​I am Kelly Betz and I am a 2012 graduate of UW-Milwaukee with a BFA-Art Education. I have taught for the School District of Greenfield since 2013, teaching at Glenwood Elementary since 2013, Greenfield High School from 2016-2018, and Greenfield Middle School since 2018.

Through my dedication and commitment to teaching art, I took a part-time position and expanded it to full time. Throughout my years with Greenfield, I have pushed my students to be reflective, independent problem solvers; growing their creative skills and personal voices. I strive to make proud thinkers making changes in their world in whatever way they can. Students create work so they can show their growth and reflect on and be proud of what they made themselves, connect to community outreach by doing Milwaukee Empty bowls, and creating stop motion animations with partners focusing on stories students develop together.

I pride myself on innovating and expanding my curriculum with the integration of other subjects and technology and connecting with my students through pop culture and sarcasm. When I am not creating ideas for teaching, I am spending time watching movies/TV, experimenting and honing my own artistic skills, or playing video games with my husband, Kellen, who is also a teacher, and our small dog, Willy. Please feel free to follow me on social media to see more of my students' work, for I cannot do it justice with words. Twitter: @Glenwood_Art  and Instagram: @betz_paint_splatters

​I have twenty years experience as a professional artist and arts educator.  I received my BFA in Ceramics from the university of Nebraska-Lincoln, and my MFA in Ceramics from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1996.  I received my K12 art certification from Cardinal Stritch.  I had the pleasure of teaching Ceramics at Pius XI high school for six years before joining The Alliance School of Milwaukee, a small MPS charter high school where I developed the visual arts program designed to support LGBT, marginalized and at-risk youth. I was trained in restorative practices by Jamie Williams and Oscar Reed the founders of The Restorative Way.  I incorporate storytelling, art making, handwork and restorative methods to empower students to share their stories as a way to cultivate their personal voice and build community.  This past year I co-presented, "I Can Tell A Story.....Building Community using Art Making and Restorative Practices" at the IIRP (International Institute for Restorative Practices) World Conference in Kortijk, Belgium.
 
I will be co-presenting a hands on workshop next month for the NAEA Conference in Minneapolis and will travel to Sassari, Italy to present at the European Forum on Restorative Justice Conference in June. 
 
I am a past recipient of the Milwaukee County Emerging Artist Grant and the Metropolitan Milwaukee Alliance of Black School Educators, "Black Educator of the Year" award. I have co-facilitated Restorative Practices training for students, staff and educators at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Milwaukee Public Schools, Wisconsin Art Education Association and for the National Council On Education For The Ceramic Arts.