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West Lyon Principal Receives Arts Advocacy Award
March 6, 2023 Doug Jiskoot, junior-senior high school principal at West Lyon Community School District, is the 2023 Iowa Fine Arts Administrator of the Year as selected by the Iowa Alliance for Arts Education and School Administrators of Iowa. Colleagues nominated Jiskoot for this award, and its criteria are set by the IAAE. Recipients must demonstrate how their leadership contributes to the development of the arts in a school or district. Jiskoot and six additional Administrators of the Year will be recognized at the SAI Annual Conference in August for their contributions to educational leadership in Iowa. “I am honored to be receiving the Fine Arts Administrator of the Year award. The fine arts and especially music have always been an important part of my life. Through my life experiences, I’ve understood the transformative power of music and the performing arts. I’ve sat in the audience at many West Lyon drama performances captivated by the talent of so many young stage performers. I’ve witnessed the raw emotion of West Lyon speech performers as they dramatize the impact of school bullying. The music performed by our choir and band students so often has brought energy into the listener’s day or calmed a troubled spirit,” Jiskoot expressed. Jiskoot further emphasized, “I appreciate the value of fine arts and how such programs help to develop well-rounded individuals, fostering skills in time management, team building, problem-solving, as well as discovering an appreciation for the aesthetics of our world. Not every student has the talent to be involved in sports and so having a vibrant and diverse fine arts program provides an opportunity for those students to exercise and demonstrate their talents in other areas. Fine arts, sports, and career tech programs are what connect students to the school and motivate them to come each day to learn.” He added, “The Fine Arts Administrator of the Year award recognizes the hard work and dedication of West Lyon students and their supportive parents, the many directors of these programs, and the commitment of the West Lyon school district. Thank you for this recognition.” “Doug Jiskoot understands the importance of fine arts and how they help to develop well-rounded individuals and is in part why he was selected as the 2023 Arts Administrator of the Year. He keeps the fine arts program at the forefront of decisions because he knows the value of students having the opportunity to participate. His actions of attending performances, supporting them financially, and scheduling all demonstrate his commitment to the fine arts,” said Lisa Remy, SAI executive director. Jiskoot has been junior-senior high school principal at West Lyon since 1997 and previously served as a business education teacher at Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln High School. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a business education teaching endorsement from Northwestern College, a master’s in school administration and his superintendent endorsement from the University of Northern Iowa.
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