DCSD Gifted Education News
February, 2021
Douglas County School District Gifted Education
Equity of Access
Opportunity ~ Agency ~ Empowerment
Vision:
We seek out, surface, and nurture the potential in each student from all races, socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, gender identities, and sexual orientations.
Mission:
We partner with staff, students, families, and our community to design/refine/implement equitable and culturally responsive systems of identification and programming for high potential/advanced/gifted students from all demographic groups in all schools.
Email: heather.groff@dcsdk12.org
Website: dcsdk12.org/gifted-education
Location: 620 Wilcox St, Castle Rock, CO 80104
Phone: 303-387-0191
Parenting Gifted Children
Questions Every Teenager Needs to Be Asked
Laurence Lewars | TEDxDhahranHighSchool
The world is not a fair place and not everyone gets to live out their dreams, but should this stop us from dreaming? Early on teenagers have their dreams beaten out of them by life. This talk attempts to revive this lost dream in teenagers across the world. As a student with a very diverse ethnic background, Laurence is a true embodiment of the international nature of Dhahran High School - where he is now a junior. He is a leader in his school's Model United Nations Club as well as a member of his school's student council. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx
Watch the video HERE.
Black History Month and Your Emotionally Intense Child
From Raising Lifelong Learners
I sat down recently to begin planning out what all we’d learn about for Black History Month. The more I read, the more excited I felt to share such a rich heritage with my children, and the more grateful I felt to live during a time when our education is only limited by our number of questions and not by the color of our skin. I also began to sense the heaviness, the sorrow, and turmoil and hatred that so many prominent figures of color rose from.
Slavery, segregation, redlining, riots… so many painful, heartbreaking landmarks in black history that cannot (and should not) be avoided.
Continue reading the article HERE.
District News
Early Access Application Window Open
Early Access is designed for “highly advanced gifted” 4 or 5 year old children. It allows early access to kindergarten or first-grade for students who are academically gifted, socially and emotionally mature, in the top 2% or less of the gifted peer group, motivated to learn, ready for advanced placement, and who have exhausted the resources of preschool or home schooling.
Deadline to apply is April 1, 2021
No late applications will be accepted.
Click on the 3 steps below for the Early Access Process:
Step 1) Application Process for Early Access 2021-22
Step 2) EA Family/Student/School Information, Consent to Test 2021-22
Step 3) EA Parent/Guardian Observation Inventory & Survey 2021-22
El proceso de acceso temprano para el año escolar 2021-2022 ya está ABIERTO.
La fecha límite para presentar la solicitud es el 1 de abril de 2021.
No se aceptarán solicitudes tardías.
1) Información de la escuela /estudiante/familia de acceso temprano, consentimiento para la prueba 2021-22
2) Inventario y encuesta de observación de padres/tutores de 2021-22
Discovery Program Applications Round 2 Open Now! DUE March 12, 2021!
The Douglas County School District Discovery Program is designed to meet the needs of gifted elementary school students (2nd to 6th grade) who require intensity of instruction and acceleration beyond what can reasonably be expected from the regular school programming.
Northridge Elementary in Highlands Ranch
Pine Lane Elementary South (K-3) and Pine Lane Elementary North (4-6) in Parker
Renaissance ELOB Magnet Elementary in Castle Rock
Want to learn more? Please join our district team and a panel of parents, students and teachers for Discovery in DCSD during DCAGT's Facebook Live session Wednesday, November 11, from 6:00 to 7:00pm
Discovery Program Flyer
Discovery Program Application and Process
We have information now available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Russian.
Connect with Other Familes of Gifted Children
Gifted and Talented Leaders of Color and Allies
Gifted/Talented Initiatives for the Support and Advancement of Gifted Students of Color
Black Family Night - Part 2, February 11, 5:30-6:30pm MT.
Families are welcome to attend even if you did not catch part 1.
Register: https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLScnpcQehyM6pM.../viewform
Black History Month Library Collection
The first Indigenous Caldecott Medal winner
(Photo courtesy of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group)Find out more HERE.
Who we are: The Gifted and Talented (GT) Leaders of Color and Allies started in late 2019 with a few educators of Color collaborating with advocates for the support, connection, and empowerment of Gifted Students and Educators of Color.
Follow/Join Us at: Gifted & Talented Leaders of Color and Allies on Facebook
Douglas County Association for Gifted and Talented (DCAGT) Upcoming Events
Join DCAGT on our Facebook page on Monday, February 8, from 6:00 to 7:00 P.M.
During this session we will be talking about
The Early Access to Kindergarten or First Grade Process and Giftedness in Young Children
On Wednesday, February 24, from 6:00 to 7:00 P.M. we are excited to host Dr. Kate Bachtel as she talks with us about parenting our gifted children in this turbulent time.
Have you missed our previous Facebook Live sessions? Find archived videos HERE.
Douglas County Association for Gifted and Talented (DCAGT) is the DCSD affiliate for CAGT. We want to reach and connect the gifted community with opportunities to share experiences and exchange information. We hope that you will join us in our community events.
DCAGT Newsletter February 2021
Subscribe to our newsletter here.
