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Spring Woods High Principal Wayne
Schaper Jr and Superintendent of Schools
Duncan Klussmann
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Spring Branch ISD Superintendent of Schools
Duncan Klussmann and Spring Woods High Principal
Wayne Schaper Jr. received statewide awards
recently from the Texas Art Education Association.
Both were honored Nov. 9 during an annual
conference held at the Moody Gardens Hotel
and Conference Center in Galveston.
Dr. Klussmann earned TAEA’s Friends
of Art Education Award. Principal Schaper
was named 2007 Principal of the Year by
the same group. Both men were nominated
for their vision and leadership, their support
of fine arts education and their commitment
to teaching the arts in the future.
In her nomination, district Art Coordinator
Gloria McCoy noted that Dr. Klussmann held
a district convocation during his first
year as superintendent that highlighted
the key role that the fine arts play in
students’ lives.
“At a time when most superintendents
were beginning another school year tooting
the ‘TAKS tune,’ Dr. Klussmann
began the year with the commitment to all
staff that they would not only have a quality
school district, but that they would continue
to offer quality arts instruction in Spring
Branch,” McCoy stated.
Despite increasing budget pressures, SBISD
now offers a full range of visual art courses,
including Advanced Placement (AP) high school
art courses. It recently added Pre-AP art
classes in the middle schools.
SBISD is reportedly the only public school
district in the nation to include a privately
financed and self-sustaining art museum,
the Altharetta Yeargin Art Museum. Its collection
is valued at more than $2 million and includes
a Grandma Moses painting and a Native American
Maria clay pot, among other artwork and
objects.
“Dr. Klussmann has demonstrated not
only through his actions, but through keynote
messages to our entire district that he
understands the importance of providing
our student body with abundant opportunities
for growth, not only in the area of academics
but in social and emotional areas, such
as the arts,” said Patti Pace, district
executive director for Elementary Administrative
Services. “Our students will benefit
from his dedication to developing the whole
child.”
Spring Branch Middle School
art teacher Suzanne Greene said that Dr.
Klussmann was “pro-arts
education” from his first day as principal
at the middle school. He increased the fine
arts budget, supported teacher trips to
state and national conventions, and framed
and placed student art throughout the school.
“If there is an art show that his
students are in, he will be there to view
what they have done. He is quick to praise
and support his art teachers in what they
do everyday for the students of SBISD,” Greene
said.
Wayne Schaper Jr., honored as TAEA’s
2007 Principal of the Year, earned great
respect from educators from across the region
for offering Spring Woods High as a two-year
site for the Region IV West VASE, or Visual
Art Scholastic Event.
Hundreds of art students present, talk
about, and defend their work before professional
artists and educators during the VASE regional
competition.
States Spring Woods High art teacher Crystal
Kinney, who was regional site director for
VASE last year: “I know that this
event would not have been possible if it
were not for the encouragement and assistance
Mr. Schaper provided me. Not only did this
principal help organize the event, he also
donated his time for the entire day directing
buses, teachers and art students around
the campus.”
Digital Media and Tiger Productions/Tiger
TV instructor Patricia Kougar-Melton praised
the principal for his broad support of so
many. “Having known Wayne from the
first day he set foot on campus to the present,
there is one characteristic that always
stands out and that is his total dedication
to the success of all students and complete
support for the arts,” she said.
The goal of the Texas Art Education Association
is to raise the standards of art education
and the teaching of art throughout the state,
to promote art as an integral part of the
curriculum, and to represent Texas art educators
at a variety of levels.
posted 11-26-07
