The Public's School

The Public’s School is a story of community building and belonging in the Corning-Painted Post School District.

It’s a response to recent attacks on public education. Manufactured controversies arrive like tsunamis, disrupting communities by leaving behind a destructive trail of misinformation and unrest. Annual votes are weaponized to sow dissent and discord amongst taxpayers, many of whom have little connection to their local school districts. And hate-fueled groups seek to exclude all but those they deem eligible for inclusion.

Over the past year I visited every school in the Corning-Painted Post School District, and away from the noise and hyperbole, I encountered what was always there and always will be - dedicated people working tirelessly and selflessly to ensure there’s a place for every single student. And beyond the classroom walls, their efforts reverberate across the district’s nearly 234 square miles weaving a tapestry that binds us all together.

The Public’s School is my attempt to honor their stories and refute those that act in antithesis to the common good. Featuring 46 portraits of students, teachers, staff, and local alumni, it is an affirming vision of the Corning-Painted Post School District and a testament to a central tenet of public education - all are welcome here.

In concert with my previous portrait projects From the Shadows and The Tradition Bearers, The Public’s School is part of a continued response to the normalization and elevation of the intolerance and divisiveness that seeks to divide people rather than bring them together.

The Public’s School will be on exhibit from November 4 - December 28, 2024, at the Southeast Steuben County Library in Corning, NY. A reception was held Thursday, November 7, 2024 from 5-7pm.

The Public’s School is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, administered by fiscal sponsor The Rockwell Museum.

Participants

High School Swimming and Diving Coaches Alyssa Helsing & Anthony Furstoss
Middle School French Teacher & Pride Club Co-Advisor Andrew Orright
Head Nurse Anne Stefanini & District Medical Doctor Dr. Sumathyuthee Kamalakannan
High School Athletic Trainer Anthony Penn & Student Athlete James Freeman
High School Asian American Association
High School Bass Fishing Club
City of Corning Mayor Bill Boland, Class of 1969
High School Black Culture Appreciation Coalition
GST BOCES Building Construction Program Student (grad) Jade Cook
GST BOCES Building Construction Program Student Katrina Strong
GST BOCES New Visions Health Careers Exploration Program Teacher Tammy Divens w/ Corning Guthrie Hospital Doctors & Staff and New Visions Students
GST BOCES Collision Repair & Refinishing Technology Program Instructors Brian McDonnell & Steve Towner w/ Students
Winfield Street Elementary School Scholar Roo Book Partnership w/ Corning Rotary’s Ted Goldwyn & First Heritage Federal Credit Union’s Christy Parsons
Frederick Carder Elementary School Secretary Bridgett McLean
Head Building Maintenance Mechanic Ken Warner & Custodial Operations Supervisor Will Ceasar
William E. Severn Elementary School Chess Club
Sister Cities Club President (grad) Christina Twiggs
Elementary School Bus Attendant Colleen Durkin
Education Advocate Dale Wexell, Class of 1960
High School Studio 315 After School Program Directors Librarians Stacie Martinec & Britney Elsey and Assistant Principal Dave Harrington
Meals on Wheels Director Dave Smith, Class of 1978
Erwin Valley Elementary School Students
Artist & Instructor Emily Swan, Class of 2004
High School Student Equity Team
Frederick Carder Elementary School Senior Food Service Helper Cindy Dann
High School Learning Center Workplace Internship Program
High School Drama Department Technical Director (grad) James DeRusha
Little Hawks Threads w/ Erwin Valley Elementary School Principal (Ret) Kate Merrill
Calvin U. Smith Elementary School Chicken Caretakers
City of Corning Police Department Chief Kenzie Spaulding, Class of 1994
Middle School Language & Literature Teacher Kim McGrady
Hawks Thrive Food Pantry w/ High School Teacher Kristie Gates Radford & Lynch-Bustin Elementary School Principal Stephanie Hillman
High School Learning Center CMOG Studio Partnership
Middle School Health Educator Mel Sjoblom
Hugh Gregg Elementary School Girls on the Run Coaches Melissa Grinnell, Shannon Dorsey, & Nicky Casper
High School Tesserae Yearbook Co-Advisor Mike Simons
Hugh Gregg Elementary School Teaching Assistant & Morning Greeter Nicky Casper
Middle School Spanish Teacher Patty Becerril-Drapikowski
William E. Severn Elementary School 5th Grade Student Store
Winfield Street Elementary School St. Baldrick's Fundraising Team
William E. Severn Elementary School Goalsetting Superheroes
High School Youth Activation Committee
High School Unified Basketball Team Athletes & Partners
Frederick Carder Elementary School Consultant Classroom Teachers & Staff AIS Teacher Charity Packard, Consultant Teacher Rachel Vespucci-Donnelly, AIS Teacher Alyssa Beers, Resource Room Teacher Brooke Rutledge, Speech Pathologist Susanna Mason, 3rd Grade Teacher Anne Walters, School Counselor Taylor Austin, Social Worker Audrey Slavin, ENL (English as a New Language) Teacher Maria Krol, Teaching Assistant Shelly Dillon, & School Nurse Cheri LaScolea
High School Head Custodian (Ret) John Knapp, Occupational Therapist Elizabeth Reppert, Special Education Teacher Tina Cavallaro w/ Student Henry Telford, CAD Student Carson Collier, & STEM Educator Charles Gargiulo

