Nomita Advani

art teacher, painter, material girl

“Every student who enters my classroom can be an artist,” Nomita says. “All you need is an idea.” Her job, says the K-3 teacher, is to get students the right tools so they can express those ideas.

Nomita watches carefully for clues to comfort and learning style. For one student, she wraps the end of a pastel in paper. Nearby, a classmate delights in the chalky texture and its explosion of color.

True to McLean’s philosophy, students celebrate their differences in art. “We have different materials to appeal to all kinds of students,” says Nomita, a painter who combines acrylics, fabrics and jewelry in her work. “Everyone ends up with an individual creation.”

As art department chair, Nomita keeps the curriculum flexible, leaving ample room for growth—even her own. Now pursuing her master’s in art therapy, she’s excited to bring that expertise into the classroom.

“McLean supports arts education unequivocally,” she says. “Students get that message early on.”