My name is Michael Kodysz, and I am the visual arts teacher at [name of school]. I am pleased with the opportunity to meet your child this year and look forward to her participation in class. As Steve Jobs once said, “Creativity is just connecting things.” In the same spirit, the visual arts curriculum at [school name] is designed to help your child connect with her creative side. Through participation in class projects, discussions, field trips, and other activities, your child will have multiple opportunities to experience the pleasures of visual aesthetics, engage with the problems of visual design, and study of the artifacts of material culture.

Why are these activities important? Equitable opportunities in arts education have been linked to increased academic achievement, social and emotional development, and civic engagement. Students involved with the arts often exhibit gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skills. Learning in the arts can be instrumental to increasing your child’s levels of confidence, concentration, and motivation, as well as her ability to work effectively as a member of a team. The role of the visual arts in conferring these advantages is particularly important, since the sense of sight is the primary means by which the majority of students come to know and interpret the world.

My goal in teaching the visual arts is to facilitate your child’s creative potential to the greatest extent possible. To this end, I will provide her with instruction that is both engaging and relevant. Indeed, I encourage all students along their journey of intellectual, emotional, and academic development, including those who require accommodations or adjustments for differentiation. The visual arts course at [name of school] offers many opportunities for every student to explore and participate in a welcoming, supportive, and content-rich classroom environment.

Rest assured that I do not expect your child to paint like Picasso or sculpt like Michelangelo! I do, however, strive to define her not by what she may be unable to do, but rather in terms of her present achievements and future potential. As a lifelong learner myself, I am certain that my enthusiasm for education will be a catalyst for learning in others; that I have faced and overcome a number of my own struggles and challenges in life has left me well positioned to empathize with the struggles and challenges of others.

Your child is important to me. This letter is the initial communication by which I hope to establish a productive, cooperative, and friendly relationship with you and your child. I look forward to meeting you at the open house next week.

Sincerely, Michael A. Kodysz
[School phone number]
[Conference hours]