Citrus Organization for the Gifted (COG)

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www.citrusgifted.org

Upcoming Event:

Hatterday’s at Stetson University

Classes are held 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the Stetson University campus in DeLand, FL. Cost is $50 per class ($35 for students receiving free or reduced lunch). After attending one Hatterdays course, the cost is $45 for each class thereafter. Also, if you are registering more than one student, we offer a multiple class/sibling discount of $45 per class. Each class is an intense, hands-on academic experience - and fun! Students may register for one Saturday or multiple Saturdays. Classes vary from month to month and there is no requirement to attend more than one... additional classes are scheduled for February 28, March 28, April 18 and May 30.

We also offer a concurrent Parent Session during HATTERDAYS classes so that parents can explore issues regarding their gifted and high achieving students. There is no charge for the parent session. However, registration is required.

For additional information and registration please visit: http://www.stetson.edu/hats/hatterdays.php

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Grades K-3

BER - 101: MAGIC SCHOOL BUS LOST IN THE SNOW
Snow in Florida? Of course, when you join Ms. Frizzle for a snow filled adventure learning about snow, ice and snowflakes. Who knows, we might even make some frozen magic of our own! Come join Ms. Frizzle as we begin adventures and experiments in science with the Magic School Bus. (Instructor: Amanda Cosner)

BER - 102: RAINBOW FISH’S MANY ADVENTURES
This Creative Dramatics class will focus on Marcus Pfister’s character "Rainbow Fish." We will work on simple costuming and setting ideas to establish the mood for under the sea. Students will choose to "act out" in this teacher led drama story. The class will conclude with a perfomances for the parents. What will you do with your shiny scales? (Instructor: Darlene Stewart)

Grades 4-6

JAN - 101: COLOSSAL CHEMISTRY
Let’s experiment! Come create some crazy concoctions and learn the science behind them. We will explore chemical properties through hands on experiments and activities. We’ll make a sunset in a bag, solve the case of the mystery powders, investigate acids and bases, and turn household items into gooze, goop and putty! (Instructor: Gina Triboletti)

Grades 4-9

JAN - 102: A STORY IN EVERY PICTURE
Do your pictures tell the whole story? Using students’ own photos as inspiration, we will be writing our scripts, planning our shots, and just have a bit of a giggle as we create a unique story on a story board. Bring your digital camer a and get ready to take your best shot! (Instructor: Martin Mowrey)

JAN - 103: FORENSIC SCIENCE FINGERPRINTING
They are unique! Did you know that no two fingerprints are alike? In this class you will aquire knowledge of the history, types and classification of fingerprint patterns. You will learn how to make your own ten-print card and will be able to identify your prints as well. Were you at the crime scence? (Instructor: Alicia Parker)

Parents

JAN-PAR: PARENT SESSION
This month we will be hosting a round table discussion with information obtained at the recent NAGC (National Association for Gifted Children) conference in Tampa. Join us for "Lion" coffee and goodies.

Did you know…

A parent can request a review of their child’s Educational Plan (EP) at any time?

An EP should provide a clear picture of the student, how the student is gifted, and the student’s special needs related to the giftedness?

An EP should include a determination of the measurable goals, including benchmarks or short-term objectives, that align with the needs of the student - along with a clear statement of how the student’s progress toward the stated goals will be measured and reported to the parents?

An EP should also include the special needs the child evidences as a result of his or her giftedness; such as, priority educational needs or a determination of whether the student is an underachiever, a perfectionist, or whether there are social and emotional concerns related to gifted characteristics to consider?

Many parents are not aware of the incredible role they can play during the EP process: a role that enables them to effectively advocate for their child - to ensure that their child’s academic needs will be met. Knowing your rights is power - power to make a difference in the education of your child.

View the Department of Education’s Technical Assistance Paper for the Development of Educational Plans (EP) (in .pdf format). Pages 2-9 are in an easy to understand Q&A format. You may find pages 3 and 6-9 to be of particular interest.

Announcement:

WOGI (Working on Gifted Issues) has received a grant from the Dept. of Education to fund the addition of a Parent Page to their website http://www.unfwogi.com/. Consultants from the University of Florida and parent advocates will be developing this page.

They hope to provide parents with a question and answer page that will address their concerns and requests for information in a succinct and parent friendly manner with direct links to the data and research necessary to substantiate and expand upon the answers.

What they need from us are the questions! They also would like permission to use your first name and last initial should they decide to present the questions in that manner.

So… think back and think about the present - what were the questions or concerns you had when you first found out your child was gifted? What issues have you encountered along the way that would have been easier to handle if you had had access to some quick answers? What questions and concerns have you heard from fellow gifted parents? What questions have your children had that you struggled to answer for them?

The audience will span the gamut - from parents who assume their children can’t possibly be gifted because they’re not prodigies to parents who have read everything published on parenting gifted children - so we need to hear it all… the simplest of questions to the most erudite.

Send your questions to cindy@pagesofhernando.com. Thanks.

School Program:

Check out the International Baccalaureate (IB) program currently being developed for Lecanto High School!

Neighboring Support Groups:

Hernando: PAGES (Partners Allied for Gifted Education & Support)

Pasco: The Gifted Round Table

Pinellas: GAP (Gifted Association of Pinellas)

Hillsborough: GACH (Gifted Advocacy Council of Hillsborough)

Publications:

"Acceleration is simply placement according to competence, a principle that goes unquestioned in athletics and in the arts." -- C. Benbow (1998) Excellence in Educating Gifted and Talented Learners.

A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America’s Brightest Students
by Nicholas Colangelo, Susan G. Assouline, Miraca U. M. Gross

Genius Denied How to Stop Wasting Our Brightest Young Minds
by Bob and Jan Davidson with Laura Vanderkam, published in 2004 by Simon & Schuster
Hailed as a "manifesto for change" by gifted education advocates and experts.

In the News:

Don’t Overlook Gifted Students
By DEL SIEGLE, President of the National Association for Gifted Children
Published: September 13, 2008 in the Tampa Tribune.

A recent national study by a leading education think tank has confirmed what many of us have long recognized - our education system as a whole is neglecting the needs of our highest-achieving performers, and the majority of our teachers are neither adequately trained nor encouraged to help these students maximize their potential…

…Our nation faces a clear choice: We can continue deluding ourselves with the belief that gifted students exist only in certain populations and can thrive educationally without prudent attention to their learning needs. Or we can begin working toward a solution that finally leaves no child behind.