Hi :) 

I am so excited to serve the Antioch 34 school district!  This is my 19th year in education.  I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Art Education from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (the school attached to the museum w the lions in front).  Later, I finished my masters in Curriculum and Instruction, then Educational Leadership and most recently, in May of 2018, I graduated with my Ed. Leadership Doctorate from Concordia.  I LOVE teaching kids about art and using art as a way to help them learn other more important skills like problem solving, critical thinking, building self-esteem, identity, building community, respecting differences in cultures and people, and many other important global life skills.  

I am a wife and Dog Mom of 4, 4-legged Australian Shepherds and a Border Collie. Tootsie is 13 and Lace is 5, Linkin, a 6-8 year old Border Collie that we adopted March 28, 2020 during COVID, and finally, Forest, a puppy that was born in our home on May 30, 2020 during COVID while we were fostering his momma.  They keep my husband and I on our toes!  We love to go camping and traveling with them.  We also love to try new dog sports.  Lace and I are enrolled in agility classes at Flint Creek here in Antioch and we go to Bisquit Beach (a salt water pool) there regularly.  Forest and I are enrolled in Tricks classes at WAG in Spring Grove IL.

When I am not teaching, I am rescuing dogs.  I am the Co-President and founder of Midwest Australian Shepherd Rescue.  I have been doing rescue work for 12+ years and I love it.   

All of my art lessons are universally designed, so ALL students can create a version of what we are creating.  If you ever need to reach me, email is the easiest at apieniazkiewiczgrude@antioch34.com.

I look forward to getting to know all of my students' parents and guardians.