30 Apr Ketcherside Art Symposium and Teachers Workshop Registration Now Open
The McPherson County Community Foundation will host the 13th annual Norene Ketcherside Art Symposium and Teachers Workshop on July 30–31 at the McPherson Opera House.
The event is open to Kansas K–12 educators who plan to incorporate art into their teaching. Educators who attend both days will be eligible for classroom grant awards, with amounts based on overall attendance. Registration must be submitted by July 23 to qualify, and space is limited to 50 participants.
This year’s theme is High-Quality Instruction through Cross-Curricular, Concept-Based Learning. The workshop will focus on helping teachers strengthen concept-based instruction that leads to deeper learning. Participants will explore strategies for connecting ideas across subjects using an arts-integration approach, helping students understand the “why” behind what they learn. Sessions will emphasize big-picture thinking, real-world connections, and practical engagement strategies that build critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
This year’s symposium will feature four Kansas public school educators:
• Audra Kueger, 8th grade English Language Arts teacher at Eisenhower Middle School in Goddard
• Deborah Abernathy, K–5 art teacher at Irving Elementary and Country View Elementary in Winfield
• Michal Austin, CTE Graphic Design Pathway teacher at Flinthills School District
• Brandi Rohr, Computer Lab teacher at Irving Elementary in Winfield
Since launching in 2014, the symposium has grown to attract more than 40 educators each year from across the state, many of whom return annually. Attendees often say this type of free professional development is rare and provides valuable ideas they can take back to their classrooms.