This year, our community welcomed Mrs. Jessica Howard as our new Art Teacher. Mrs. Howard is the first focus in our ‘Thinking Big’ series. She has been a working artist and art teacher for more than 20 years. She began her career as an assistant teacher the the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and since that time has worked with hundreds of children in the New York/Connecticut area.
Mrs. Howard graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. She is an illustrator and ceramic artist, gaining much of her inspiration from the natural world around us.
On a recent morning, she was found inspiring our 6th graders with their self portraits and doodle art. At our core, we believe art is more than just a beautiful painting or a perfectly sculpted vase. It’s about the Power of Process—the incredible, messy, and exciting journey of creation itself. Our art program is a vibrant studio where students explore and experiment with different mediums, tools, and techniques without the pressure of perfection. We celebrate the smudges, the unexpected colors, and the “happy accidents” that happen along the way. It’s in this process of exploration and problem-solving that true creativity is born.
Mrs. Howard looks forward to a new adventure, sharing her knowledge and love of art with the students of St. Thomas’s Day School. “Starting at a new school and in a new role has been such a meaningful experience for me. I’m truly enjoying getting to know students of all ages and seeing the amazing variety of artistic styles they bring to the classroom,” she adds.
At St. Thomas’s, we believe that every moment of learning, growth, and connection deserves to be celebrated and shared. Our ongoing “Thinking Big” series is designed to capture the vibrant life of our school community—inside and outside the classroom. Intentionally Small, Thinking Big.
