Local art teacher named New Educator of the Year

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Art teacher Tim Chaves (Photo/submitted)
Art teacher Tim Chaves (Photo/submitted)

Marlborough – The Marlborough Public Schools announced that Tim Chaves, an art teacher at the 1Lt. Charles W. Whitcomb Middle School in Marlborough, has been awarded the 2017 Exceptional New Art Educator of the Year by the Massachusetts Art Education Association (MAEA).

“I am honored to receive this prestigious award…” Chaves said. “The Marlborough Public Schools is nationally recognized in STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Math] education and has expanded its commitment by changing STEM to STEAM. The ‘A’ stands for ‘Arts’ to blend creative thinking with engineering. Our art, technology, and engineering departments are provided with common planning times with other core subjects to develop interdisciplinary connections and to ultimately generate innovative project based lessons for students this year.”

As an example of art integration, he noted, last year the art department collaborated with a seventh-grade science class to create stop motion videos about Newton’s three laws of motion.

According to Daniel Riley, the district’s STEM director, “This year, our program has grown to include 1,350 students who will take courses in computer science and visual arts, among other hands-on activities, allowing them to use 3D printers as well as to code. We want our students to have every advantage to be prepared for college and STEM-related careers.”

This year’s MAEA award ceremony, free and open to the public, will be held Saturday, Nov. 12, from 5 – 7:30 p.m. at Lesley University, University Hall, Porter Campus, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge.

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