Former Art Student Turns Teacher for Somers Educators on Professional Learning Day

A former student became the instructor for Somers Central School District art teachers in a recent day-long workshop. For the March 7 professional learning day, the educators visited the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, Conn., where Antonio Paone, a 2015 graduate of Somers High School, serves as education assistant. Paone helped lead the activities for the Somers teachers.

Somers High School art teacher Christine Brooks said she and her fellow educators remembered Paone well and still use ink images he created at the high school as examples of superior work.

“I have always found joy in making art, discovering community resources and celebrating our many talented alumni who still are engaged in the arts and who have translated their passion into a career,” Brooks said.

The educators spent the day visiting galleries, engaging with contemporary artwork, and exploring printmaking. The activities served as a reminder of the creative process and the abundant resources in the region.

“Working with colleagues from different grade levels was helpful in seeing how printmaking can be approached with different developmental levels,” said art teacher Colleen Sheehy.

Dana Roach, who began teaching art at Somers High School this year, said, “We rarely get the chance to slow down and immerse ourselves in our own creative exploration. This experience reignited my passion for printmaking, an art form I haven’t engaged with in some time. Seeing everyone's artistic visions come to life through collaboration and inspiration from the gallery space around us was both energizing and enlightening.”

Art teacher Meghan Gioffe said the teachers are grateful that the administration keeps alive the tradition of an off-campus day of learning.

“Each year we plan for a day to become artists together,” she said. “The experience serves to bring new techniques and ideas back to our classroom, to be a restorative day for us to be the artists, and to bring our department closer together.”

They especially enjoyed learning from Paone, she said.

“We all had the pleasure of teaching Antonio while he was a Somers student, so there was real joy in having the tables turned!” Gioffe said.