Monica
|
|
|
Montana art teacher selected for national award |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monica Thompson Selected as NAEA Pacific Region Elementary Art Educator of the Year
Missoula, MT — Monica Thompson, Montana Art Educator of the Year, has been selected as the National Art Education Association (NAEA) Pacific Region Elementary Art Educator of the Year, a prestigious honor recognizing exceptional leadership, dedication, and impact in the field of art education.
Thompson serves as an art educator at Rattlesnake and Lowell Elementary Schools in Missoula, where she has built a classroom culture rooted in creativity, experimentation, perseverance, and critical thinking. With more than 15 years of teaching experience across Missoula County Public Schools, she has taught students from kindergarten through high school, reaching as many as 1,700 students annually during her tenure as a traveling elementary art teacher.
“This regional recognition highlights Monica’s extraordinary ability to inspire students while strengthening the profession of art education statewide,” said colleagues from the Montana Art Education Association (MAEA). “Her influence extends far beyond her classroom.”
Monica received her Master of Education with an Art Certification from The University of Montana in 2007, and her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and Fibers from The University of Michigan in 2001. In addition to her teaching excellence, Thompson has demonstrated sustained leadership within Montana Art Education Association (MAEA), serving in key roles including Secretary for over a decade, helping guide the organization’s mission and support Montana’s art educators. She is also a frequent attendee and presenter at MFPE and professional conferences, where she shares curriculum strategies and best practices with fellow educators.
Thompson is also an accomplished professional fiber artist, whose hand-dyed and designed textile work has been featured in numerous solo and juried exhibitions throughout Montana. Her exhibitions include solo shows at The Lewistown Art Center, Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art, and The Artist’s Shop, as well as participation in the Montana Museum of Art & Culture’s 2024 “Threads” exhibition. In 2025 her work was featured in The New York Times as “art to see” at museums and galleries across the United States. Her active studio practice informs her teaching, providing students with authentic, real-world connections to contemporary artmaking.
Peers consistently describe Thompson as a compassionate, innovative educator who connects deeply with students and colleagues alike. Her ability to balance the roles of artist, educator, leader, and mentor has made her a role model within Montana’s arts education community.
The NAEA Pacific Region Elementary Art Educator of the Year Award recognizes outstanding art educators from across the region for their contributions to teaching, leadership, and advocacy for visual arts education. Thompson’s selection reflects her long-standing commitment to students, her profession, and the broader cultural life of Montana.
For more information about Monica Thompson and her work, visit https://monicathompsontextiles.com
Monica Thompson Selected as NAEA Pacific Region Elementary Art Educator of the Year
Missoula, MT — Monica Thompson, Montana Art Educator of the Year, has been selected as the National Art Education Association (NAEA) Pacific Region Elementary Art Educator of the Year, a prestigious honor recognizing exceptional leadership, dedication, and impact in the field of art education.
Thompson serves as an art educator at Rattlesnake and Lowell Elementary Schools in Missoula, where she has built a classroom culture rooted in creativity, experimentation, perseverance, and critical thinking. With more than 15 years of teaching experience across Missoula County Public Schools, she has taught students from kindergarten through high school, reaching as many as 1,700 students annually during her tenure as a traveling elementary art teacher.
“This regional recognition highlights Monica’s extraordinary ability to inspire students while strengthening the profession of art education statewide,” said colleagues from the Montana Art Education Association (MAEA). “Her influence extends far beyond her classroom.”
Monica received her Master of Education with an Art Certification from The University of Montana in 2007, and her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and Fibers from The University of Michigan in 2001. In addition to her teaching excellence, Thompson has demonstrated sustained leadership within Montana Art Education Association (MAEA), serving in key roles including Secretary for over a decade, helping guide the organization’s mission and support Montana’s art educators. She is also a frequent attendee and presenter at MFPE and professional conferences, where she shares curriculum strategies and best practices with fellow educators.
Thompson is also an accomplished professional fiber artist, whose hand-dyed and designed textile work has been featured in numerous solo and juried exhibitions throughout Montana. Her exhibitions include solo shows at The Lewistown Art Center, Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art, and The Artist’s Shop, as well as participation in the Montana Museum of Art & Culture’s 2024 “Threads” exhibition. In 2025 her work was featured in The New York Times as “art to see” at museums and galleries across the United States. Her active studio practice informs her teaching, providing students with authentic, real-world connections to contemporary artmaking.
Peers consistently describe Thompson as a compassionate, innovative educator who connects deeply with students and colleagues alike. Her ability to balance the roles of artist, educator, leader, and mentor has made her a role model within Montana’s arts education community.
The NAEA Pacific Region Elementary Art Educator of the Year Award recognizes outstanding art educators from across the region for their contributions to teaching, leadership, and advocacy for visual arts education. Thompson’s selection reflects her long-standing commitment to students, her profession, and the broader cultural life of Montana.
For more information about Monica Thompson and her work, visit https://monicathompsontextiles.com
DUES INCREASE INFORMATION
|
|
Supporting Members:
· PayPal Pay in 4 Option:
You can now use PayPal’s “Pay in 4” feature to split your membership dues payment into 4 interest-free installments! PayPal’s “Pay in 4” is available for any payments made through NAEA’s website.
· PayPal Pay in 4 Option:
You can now use PayPal’s “Pay in 4” feature to split your membership dues payment into 4 interest-free installments! PayPal’s “Pay in 4” is available for any payments made through NAEA’s website.
|
|
REGISTER coming soon FOR MAEA SPRING RETREAT
2024 MAEA Art retreat with douglas taylor
What does MAEA do for you?
ONE MEMBERSHIP, TWO ORGANIZATIONS
|
Check out our Pacific Region Website for NAEA.
NAEA Divisions Include:
* REGIONAL DIVISION
* ELEMENTARY DIVISION * MIDDLE LEVEL DIVISION * SECONDARY DIVISION * HIGHER ED DIVISION * PRE-SERVICE DIVISION * SUPERVISION/ADMIN DIVISION * MUSEUM ED DIVISION FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT THE NAEA SITE FOR DIVISION DESCRIPTIONS, RESOURCES, AND ADVOCACY. |
Get Involved with MAEA!
Please visit some of these quick links to other opportunities you can get yourself and students involved with Art education in Montana.
MT Visual Art Standards-at-a-Glance
The document attached below was developed by the standards writing team here in Montana a few years ago. The second page reviews the Essential Understandings in regards to Indian Education for All. The team thought a quick reference to the standards would be helpful. The full list of visual art standards by grade level for Montana can be found on the OPI website HERE and the national standards can be found HERE. The national standards rolled out in 2014 and Montana realigned their standards in 2016.
| visual_arts_at_a_glance.pdf |
MAEA OFFICERS
Autumn Elliot - President 2021- Current
Box Elder, 7-12 Art 
Cortni Harant - Past President 2019-22
Great Falls High School |
BECOME A LEADERJOIN OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND HELP US MAKE THIS AN OUTSTANDING ORGANIZATION.
|
Katherine Ruland
Treasure 2021-Current St. Labre 
Monica Thompson
Secretary 2021 - Current Traveling Elementary, Missoula |
