INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) announced today Katie Pourcho (por-shō) of Danville Community School Corporation as the 2020 Teacher of the Year. Pourcho teaches art to students in kindergarten through second grade at North Elementary School.
“Our students succeed because of exceptional instruction in the classroom. This is the type of instruction Katie Pourcho has provided her students for nearly a decade, and I am honored to recognize her as Indiana’s 2020 Teacher of the Year,” said State Superintendent Dr. Jennifer McCormick. “Katie’s dedication and leadership both in the classroom and the art education community sets the example for how creativity and expression connect to larger, more complex concepts, helping students succeed even more as they move through their own educational career. I am pleased to present this award to Katie, as I know she will continue to represent her profession and fellow teachers well.”
Katie Pourcho is a graduate of Ball State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Art Education, with K12 Honors. Following graduation, Pourcho began her teaching career at Danville’s North Elementary. Outside of the classroom, she is a member of the National Art Education Association and serves as communication liaison and coordinator for Danville Community School Corporation’s Art Department Professional Learning Community. Pourcho has also served as a new teacher mentor to art educators entering the classroom, and is a 2016 recipient of the Lilly Endowment LLC, Teacher Creativity Fellowship. Alongside teaching, Pourcho is a professional artist. Her most recent exhibition was a 2019 solo show at the Harrison Center for the Arts, and this past summer, she completed an art residency at L’Abri in Switzerland.
For more than 60 years, IDOE has conducted the Teacher of the Year program to recognize outstanding classroom teachers from across the state. The program’s mission is to inspire, rejuvenate, and celebrate the teaching profession. Finalists are chosen from a pool of applicants and the screening and selection committee is made up of former recipients, IDOE staff, educational organization leaders, business and community leaders, and representatives from higher education. Former winners are comprised of retired educators, administrators, college professors, and teacher leaders that continually provide support to the education community. As the 2020 Teacher of the Year, Katie Pourcho will represent Indiana in the National Teacher of the Year Competition.
For more information regarding the Indiana Teacher of the Year program, please visit: doe.in.gov/toy.
