Happy First Day!

Hello and welcome new students and families! I am excited to begin my second year here at OMS teaching Creative Arts and Invention & Innovation. Creative Arts is near and dear to my heart because I thoroughly enjoy all art forms, and it is a class where students explore visual arts, dance, music, and theatre in relation to world culture.

I was born and raised in Maryland, graduating from TJ High School in 2011 and earning my Bachelor's in Art & Archaeology from Hood College in 2015. I will also be graduating this spring with a Master's in Curriculum Instruction from Hood College. This is my fifth year teaching; I began my career as a part-time art teacher at Frederick Classical Charter School. This is a busy and exciting year because not only am I teaching at OMS, but I also co-instruct the Oakdale High Color Guard and I will be the OMS yearbook adviser! More information will be released soon about the ability for students to join the yearbook committee.

My favorite art media is charcoal, but I also really enjoy book arts and creating my own journals! In my spare time I like to take walks in Baker Park and around my neighborhood. I really enjoy theatre and always do my best to fit in each high school musical in the spring so I can #SupportTheArts and see former students on the stage. I encourage students and families to follow me on social media because I like to post frequent snapshots of happenings in the art room. My Instagram is @msstrasserart_fcps and my Twitter is @StrasserArt_OMS. I use this blog as a weekly contact with families to write about what students are currently working on in class. I like to post pictures in the blog posts, too, and at the end of each unit, I will post a select artwork to the Virtual Art Show. Head on over to that tab to see some artwork from last year's 7th graders to get a taste of some of the projects students might be working on this year.

I am looking forward to getting to know each of you!

Welcome to Second Semester!

Welcome new students to Creative Arts! It was a pleasure getting to meet all of my new students yesterday. Due to the shortened school day, we briefly discussed what students could look forward to throughout the semester and I gave them a tour of the classroom. When we return to school, we're going to dive right in to our first project. Students will also be completing an "All About Me" activity and a creativity exercise so I can get to know a bit more about them and see them express their creativity. I will be sending home a syllabus (via email) this week to explain classroom procedures and what to expect in Creative Arts. This blog is a resource for both parents and students to use throughout the semester. The Creative Arts tab is where I post slideshows and necessary links (which are also accessible to students in Schoology). The Contests tab lists out information for art contests in the area. Stay tuned for a few additions to that page! If you would like a preview of the projects students will complete in this class, the Virtual Art Show is where I display some of the unit's best work. I also use this blog as a resource for parents to learn more about what is happening in the classroom. I am working on making sure I update the blog on a weekly basis, so check back every once in a while for a new post. I tend to post more frequently on Twitter (@StrasserArt_OMS) and Instagram (@MsStrasserArt_FCPS) throughout the week, so follow me on social media for frequent classroom updates.


Welcome to my returning Red class to Invention & Innovation! This is my first time teaching I&I and I am excited to learn more about various technologies alongside the students. This course allows students to learn about technology and invention in a hands-on experience. Each unit consists of a challenge for students to prepare for and complete, involving building and crafting. I am excited for this course because it is very much a creative outlet, just through a different platform than visual art. I will be sending home a syllabus this week for you to look over. I will also be sending home early next week a paper copy of the I&I safety pledge that needs to be signed by both the student and a parent/guardian to ensure that everyone is aware of the rules and potential hazards in this course. Class will meet daily in the art room, but some projects require us to use equipment in the technology education lab. I will occasionally posts updates on my blog of what students are working on in class, but social media is definitely going to be the better place to check for I&I updates.


Stay warm on this windy snow day!