What People Say…

I highly recommend the Art Docent Program to other schools. This has been a great way for our school to have more art in the classroom and support the growth of our students as artists and art enthusiasts. The program itself is very user friendly and does not require volunteers to be artists or experts themselves. The training is a great way to support the volunteer docents and teach them how to use the program and some basic art technique, concepts and supplies. I’m happy to share my experience with anyone interested in learning more about the program.
Sara Earl, Head Docent
Heron Elementary, Natomas Unified School District

Florence Markofer Elementary loves the Art Docent Program. It is a twenty-first century gem. It’s no longer all paper and posters but updated and refreshed for the digital age. All the information is on-line and easy to access.
The Art Docent Program is taught by parent volunteers. Markofer Elementary never had as many parent volunteers as we did this year. Everything is planned and easy to follow. When I watched some of the lessons I saw the parents having as much fun as the students.

Art Docent is aligned with CCSS and the diverse art exposure is second to none. The students learn about various mediums, artists and styles. Our front office is a virtual art gallery for people to view.

Gordon Blackwood, Principal
Florence Markofer, Elk Grove Unified School District

Thank you for your wonderful work through Art! Your Program is flourishing in Roseville. We have over 400 Docent volunteers and there is no sign of slowing down!
-Rebecca, Roseville, CA, Head Docent

My mom and I were both Art Docents, she in her retirement and I when I was starting teaching. The Program’s training was extraordinarily helpful. So many thousands of students have richer lives because of you and your Program.
-Beth, Hillsboro, OR

Happy Birthday, Barbara! Your work and passion have left a long lasting and remarkable imprint upon the lives of our students.
-Holly, Nevada County, CA

“This program has been a wonderful activity for our parents. Every year it grows and changes. More and more parents become involved and the students look forward to art docent as part of their regular curriculum. ”
Cheri Lano, Head Docent, Twin Rivers School Dist.

“The Art Docent Program is a great way to reintroduce art into the curriculum without being an expert. Parent volunteers provide the instruction using the Art Docent Program materials and students reap the benefits, as do teachers who often get to see their students in a different light.”
Eric Preston, Principal, Arboga Elementary, Marysville Joint Unified School District, California

“I have been part of the Art Docent Program since my college daughter was in 3rd grade here in Dry Creek Elementary District in Roseville.  I have enjoyed being an Art Docent all these years.  Although I have 11 yrs of experience, I still enjoyed your training this week!  What a wonderful program.  I have enjoyed it so much. Bringing art to the classroom is a pleasure.”
Melinda Pickett, Docent, Dry Creek Elementary, Roseville, CA

“Both the initial subscription and renewal costs have been very affordable for our school.”
Mary Zaun, Principal, Ophir Elementary School, Loomis Union School District

“Our main goals at St. Mary Magdalen School are to have our students learn more about famous artists, understand the elements of art, and especially to have fun with the various art projects. Your program has helped to make our goals become reality!”
Monnica Peinado, Head Docent, St. Mary Magdalen Catholic School, Everett, WA

“Coordinating the Art Docent Program at my children’s elementary school has been rewarding. Students are able to express themselves through art, and learn about great artists in a way that the current curricular focus hasn’t easily allowed.”
Jessica McCollum, Art Docent Program Coordinator, Arboga Elementary, Marysville Joint Unified School District, California

“We love the Program at St. John Vianney’s! We first got it about 1999 and it was an exciting thing. It died out about five years ago but we resurrected it and we’re back! Our teachers were reticent at first but now they love it. Our Docents and students are happy, too.”
Christine Squirer, Head Docent, St. John Vianney School, Rancho Cordova, CA

“I am so excited to get going! We have received so much positive feedback about the training. Our docents are ready to go! We are now at 15 I think. I have invited our docents back for a debrief and planning night. I will show them the Docent materials room, run through a lesson with the Smartboard, And answer any questions of the few who could not attend training. Between now and then the Docents will contact the teachers and schedule their lessons. We will calendar them next week.
One idea that i had that is working so well is that I sent a school wide donation letter for some of the household items. Today I received wrapping paper, magazines, various lids, q-tips, paper towels….several bags of those household items.
I was very pleased! You can count on me to keep in touch. Please do the same!
Can’t wait to show off the artwork! I am planning on taking over our office walls to celebrate our Art Docent Program. I will send you pictures!”
Julie Schrey, Fresno Unified School District

“Barbara Herberholz is an absolute genius in developing, packaging and delivering curriculum in art education that engages students of all ages and makes the world of art accessible to all. She has been undaunted by severe budget cuts because she believes that all children have the right to know of their heritage in art that begins with cave paintings and evolves to include current technology. Barbara Herberholz is truly a national treasure in the world of art education.”
Crystal Olson, Ed.D., Associate Professor in Arts in Education in College of Education at CSU Sacramento

“Our sincerest thanks to both of you for sharing your Art Docent program with schools and docents, it is amazing. It is so heartwarming to hear you both speak of your parents with fondness for their love of art and your passion to keep it alive as they did. Thank you.

In December Clear Creek second graders learned about birds and feature artist/sculptor Donald Herberholz and his Henry George sculpture. The kids loved it. They asked about the patina process and texture and process of creating sculptures that capture a moment in time.

The kids expressed what they learned with the studio lesson of a tissue collage.

Clear Creek is building a stronger art docent program this year with communication amongst the docents of sharing ideas and supplies. We just acquired dedicated space for supplies that can be shared and stored. Plus we’ve collected 4 warming trays and purchased a mobile drying rack. We hope to conduct some springtime art enrichment classes to provide more hands-on experience, building upon the docent lessons.”

Mike & Marty Earhart, Clear Creek Elementary, Grass Valley, CA

This is a comment from a parent of one of our first grade students who arrived home from school one day after completing an Art Docent lesson with a parent Art Docent volunteer:
“He came home from school yesterday and launched himself into my arms and said, ‘Mom…..PAINT!’ As I was trying to figure this out his brother filled me in that you had been there and given them his art lesson. Well, my son was so excited to tell me all about it he just skipped all the filler words and went straight to the important one: PAINT! It was so great to see him excited about art and um yes paint, that I had to write and say “Thank you” so very much for taking the time to do this for the kids. It means so much to him, and I’m sure to all of them. What a wonderful and enriching thing to give them.”

“I believe that we are implementing the Art Docent Program at our school very well, and I also think that this is a program that will continue to become even more popular at our school in the future as our students and Art Docents progress through the grade-levels. I am very glad that we purchased this program and love the promotion of fine art that is happening in our school because of it!”
Judy Keller, 2nd grade teacher and Art Docent Program Coordinator at Arlene Hein Elementary School in Elk Grove, CA

“When my children were in elementary school years ago in El Cajon, CA, I was a volunteer Art Docent. I knew very little about art or making art at the time, but studying ahead and then teaching the lessons got me interested in art. I took a few drawing classes, some in watercolor and years later went to Community College for some additional art instruction. I now belong to an artist’s co-op and sell my artin a downtown gallery/store. I don’t know that this would ever have happened had I not been an art docent.”

“Teaching your program was a pivotal point in my life. I think it is such a wonderful, very needed program and I’ve thought and talked about it for years. I live in Spokane WA now and would like to be involved. I’ve thought many times that I’d like to start an art docent program buit didn’t know how to go about it. Only today in searching the web for something else did I stumble across your site and was thrilled.”
Cherylee, from Spokane, WA