Portraits

High School Swimming and Diving Coaches Alyssa Helsing & Anthony Furstoss Middle School French Teacher & Pride Club Co-Advisor Andrew Orright Head Nurse Anne Stefanini & District Medical Doctor Dr. Sumathyuthee Kamalakannan High School Athletic Trainer Anthony Penn & Student Athlete James Freeman High School Asian American Association High School Bass Fishing Club City of Corning Mayor Bill Boland, Class of 1969 High School Black Culture Appreciation Coalition GST BOCES Building Construction Program Student (grad) Jade Cook GST BOCES Building Construction Program Student Katrina Strong GST BOCES Collision Repair & Refinishing Technology Program Instructors Brian McDonnell & Steve Towner w/ Students GST BOCES New Visions Health Careers Exploration Program Teacher Tammy Divens w/ Corning Guthrie Hospital Doctors & Staff and New Visions Students Frederick Carder Elementary School Secretary Bridgett McLean Frederick Carder Elementary School Consultant Classroom Teachers & StaffAIS Teacher Charity Packard, Consultant Teacher Rachel Vespucci-Donnelly, AIS Teacher Alyssa Beers, Resource Room Teacher Brooke Rutledge, Speech Pathologist Susanna Mason, 3rd Grade Teacher Anne Walters, School Counselor Taylor Austin, Social Worker Audrey Slavin, ENL (English as a New Language) Teacher Maria Krol, Teaching Assistant Shelly Dillon, & School Nurse Cheri LaScolea Sister Cities Club President (grad) Christina Twiggs Frederick Carder Elementary School Senior Food Service Helper Cindy Dann Elementary School Bus Attendant Colleen Durkin Education Advocate Dale Wexell, Class of 1960 High School Studio 315 After School Program Directors Librarians Stacie Martinec & Britney Elsey and Assistant Principal Dave Harrington Meals on Wheels Director Dave Smith, Class of 1978 Artist & Instructor Emily Swan, Class of 2004 High School Student Equity Team Erwin Valley Elementary School Students Hugh Gregg Elementary School Girls on the Run Coaches Melissa Grinnell, Shannon Dorsey, & Nicky Casper Hawks Thrive Food Pantry w/ High School Teacher Kristie Gates Radford & Lynch-Bustin Elementary School Principal Stephanie Hillman High School Learning Center CMOG Studio Partnership High School Learning Center Workplace Internship Program High School Drama Department Technical Director (grad) James DeRusha Little Hawks Threads w/ Erwin Valley Elementary School Principal (Ret )Kate Merrill City of Corning Police Department Chief Kenzie Spaulding, Class of 1994 Middle School Language & Literature Teacher Kim McGrady Middle School Health Educator Mel Sjoblom High School Tesserae Yearbook Co-Advisor Mike Simons Hugh Gregg Elementary School Teaching Assistant & Morning Greeter Nicky Casper Middle School Spanish Teacher Patty Becerril-Drapikowski William E. Severn Elementary School Chess Club William E. Severn Elementary School Goalsetting Superheroes William E. Severn Elementary School5th Grade Student Store Calvin U. Smith Elementary School Chicken Caretakers Calvin U. Smith School Talent Show Coordinator Kelly Jamison & Committee Members Mitch Peck, Matt Cornacchio, Kate Bowman, Lindsay Ayers, Jill Mertus, Allyson St. John, & Dana Ayers High School 12:1+(3:1) ClassroomHigh School Head Custodian (Ret) John Knapp, Occupational Therapist Elizabeth Reppert, Special Education Teacher Tina Cavallaro w/ Student Henry Telford, CAD Student Carson Collier, & STEM Educator Charles Gargiulo High School Unified Basketball Team Athletes & Partners Head Building Maintenance Mechanic Ken Warner & Custodial Operations Supervisor Will Ceasar Winfield Street Elementary School Scholar Roo Book Partnership w/ Corning Rotary’s Ted Goldwyn & First Heritage Federal Credit Union’s Christy Parsons Winfield Street Elementary SchoolSt. Baldrick's Fundraising Team High School Youth Activation Committee