Reviewed by Mary McLaughlin, Ma-TESOL; M.S. SpEd
The Lanesboro public school system in southern Minnesota has made two significant hires for the upcoming school year, one of whom is Abby Potter, a new art teacher from the city of Rochester.
Potter is a graduate of Century High School in Rochester and earned her bachelor’s degree in art education last year from the University of Wisconsin at River Falls. She says that she has always had an intense love for art and comes from what she describes as a “very artistic family.”
UW-River Falls has one of the country’s most prestigious and reputable art education programs and Potter says that while she wasn’t sure in High School if she would be able to turn her love of art into a career, her sister – also a River Falls art education graduate – assured her she would do well.
After she graduated in May of 2013, Abby worked as a substitute art teacher at several schools around Rochester as well as a stint as a student teacher at a school in New Richmond, Wisconsin. While she was between substitute teaching jobs near the end of the 2013-2014 school year, Abby got word of an open art teacher position at Chatfield Public School. She says that at first she thought it was going to only be a part time position, which is not what she was looking for.
As the interview began, Abby was told that a representative from Lanesboro would be on the call as well. Both schools were impressed with Abby’s knowledge and background and both wanted to hire her. As it turned out, both schools were offering a part time position and they worked out an arrangement whereby both schools would hire Abby.
She will be teaching drawing, painting, and mixed media classes in the mornings at Lanesboro, then heading to Chatfield to teach art in the afternoon. Both Abby and her new employers are excited about the start of her teaching career.