Calendar of Events
2021 Free Special Event for Adults
Icarus as Imagined (and Reimagined!) by Bruegel and Sexton
February 11, at 8:00 PM Eastern | 60 Minutes
A lively seminar led by Dr. Amos Rothschild, this is your opportunity to share in discussions with peers who reading and the arts. And, It's free!
Join Us for Discussion, Thinking, Friends, and Fun
Please rsvp@greatbookssummer.com or or call/text 203-612-9470 to receive the link to attend the free session.
- Thursday February 11 at 8:00 PM Eastern
This free, hour-long session is all about indulging in great literature and art together!
- Join a group of intellectually curious peers
- Get energized by taking part in engaging literary conversations led by a university professor
- Flex your critical thinking skills and boost confidence
Conversations with CAGT Continues every Tuesday night!
Streaming on Facebook Live every Tuesday, we feature a different expert in gifted education Each week who will speak on a current GT topic in a live video chat on CAGT's Facebook page with time for your questions!
Every Tuesday at 5pm!
"Executive Function: It was the Best of Times, It was the Worst of Times..."
Tue. Feb. 16th: Dr. Matt Zakreski
"They're All Going to Find Out I'm a Fraud: Combating Impostor Syndrome in the Gifted Brain"
Tue. Feb. 23rd: Emily Kircher-Morris
"Mental Health Matters: Supporting Your High-Ability Child in a Changing World"
Coming up in March:
Tue. Mar. 2nd: Felice Kaufman
Tue. Mar. 9th: Jaime Castellano
Watch the recording of archived webinars here.
Executive Function: Through Their Eyes
Feb. 25th, 2021
Join our online presentation to discover ways you can support your child in building executive functioning (EF) skills for both in-person and remote environments. Students will learn strategies to advocate for their needs. Participants will see EF differences through their child's eyes and may learn a little bit about their own EF skills as well. We will share both classroom and home resources. These easy to use tools can help build the habits necessary to be successful in life.
February 25th from 5:30-7:00pm online
For students, parents, and guardians
Relevant for In-Person and Online Learning
Presenters- Nanette Jones and Diana Caldeira from the Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented (CAGT)
Click HERE to register.
Family Resources
Resources for Gifted Kids and Busy Parents
100 RESOURCES FOR GIFTED KIDS (FROM THE ARTS TO THE SCIENCES AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN)
from NotSoFormulaic.com
Curious minds thrive on information, and I know I’m not alone in this parenting quandary. That’s why I’ve scoured the net for free/low cost online resources in ten areas of common interest to gifted children, curating them here for your review.
Areas include: Aviation, Coding & Programming, Engineering, Environmental & Life Science, Math, Music, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Photography & Videography, Reading and Writing
Check it out HERE.
27 Apps and Sites for Gifted and Talented Kids
from CommonSenseMedia.org
Get the list with recommended ages and ratings HERE.
16 educational podcasts for curious kids
By Katy Bowman, Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth
Podcasts — audio shows that listeners access on computers and smartphones — are great tools for learning and entertainment in this era of extended screen time that comes with virtual schooling. The audio format can help satisfy kids’ quest for knowledge and ignite their imaginations while giving their eyes a much-needed break from screens.
“Podcasts require kids to imagine their own visuals, which is something they don’t get to do as much these days,” said Jennifer Swanson, CTY science instructor, author of more than 40 books, and co-host of the podcast “Solve It! For Kids.” “Kids are so inundated with video, but podcasts tap into your imagination by making you close your eyes and think, for example, ‘What does an aquanaut look like?"
Find out more HERE.
Talking to kids about race
BY HEATHER GREENWOOD DAVIS, National Geographic, JUNE 1, 2020
Recent protests are sparking questions from children. Not shying away from those conversations is the first step in raising an anti-racist child.
“This moment in time provides people with an opportunity,” says Candra Flanagan, director of teaching and learning for the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). “Adults might want to turn off the TV or be silent. But kids are getting their information and understanding from other places. It makes it that much more important to have these conversations so they aren’t getting outside messages different from what [parents] want them to have.”
Read the full article HERE.
For Middle and High School Students
In case you missed it...
Princeton Summer Journalism Program
The Princeton Summer Journalism Program offers a free,
intensive journalism and college preparatory institute for high-
achieving high school juniors from low-income backgrounds.
This year's program will run virtually for 7 weeks. After the
summer program, students work with a volunteer counselor to
complete their college applications.
Application Deadline: Monday, Feb 22, 2021
VISIT PSJP.PRINCETON.EDU FOR A SAMPLE
SCHEDULE AND TO APPLY
21 Free Summer Programs for High School Students in 2021
Summer is the perfect time for high school students to discover new interests or learn more about a current interest. Aside from the knowledge, it can be an added advantage to their CV. In today’s post, we have recorded some fantastic free summer programs for high school students in 2021.
An increasing number of selective colleges are starting to examine how candidates spend their summers in high school.
Find the full article HERE.
COSLI Mental-Health Student Survey
The COSLI Student Advisory Board, in collaboration with the National History Day Colorado Student Advisory Board, are collecting voices and experiences of students during "COVID Times." Students across Colorado are feeling unheard. The result of this has been an upswing in teen suicides and mental health crises. The Colorado Sun ran an article talking about the impacts this was having, especially on small rural communities in our state and among our best and brightest students.
