RISD GT News 1.4
The Quarterly Newsletter for K-12 GT in RISD
Parent Brown Bags and Supper Clubs
Supper Club
Wednesday, April 17th
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Professional Development Center - C101A
The Professional Development Center is located at 701 W Belt Line Rd .
Skyview Annex Gifted Services (REACH) to move to Hamilton Park
Superintendent's Scholars Academy
Intermediate REACH NPO Project Presentation UPDATE
Wow! Thanks for your support through this year’s independent study project, “REACHing Out Through Service”.
Bowie students volunteered 1,100+ hours of service, collected $18,000+ in donations, and gave 1,230+ minutes of speeches. Skyview Annex students volunteered more than 1,000 hours and raised more than $24,000 plus non-monetary collections. Through these service learning projects, countless lives have been touched.
Bowie students were asked what they learned as they worked on this project. With more than 400 responses to the question, the wisdom that they shared is amazing. So, in the style of Robert Fulghum’s famous book, All I Really Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten, we present to you some of their responses—“So Many Things I Need to Know…And I Learned Them Through NPOs!” Please take a moment to read the wise, clever, and sometimes funny words, copied directly from the writings of the Intermediate REACH students at Bowie Elementary.
Secondary GT Showcase
The Third Annual Secondary GT Showcase will take place on April 23rd. Once again, the showcase will have an element of competition. Ask your child's teacher about how to enter.
More information about Showcase can be found here.
Campus Spotlight
Liberty JH
Lake Highlands JH
Pearce HS
Intermediate GT
Kindergarten GT
Primary GT
"Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family."
- Kofi Anan
JH Teacher Spotlight - Blanca Sanchez
Position/Campus: LHJH 8th Grade GT Science, PreP Science, 8th grade AVID & Dept Chair
Years in Education: 4
Bio: Born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Oldest of 4!
Education: University of Texas at Arlington. Bachelor’s of Science in Biology. 7-12 Science Composite Certification
Birthday: 7/28
Favorite Book(s): The Book Thief
Favorite Movie(s): Remember the Titans
Favorite TV Show(s): Grey’s Anatomy, Game of Thrones
Favorite Musician/Band: Adele, Ed Sheeran
Favorite Food: Cheese & Crackers
Hobbies: Reading, Baking, Yoga
Favorite Thing About GT Kids: They challenge me to be a better educator
Teaching Philosophy: At the end of the day it's all about the kids! I am in this profession not just to teach science but to teach young people how to be good humans!
Inspirational Quote: Everyday may not be a good day but there is good in everyday.
HS Teacher Spotlight - Tracey Bishkin
Position/Campus: GT AP World History, AP Psychology at LHHS
Years in Education: 13
Bio: Worked in Advertising for many years before my career in education. I’ve lived in New York, Paris, LA, Chicago, Houston and Dallas, but it all started in Texarkana.
Education: B.A. French Literature (UT Austin), M.S. Advertising and Marketing (Northwestern University)
Birthday: 2/9
Favorite Book(s): She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb
Favorite Movie(s): Cinema Paradiso, Rear Window, The Bicycle Thief
Favorite TV Show(s): Any bingeable thriller/drama series.
Favorite Musician/Band: Chopin
Favorite Food: Vietnamese, Lebanese, Japanese
Hobbies: Travel, travel, travel
Favorite Thing About GT Kids: Their overconfidence, it makes them fearless.
Teaching Philosophy: I believe that all students who enter my classroom have a right to the best that I can give them. I want them to leave my class with a slightly different attitude about the world, but also a set of skills that they can rely on later in life.
Inspirational Quote: “I hate writing, I love having written.” - Dorothy Parker
Elementary Teacher Spotlight - Lance Towner
Position/Campus: GT Specialist/HPPM
Years: 10 years in elementary education/3 years in GT
Bio: I was born in Boulder, Co and graduated from Colorado State University. My wife and I met in Fort Collins and moved to Dallas in 2001 where we worked in the restaurant industry until becoming teachers in 2005. We have one son and one daughter, ages 7 and 5 respectively. They both attend Plano Schools.
Education: B.S. Industrial Technology, Colorado State University; Generalist 4-8, K-6, and GT Certification through the state of Texas.
Favorite Book: A Tale of Two Cities
Favorite Movies: Star Wars Trilogy
Favorite TV Show: Seinfeld
Favorite Band: Led Zeppelin
Hobbies: I enjoy exercising, cooking, building things with my kids, and doing yardwork.
Favorite Thing about GT kids: I love being witness to their original ideas and watching them make connections between what we’re doing in class and the outside world. In working with them, I have learned to expect the unexpected, and it’s great!
Teaching Philosophy: I believe my role is to facilitate and guide the class through learning experiences, providing a supportive, safe, and positive environment which encourages students to take chances and find personal meaning.
Inspirational Quote: Don’t wish. Do.
Celebrations
A Message From... Monica Simonds
Wait, what? I remember playing (I use that term loosely here) basketball in high school and being told to envision the ball going in the basket. People spend lots of time creating visioning boards to inspire them toward their goals. My favorite hashtag is #DreamBig.
I continued to listen to find that Dr. Ottingen explained further that too many set goals and focus on them only to never move beyond the vision. Instead, she recommends using the WOOP method, which stands for Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan, helps you pave the way to making your dreams a reality. (Visit http://woopmylife.org/woop-1 for more information.)
Her research demonstrates that by defining the Wish, imagining the best Outcome of that wish, identifying the Obstacle that is coming between the wish and outcome, and then constructing a Plan to over come it, you are much more likely to achieve your dreams.
Interested in some other interesting Podcasts? Here are some of my favorites:
- Mind Matters (Discussions with an emphasis on Gifted)
- CoffeeBreak Spanish (always trying to learn more)
- Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day (grow that vocabulary)
- Brains On! (science podcast for curious kids and adults)
- Wow in the World (wonders of the world for kids and grownups)
- Stories Podcast (stories performed for your children weekly)
- But Why (led by kids who ask the questions that adults research and answer)
- Chompers (2-minute entertaining stories, songs, and jokes to keeps children entertained for the full time they should be brushing their teeth)
What are your favorites?
Exec. Director of College & Career Readiness
Email: elizabeth.swaner@risd.org
Phone: 469-593-0248
Twitter: @RISDCCR
Director of Advanced Academic Studies
Email: monica.simonds@risd.org
Website: https://tinyurl.com/GTRISD
Location: 9479 Whitehurst Drive, Dallas, TX, USA
Phone: 469-593-2426
Twitter: @RISDGT
Advanced Academics Specialist
GT/AP/PreAP
Email: clinton.rodriguez@risd.org
Website: https://tinyurl.com/GTRISD
Phone: 469.593.0784
Twitter: @ctrodgifted
Advanced Academics Specialist
Email: jasmine.patel@risd.org
Website: https://tinyurl.com/GTRISD
Phone: 469-593-0782
Advanced Academics Specialist
Email: sara.mooney@risd.org
Website: https://tinyurl.com/GTRISD