It is my honor to be part of the extraordinary staff at Custer County Schools. This is my 10th year teaching K-12 Art in the district. I am a graduate from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas. Upon graduating, I substituted for a year in the Hays School District with most of my assignments in the area of art. I feel this was a rewarding experience, as I was able to gain valuable information and ideas from several of the top art teachers in Kansas.
Art and teaching have always been a passion of mine and I could not find a better way to do both than to combine the two and teach art. My experience in the arts is varied with a major in ceramics and a minor in graphic design and a love to do anything in between. My goal is to engage the students in all areas of art, including the four components that meet the National Standards for Visual Arts: art production, art criticism, art history, and aesthetics. These standards are set forth so that each student can gain the most out of his or her art education experience and develop a great appreciation for the arts.
Music
Melinda Baum
I am thrilled to be a part of Custer County School District as a K-12 teacher. After growing up in Western Pennsylvania, I attended Michigan State University followed by raising three incredible kids. In 1996, I called Pagosa Springs, Colorado home and worked part time in the high school vocal department. Several years went by and I realized that teaching was truly my calling and arrived at Custer County in 2006. I teach elementary general music using “Orff Schulwerk” methods and two high school level classes, choir and music theory.