NHDC is seeking to collect primary source documents to use in projects fifteen to twenty years from now. With all of this as a driving force, these student boards are sharing a survey created by Hagan Archer for the groups. The survey will create a document of record. The goal is to collect as many answers as possible, from students age 12-21, in 6th grade through undergraduate school. These documents will be collected into what both boards expect to be a profound documentation of the state of the state of Colorado's secondary and postsecondary students. Please feel free to share the link widely. The resulting information will be shared in the spring. The survey can be accessed here.
Specific Interest Resources
Twice Exceptional
The 2e at W&M Conference 2021 will be online, Friday and Saturday, February 12-13, 2021
Parent Sessions Only - $75
- Includes Keynotes, Networking, & Exhibitor events
The 2e @ W&M: Twice Exceptional Conference focuses on twice-exceptional (high-ability/gifted with learning differences/disabilities or neurodiverse) children both at home and at school. The goal of the conference is to provide information, resources, support, and community building opportunities to educators, administrators, parents, practitioners, counselors, and district personnel.
More information and registration HERE.
Underachievement in Gifted Children
By Carol Bainbridge from verywellfamily.com January 1, 2021
Underachievement occurs when a child's performance is below what is expected based on the child's ability. For example, a child who scores in the 97th percentile on standardized tests can be expected to excel in school, earning As and perhaps some Bs. But a child with high potential who consistently earns Cs could be said to be underachieving.
Some experts suggest that gifted children who are working below their potential in school are not necessarily underachievers. They may be excelling in areas outside of school. For example, these children may be composing music, creating and working in community assistance programs, or starting a small business.1
The key to helping an underachiever succeed is understanding the causes of underachievement.
Parents of gifted children are often surprised and dismayed when their children underachieve in school. Here's a closer look at underachievement, why it occurs, and what you can do.
Continue reading the article HERE.
Episode 51: The Crossroads of Academics and Art
Why is there a bright line between academia and the arts? Between cognition and creativity? Where should that line break down? Or should it? And, why do educators and others think of creativity only in terms of art or music, when it also applies to problem solving and cognition? We talk with Dr. Jennifer Fisher, who is both a university assistant teaching professor and an art education coordinator. We talk about how to bridge that gap, and hear from a gifted student’s struggle to be academic and artistic.
Listen to the podcast HERE.
Mind Matters is now known by a new name: the Neurodiversity Podcast. The new name better defines what we do, helps people recognize and understand what we’re about, and hopefully makes us even easier to find. And, we’ll be releasing episodes more often, with a larger variety of guests to help our listeners better understand the various areas of neurodiversity.
Civil Discourse
By Elizabeth Felix, COSLI 2017
Americans are divided by just about everything under the sun. This should be what makes our country so exciting to live in--it should be a good thing that we all have different ideas about how to be better. It should allow for productive debates and conversations that lead everyone to greater understanding. However, a recent condemnation of violence that should have been uncontroversial instead sparked an outcry on one side of my campus and nothing from the other. While this event occurred on the grounds of Western Colorado University, I am compelled to believe that the problem demonstrated here lies in the heart of every institution from schools and businesses to government agencies to the kitchen table.
The problem is the lack of civil discourse and the failure to give every individual respect. Far too many times I have heard someone say, “Of course, I respect everyone, except for those who believe…” Shouldn’t we respect everyone and treat them with dignity even if we do not agree with their opinions? If we fail to do so, some people will end up shouting their beliefs and others will be too afraid to speak up.
All of this begs the question: how do we practice and promote civil discourse? First, there needs to be intellectual humility – the understanding that we can all learn from each other. This might seem like a tall order for academia, but it is necessary for us to get anything accomplished. Intellectual humility and honest discussion allow us to give people with opposing opinions the chance to speak and be heard. We may or may not change each other’s minds, but the ability to respectfully “agree to disagree” has been lost, and with that, so has the opportunity to deepen our own understanding. We all seem to avoid any discussion, perhaps for fear of being “incorrect” or somehow embarrassing ourselves. This dogmatism is inherently dangerous for everyone and for the greater good.
Additionally, we need a willingness to listen attentively to those who challenge us. We need to practice an openness of mind for everyone, even those whose opinions we’ve already deemed reprehensible. We need to oppose any action that silences the voice of another, even if we disagree with what they have to say. We would be outraged if our voice was silenced, so we should not silence others. “Cancel Culture” only encourages groupthink and censorship. Our academic institutions should be the first to embrace what our society cannot seem to: listening and truth-seeking.
There is truth in the expression, “As iron sharpens iron, so does one man sharpen another” (Proverbs 27:17). We have so much to learn from each other, so why don’t we start listening? Too often we jump to the “hot topics” and decide we dislike someone for their opinion without ever knowing who they are. It is easier to attack under the mask of anonymity than to disregard someone we truly know. So here’s the challenge: get to know people. As simple as this may sound, this is the foundation of civil discourse. And--bonus--you might have something in common.