Severna Park High School teacher, Mrs. Fornadel, is in the running for the 2025 Teacher of the Year award. Mrs. Fornadel specializes in teaching art subjects, but recently she has taken on the role of leading the new Unified Art program.
Unified Art has been taught at SPHS for three years and has been in Anne Arundel County for five years. Mrs. Fornadel assisted in writing the pilot for the curriculum in 2018, and it was approved during the 2019-2020 school year.
“Student leaders are paired up 1:1 with a buddy. They are the “student teacher” for that lesson. They must take the lesson that I introduce and modify to meet the needs of each student for that lesson. This includes differentiation, modes of communication, teamwork, etc,” Fornadel states.
Fornadel shares that this class is for students who share her passion for working with ACC students, just as she did when she was in high school. Fornadel used her free period to volunteer her time at the life skills classroom. She has always been passionate towards everybody find a sense of belonging.
Unified Art is more than just a class where students sign up and help ACC students learn about art. It has a defined purpose for both sides. ACC students are exposed to the art education everyone should be getting, and they can learn with a purpose with the help of other SPHS student leaders guiding them. SPHS student leaders learn how to work with others, they are exposed to a potential career path, and they learn to reflect on the positives and negatives of each class.
Fornadel says that she wishes when she was younger, “someone exposed me to more career pathways so I try to do that for them with Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech Language Pathology, Behavioral Therapy, and Special Education”.
Throughout this journey of creating this Unified Art program, Fornadel and Mrs. Hendler have collaborated to plan the first Unified Dance at SPHS. This dance was held last school year; it was an opportunity for ACC students to have a great time with trusted student leaders.
Fornadel planned a field trip with her Unified Art class to go to the Pic n’ Paint Pottery Studio last school year. Now she is in the midst of planning her field trip to the Baltimore Zoo in November of this school year.
There has been a surreal change in the way we take on unified learning courses. Mrs. Fornadel has been extremely adamant in the process. Her efforts and collaborations have created a sense of belonging everywhere. Severna Park High School students respect everyone.
“I obviously see inclusion in the classroom, but I truly see it in the halls, the cafe, and sporting events. I love seeing the relationship develop between these groups and giving everyone a sense of belonging,” Fornadel says.
A difference is being made and recognized. Unified Art will continue to grow and will be introduced into different AACPS schools very soon. As this program grows, so will the sense of belonging in each school.
