Partners in Education Across Kansas (PEAK)

Four white women gather around a table with art supplies

What is PEAK?

Partners in Education Across Kansas (PEAK) is a professional development program for K–12 teachers developed by the Spencer Museum of Art and funded by the Department of Education. It connects teachers with museum educators, art therapists, and one another. Participating educators receive a stipend for their involvement in the program and are eligible for conference travel and professional development funding. PEAK currently includes educators in northeast and north central Kansas and will continue to expand across the state.

Incorporating art into classroom teaching has been found to increase student achievement and engagement. PEAK aims to expand educators’ knowledge and skills in arts integration, especially in social-emotional learning (SEL) through direct arts experiences.

“I like to start off the semester with quite a few of the social-emotional learning projects I learned through PEAK to get the kids settled and set the tone for the class. It allows them to soul search a little bit, to realize the class isn’t just about what I’m going to do for them, but for what they’re going to do for themselves.”

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High School Art Teacher

Two white women and one Black woman sketch flowers on a large paper taped to a wall

Program Elements

PEAK teachers receive a stipend and supplies for their classroom in exchange for meeting a certain number of program requirements each semester. This includes:

Attending in-person trainings
Participating in “Art Breaks” over Zoom that feature SEL activities
Writing lesson plans based on skills they learn in PEAK to share with one another

“I always walk away with ideas and information. PEAK sessions are really helpful for teaching. They recharge and excite me.”

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High School Art Teacher

Teachers, art therapists, and museum educators met at the Mulvane Art Museum in Topeka, Kansas for a two day workshop on arts integration and art therapy in July 2022. Partners in Education Across Kansas is supported by grants from the U.S. Department of Education, the Francis Family Foundation, the Freeman Foundation, and the Lewis H. Humphreys Charitable Trust.

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Enrollment

Each year PEAK grows by adding a cohort of teachers from a different region of Kansas. The program is open to any K–12 educator in these regions, regardless of what subject they teach.

Enrollment information for PEAK is available yearly in late summer. Registration will then open for new and returning PEAK teachers with a waitlist.

Enroll now

“I love how supported I feel in PEAK, not only from KU and the Spencer but also from other teachers around Kansas.”

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High School Library Media Specialist