Lemont High School named Illinois Art Education Association “School of Distinction”

Lemont High School recently was cited as a 2022 School of Distinction by the Illinois Art Education Association. Lemont is one of five schools receiving this prestigious award this year.

The IAEA School of Distinction award celebrates schools with rigorous art, design, and media education programs. To apply for the honor, schools must show evidence of practices that directly enact the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, the Illinois Fine Arts and Media Standards, and Social-Emotional Learning Priorities.

To receive IAEA School of Distinction accolades, schools must meet the minimum required point total in each of six categories, and exceed the minimum point total in at least one category. Those areas include curriculum and assessment, authentic learning, showcasing student learning, connected communities, leadership and advocacy, and professional development and training.

Participating in high-quality art, design, and media courses develops student creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills in valuable ways. Students in these programs gain social and emotional skills along with college, career, and citizenship readiness. Research indicates that schools with successful programs experience increased student attendance, engagement, and academic performance when compared with schools that do not. 

This is the third year of the IAEA School of Distinction program, and the recognition extends from 2022 until 2024 for this year’s recipients. Lemont High School was joined as a recipient this year by Aurora Christian High School, Evergreen Park High School, Lake Zurich High School, and Washington Community High School.

Lemont High School’s Art Department includes Ryan Hennebry, Megan Idell and Shannon Jeglinski, and its Fine Arts Division Chair is Dave Nommensen.