Welcome Second Grade Parents!

Join us in inspiring Central’s students through art—right in your child’s classroom! For years, this program has been made possible by parent volunteers like you. By bringing art history to life, you’ll spark creativity, curiosity, and a love of art in young minds, leaving a lasting impact on their understanding of artistic traditions from around the world.

Why Participate?

• Impactful: Fun opportunity to engage with your student’s classroom in a meaningful way.
• Minimal Time Commitment: Approximately 2 hours (1 hr for prep, 1 hr for classroom visit).
• Supported: We provide everything you need: Presentation guides with artist background info and instructions. PowerPoint slides and speaker talking points. Project suggestions to inspire creativity. Access to our fully stocked supply closet or $20 reimbursement if you need to purchase your own materials!
• No Experience Needed: You don’t need to be familiar with art history to participate! Sessions are designed to be easy for volunteers to lead. Presentations are short (usually five slides) and include a variety of fun, age-appropriate discussion prompts. The focus is on sparking curiosity and encouraging students to imagine the story behind the art.

How to sign up:

Your classroom’s room parent has created a sign-up sheet for you to volunteer for your preferred month. Once you’ve signed up, please reach out to your student’s teacher to schedule a day and time for your visit.

• Determann: Sign-up link!
• Halusek: Sign-up link!
• Neal: Contact Room Parent

Note: For the 2024-2025 school year, if you have already signed up to teach about an artist that is not included in the updated curriculum, you have the option to either stick with the original artist or switch to one from the new curriculum.

January: Portraits

Leonardo da Vinci (1452 –1519), Italian Renaissance Painter and Artist

Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa isn’t just a painting; it’s a global celebrity. With her enigmatic smile and hypnotic gaze, she’s inspired centuries of intrigue, debate, and more selfies than the Eiffel Tower. Da Vinci’s mastery of shadow and light gives her an almost otherworldly presence, making her the ultimate Renaissance mystery—and proof that sometimes less (like a subtle smirk) is truly more.

“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.” – Leonardo da Vinci

• Resources: Presentation Slides and Suggested Projects
• Learn more about Leonardo da Vinci and the Mona Lisa

February: Enchanted Landscapes

Georgia O’Keeffe (1887 – 1986), American Modernist Painter 

Hanging majestically over a sleek stairwell at the Art Institute of Chicago, O’Keeffe’s Clouds Over Sky IV takes you on a soaring journey through the sky, capturing its boundless beauty with the fearless spirit of a pioneering female modernist. At 77, she dedicated up to 16 hours a day to this monumental 8-foot by 24-foot canvas, creating a serene masterpiece that invites you to lose yourself in the vastness of nature.

“My painting is what I have to give back to the world for what the world gives to me.” – Georgia O’Keeffe

• Resources: Presentation Slides and Suggested Projects
• Learn more about Georgia O’Keeffe and Clouds Over Sky IV

March: People in Action

Tamara de Lempicka (1894 – 1980), Polish Artist, Art Deco

In this iconic self-portrait, De Lempicka poses confidently behind the wheel of a green Bugatti, symbolizing both elegance and independence. Painted in her signature style – with bold colors, smooth shapes, and a sleek, modern look – the piece captures her as the embodiment of 1920s glamour and modernity. Today, her work is recognized as a defining example of Art Deco portraiture and a reflection of the era’s elegance and ambition.

“Among a hundred paintings, you could recognize mine, my goal was: Do not copy. Create a new style, …colors light and bright, return to elegance in my models.” – Tamara de Lempicka

• Resources: Presentation Slides and Suggested Projects
• Learn more about Tamara de Lempicka and Autoportrait (Tamara in a Green Bugatti)

April: Beyond the Canvas

Claudia Walde, aka MadC (1980 – ) German Artist and Muralist

Diego Rivera (1886 – 1957), Mexican Painter and Muralist

Sandra Fabara, aka Lady Pink (1964 – ), Ecuadorian Artist and Muralist 

Banksy (unknown identity), British Street Artist and Muralist

Murals are like giant storybooks that have the power to spark conversations and transform public spaces into open-aired galleries, while helping us see the world from fresh, colorful perspectives. Artists like MadC, Lady Pink, Diego Rivera, and Banksy are masters at transforming everyday walls into large-scale artworks, using their unique voices to share stories that resonate across cultures.

