Lilly Thomann said teaching arts is crucial, especially during this time of online schooling that was mandated during the coronavirus pandemic. It helps kids keep their creativity going.

With classes like science and math, assignments can be sent out and graded, but art really has no right or wrong answers, so her students are researching artists and writing about them.

The Manlius Pebble Hill School teacher is also encouraging students to spend time making crafts or being creative in other ways when they are not on the computer.

She said it's important to make sure kids treat every day like they were still in the classroom.

"I also hope kids continue to take teaching and learning seriously," said Thomann. "We all want a day off from school from time to time, but this is different."

The teachers are running an "art madness," named after March Madness college basketball and their brackets, which will have students looking at art history through competition.