DVUSD Gifted News
For Parents - Fall 2019-2020
Welcome to the 2019-2020 School Year!
This newsletter is sent out a couple times a year to help update our families on what is going on in DVUSD Gifted Services. Please remember you can always find updates on our website and Facebook pages: dvusd.org/gifted & www.facebook.com/DVUSDGifted/
Below you will find a "Look Back" at some highlights from last year as well as some things to "Look Forward To" as we begin this new school year.
2018-2019 Was A Great Year For Gifted In DVUSD! Here are a few highlights
State Funding Grant
Deer Valley was granted additional funding for gifted education from the state legislature in 2018-19. With it we were able to:
- Purchase professional development book sets for our teachers & counselors (Topics include - Gifted 101, supporting social and emotional needs of the gifted, books specifically for elementary, middle, & high school, etc.)
- Send 30 teachers and administrators to the AAGT State Gifted Conference
- Provide 12 teachers with SENG Model Parent Group Facilitator Training (Parent Groups will be starting at the end of August. - More Information below.)
- Bring out Purdue's Marcia Gentry for our Gifted Specialists and high school teachers
Gifted Programming Expansion Into Our High Schools
More information here: https://www.dvusd.org/Page/30529
We look forward to seeing the options grow and provide more options for our gifted learners over the years!
Schools with a School-Wide Gifted Model
Arrowhead
Desert Mountain
Gavilan Peak
Norterra Canyon
Terramar
2018-19 School Year Parent Events
- Parent Nights in the Fall of 2018
- 2nd Annual DV Gifted Parent Institute
- SENG Parent Group practice
Two Amazing Summer Camps
Here is some of what is planned
State Gifted Parent Institute
- Hosted by Deer Valley Gifted Services
- September 21st
- You can find more information and register at http://arizonagifted.org/
Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) Parent Discussion Groups
Parents of gifted and talented children are able to discuss such topics as motivation, discipline, stress management, and peer relationships. A book study is also incorporated.
Deer Valley's group begins 8/29 and registration is open now
More information and registration is on our website here:
https://www.dvusd.org/Page/62384
AAGT's group (hosted by DVUSD) begins 9/21 and registration opens on Monday, 8/12 - http://arizonagifted.org/
New Gifted Cohort Program at Participating Schools
Plans for Gifted Grant Money in 2019-2020
- Junior Great Books training & classroom materials
- More professional development for our teachers and counselors
Other Things To Look For This Coming School Year & Beyond
New Gifted Kindergarten Placement Screening for 2020-2021 school year
Arizona's first SENG Mini-Conference
More high school gifted options on the way
Are you a member?
Please Join The Deer Valley Gifted Community!
This is a group where we can all find encouragement and support for the gifted students in our lives, whether we are parenting them, teaching them, or have another role in their lives. This is an online group and is meant to be both an informational resource for you as well as a community to feel connected to and have relationships in, and that as a group this community then will be better able to offer tangible support for Deer Valley Unified School Districts’s gifted services.
This community is designed to be a place where you can:
- find encouragement in the challenges of teaching and/or raising your kids
- connect with others interested in supporting the schools and the gifted services they offer whether through organizing a fundraiser or volunteering to share knowledge, time or other resources connected to specific class topics or projects
- learn about the latest trends and issues pertaining to gifted education
- find information on district meetings and state gifted conferences as well as things like the best summer camps and online resources for gifted kids
- invite others to meet up for a group tour of a museum, get group tickets for a play or symphony, or set up a private class with other kids interested in the same topic (ie. coding)
We hope you enjoy being a part of this and are active in building this community with us. - Beth Baker, Almira Baker, and Michelle Lewis
Get Connected
The main way to become a part of the DVGC is our facebook page: www.facebook.com/groups/DeerValleyGifted/. This is our community and in order to join you must go online and request to join. We want to keep this group private, only for those connected in some way to a DVUSD gifted student as a teacher, parent, or mentor. Once you request to join, make sure to check your FB messages (specifically the filtered folder) for a note back from us asking which school you connect to and if you agree to the rules. Once we have that from you, we will add you to the group. Feel free to invite others you know who support DVUSD’s gifted kids! The more the merrier. If you have any trouble, please email us for help.
Email us at: dvgc2016@gmail.com
Adam Laningham
Email: giftedservices@dvusd.org
Website: www.dvusd.org/gifted
Pat Sommer
Location: Barry Goldwater High School, West Rose Garden Lane, Phoenix, AZ, USA
Phone: 6234453292