DCSD Gifted Education News
November 2019
Douglas County School District Gifted Education
Email: heather.groff@dcsdk12.org
Website: dcsdk12.org/gifted-education
Location: 620 Wilcox St, Castle Rock, CO 80104
Phone: 303-387-0191
Director's Corner
Welcome to the month of Thanksgiving!
Over the past few years I have been trying, as have many others I know, to make mindfulness and gratitude a daily practice instead of a seasonal celebration. The power of mindfulness and gratitude has made its way quickly into our teaching and learning environments. Recent research and experience points to the benefits of mindfulness and gratitude practices for all learners, and more specifically, for our gifted children who may experience heightened emotions, sensitivities, empathy, loneliness, anxiety, and perfectionism. Gifted children often share how their unique characteristics and complex ways of thinking make them feel different, isolated, misunderstood, and just plain left out. Mindfulness and gratitude strategies are accessible and effective ways to improve emotional regulation, increase self awareness, and reduce stress and anxiety. Explore the following resources for more information and tools:
Regulating Emotions Through Mindfulness - Mind Matters Podcast Interview
Speaking of gratitude…. I am thrilled by the learning opportunities we experienced over the past few months with our students and colleagues in gifted education. Many of our school and district based teams were selected to present their practices and programs at The Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented annual conference and the National Association for Gifted Children annual convention. I am humbled and proud to work alongside such dedicated teachers and leaders making a difference for your children every day! Please visit the organizations’ websites to see highlights from the conferences as well as invaluable resources for families of gifted learners.
And, please be mindful... Although this is a time for celebration, giving thanks, and making memories, we know the holiday season may trigger stress in both adults and children. The following resources provide information for some possible ways to support your gifted children through the holidays:
Your ongoing partnership is invaluable as we learn and grow together to support our gifted learners. Please reach out to the Gifted Education Facilitator at your child’s school or someone from our team with any questions or concerns.
With appreciation,
Natasha Straayer
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, November 12, 5:30 to 7:30 pm: Discovery Program Informational Night at Pine Lane Elementary
Thursday, November 14, 6:30 to 8:30 pm: Discovery Program Informational Night at Northridge Elementary
Thursday, November 14, 6:30 to 8:30 pm: DCGEAC and DCAGT combined meeting at Rocky Heights Middle School. Open to all parents and community members!
Monday, November 18, 6:15 to 8:00 pm, Jeffco Parent Night Speaker: Building Resiliency and Creativity at Jeffco Ed Center (Click HERE for details) Speaker: Jenny Hecht, LCSW
Tuesday, November 19, 6:00 to 8:00 pm, Discovery Program Informational Night at Renaissance ELOB School
Friday, November 22: DEADLINE: Discovery Applications
Tuesday, December 10, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm: Denver, CO TEDxCherry Creek Women: Bold + Brilliant (Click HERE for more info)
Updates/News
DCSD Gifted Identification Process
A student may be referred for Gifted Identification AT ANY TIME by a family member, teacher, other staff member, or self referral. Once the process is initiated, the Gifted Education Facilitator in the child's school begins collecting a body of evidence which includes:
- aptitude assessments which are cognitive tests such as CogAT
- achievement tests which are nationally normed tests such as iReady, MAPS, STAR, CMAS, PARCC, PSAT, SAT, ACT
- current performance data that reflects what student is demonstrating in school or exceptional tasks performed outside of school
- teacher evaluation scales
- family and student surveys
Combining all of these pieces provides a bigger picture of the child's interests, performance, potential, and needs.
Each Body of Evidence for Gifted Identification is reviewed by a trained team of educators led by the Gifted Education Facilitator. The Evaluation Team determines if the body of evidence meets criteria outlined by the CDE for formal Gifted Identification. The team may decide that body of evidence does not have enough qualifying data to meet identification requirements, but the child is showing potential in a particular area, leading to a TALENT POOL recommendation.
Students who move into a Talent Pool are provided targeted intervention(s) in an area or areas of strength. During and after the intervention, the student is monitored and assessed to determine if the intervention is the correct programming to meet student need. If not, another intervention will be given and the process begins again. These interventions help build the performance part of a body of evidence. Periodically, when new assessment data is available, students are re-evaluated for growth and the body of evidence returns to the review team for re-evaluation.
Parents/guardians are notified in writing of the determination made by the Gifted Education Evaluation Team. If a student qualifies for Gifted Identification, the Advanced Learning Plan process is initiated.
Please reach out to your Gifted Education Facilitator with any questions you may have about the Gifted Identification process!
Resources:
Elementary Discovery Program - Application
Find more information, including dates and times for FAMILY INFORMATION NIGHTS and THE APPLICATION PROCESS linked HERE
Counselors' Corner
DCSD Mental Health Resources
Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted
STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES
Find Yourself at Stanford Next Summer
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies selects the finest students from around the world to come to Stanford for an
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes is a three-week summer residential program held on Stanford campus that provides academically talented and intellectually curious students currently in grades 8–11 with intensive study in a single course.
Click HERE to learn more!
Duke University Talent Identification Program (DUKE TIP)
Please click HERE to learn more and to identify the program right for your student.
Western Academic Talent Search (WATS) & Center for Bright Kids (CBK)
Many summer programs require testing for acceptance into the program. Follow the link below for deadlines and opportunities to take the PSAT, SAT or ACT.
The Western Academic Talent Search is an academic talent search program based on above-level testing and optimal match. Since many gifted young students achieve above grade level, the talent search may more accurately measure their abilities than traditional in-grade achievement tests. The SAT, ACT, and PSAT tests provide a higher ceiling and valuable assessment information for young academically talented students. Taking these tests also provides students with early experience in taking college entrance-type tests. Students who have participated over the years report increased comfort with standardized testing and significant score gains based upon Talent Search experiences.
The Davidson Fellows Scholarship
The Davidson Fellows Scholarship awards $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000 scholarships to extraordinary young people, 18 and under, who have completed a significant piece of work.
Application categories are Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Literature, Music, Philosophy and Outside the Box. Davidson Fellows are honored every year in Washington, D.C. with Congressional meetings and a special reception.
Davidson Fellows named as one of "The 10 Biggest Scholarships in the World" by TheBestColleges.org and one of "7 Prestigious Undergrad Scholarships" in U.S. News & World Report.
Applications open in November. Click HERE to find out more!
Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship for Current 7th Grade Students
Click HERE for Details and Application Information!
Cooke College Scholarship Program (DEADLINE NOV 19, 2019)
Get Involved!
Douglas County Gifted Education Advisory Council (DCGEAC)
The mission of Douglas County Gifted Education Advisory Council (DCGEAC) is to gather, communicate, and disseminate information to stakeholders, as well as advocate, influence, support, and ensure accountability for quality programming for gifted learners in Douglas County School District.
The Council provides information, support, and resources to empower students, families, and educators toward successful lifelong learning/development through a variety of outreach methods, opportunities, and activities. They serve in an advisory capacity to DCSD regarding new policies, trends, programming, and concerns. The Council also provides a collaborative voice to advocate for gifted students, policies, programming, and issues and act as a liaison between families/community and DCSD.
DCGEAC meetings are open to all. Please join us for our special combined DCAGT and DCGEAC meeting Thursday, November 14, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Rocky Heights Middle School. We hope to see you there!