISD will be honored at the TAEA Administration & Supervision Division meeting and General Session during the TAEA Fall Conference General Assembly on Friday, November 15, 2024.