“What I always say is “Enjoy it”, because that is key. If you just try to impress somebody, you are not gonna stick with it” – MadC

“I know now that he who hopes to be universal in his art must plant in his own soil . . . The secret of my best work is that it is Mexican.” – Diego Rivera

“The more they told me: you’re a girl, you can’t paint graffiti, you can’t go to subways, because you’re a girl, you’re a mere female; I had to stand up and just shut them up.” – Lady Pink

“I just want to make the world a better looking place. If you don’t like it, you can paint over it!” – Banksy

• Resources: Presentation Slides and Suggested Projects (coming in March!)
• Learn more about MadC, Diego Rivera, Lady Pink, and Banksy

October 2025: Colors and Shapes

Piet Mondrian (1872 – 1944), Dutch Painter, De Stijl and Neoplasticism

Known as the founder of Neoplasticism, Mondrian redefined art with his grids, bold lines, and use of primary colors. Starting with naturalistic landscapes, he evolved into the co-founder of the De Stijl movement, using clean geometry to express universal harmony. Works like Opposition of Lines demonstrate his belief that simplicity could reveal deeper truths, proving that even straight lines can inspire boundless creativity.

“Art is not made for anybody and is, at the same time, for everybody.” – Piet Mondrian

• Resources: Presentation Slides and Suggested Project (coming in 2025-2026 school year!)
• Learn more about Piet Mondrian and Opposition of Lines

November 2025: Stories in Action

Doris Lee (1905 – 1983), American Figurative Painter and Printmaker

As an American artist celebrated for her charming depictions of everyday life, Lee brought warmth and humor to her painting Thanksgiving. Overflowing with bustling activity, the scene captures a nostalgic, lively kitchen preparing for the holiday feast. Located in the Art Institute of Chicago, Thanksgiving reminds us that art can celebrate the simple joys of tradition and togetherness.

“I paint what I paint, this is my style.” – Doris Lee

• Presentation slides and suggested projects (coming in 2025-2026 school year!)
• Learn more about Doris Lee and Thanksgiving 

Instructions for Volunteers:

Thank you for sharing your time and enthusiasm with Central’s students! Your involvement in the Cultural Art Program plays a vital role in bringing art history to life and sparking creativity and curiosity. By guiding students through the world of art, you’re helping them build a lifelong appreciation and understanding of cultural heritage, while encouraging their critical thinking and observational skills.

• Prior to volunteering, you must fill out the District Volunteer Form (must be done annually.)
• To volunteer for a session, use the sign up link provided by the Room Parent for your student’s classroom.  At the beginning of the month you’ve volunteered for, please contact your student’s teacher to schedule a time to come to class.
• It’s helpful to do a “dry-run” at home with your student beforehand to anticipate how the students will respond. Reference the talking points in the notes in each slide to get comfortable with what you’ll plan to say and the questions you’ll ask.
• It’s highly recommended to do any material prep work and create a completed example prior to the session. This helps students envision the finished product and complete it within the allotted time.
• You will have access to the school’s wifi and the ability to plug in to a projector. However, to avoid any potential technical difficulties, plan to email your presentation to your student’s teacher prior to the session and print out your talking points/notes.
• Plan to arrive 15 minutes prior to your start time to allow time to sign in, collect supplies from the art supply closet (if necessary), and set up for your presentation.
• Plan to spend 20-25 minutes for your presentation and discussion, and 30 minutes for the project, depending on complexity.
• In the last few minutes of the session, take time to ask the students about what they learned (i.e. “Can you tell me the name of the artist we learned about today? What were they known for? How would you describe the (movement/style) of art?)

Central has a well stocked art supply closet, however, if you needed to purchase your own materials for a project you can be reimbursed up to $20 by submitting a reimbursement form. If you have questions about what supplies can be found in the closet, please contact the Cultural Arts Program Chair, Maryjane Bates.

Questions about the program? Please contact Maryjane Bates, Cultural Arts Program Chair.