Kate Simkowiak

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SENG Webinar Event Feb. 16th, 2012: Taming the Worry Monster: Anxiety in Gifted and Twice-Exceptional (2e) Youth

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Presented by Dan Peters, Ph.D.

In this SENGinar, teachers, parents, and counselors will learn to identify the warning signs of anxiety; the process which anxiety uses to become powerful; and, practical and effective techniques for managing and overcoming anxiety.

Gifted learners are prone to several types of anxiety, including worrying, obsessing, perfectionism, social anxiety, and generalized anxiety. Worry, fear, and anxiety are common, yet often quiet “monsters” which have significant negative effects on a child’s academic achievement, social and emotional functioning, and self-esteem. While the aforementioned is true for gifted children, twice-exceptional children appear to be at even greater risk given their disabilities such as ADHD, Asperger’s Disorder, and Dyslexia.

Being aware of a gifted child’s propensity to become anxious and knowing effective interventions for reducing anxiety increase the likelihood of academic achievement and positive social-emotional adjustment.

Date: Feb. 16th, 2012

Time: 4:30 PM Pacific

Location: Participate at home or office using your computer.

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Gifted Education Day Information from the CPA

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Thank you so much for your planning participation in Gifted Education Day this Monday, January 23rd.

In preparation for the day, we wanted to cover some important items.

1. Since the Coalition activities start at 9:00am in Olympia, we will not be meeting at Terrace Park in the morning as a group to arrange carpools. If you have arranged to meet independently, that is fine. Please allow for time to park at the Capitol. On Monday there is also a hearing on same sex marriage and we anticipate a large showing at the Capitol on both sides of this issue so be prepared for some crowds.

2. When you arrive in the Columbia Room, please check in with the Coalition to receive a name tag and green scarf from the Puyallup School District. We wear the scarves for the day and please remember to return them to the Columbia Room before you depart at the end of the day.

3. CPA board members will be in the Columbia Room to answer any questions you may have on Monday. We will have copies of the schedule and maps in case you need them. We will also have the T-shirts that you ordered to hand out. Throughout the day, Michelle Toshima and Kristin Merrill will be in the Columbia Room for any questions or directions needed.

4. The first meetings of the morning are with Randy Dorn and the Governor in the Columbia Room. These are being coordinated by the Coalition and we have a short amount of time with each. We have arranged for a few students to talk and a few more to stand in support. If your child is not a part of these presentations, please know they will have a chance to speak with our legislators at the afternoon meetings we have arranged.

5. Attached is an updated agenda for the day. Please note that leaders have been assigned to each meeting with our legislators. The leader will introduce our group and the purpose of our meeting. At these meetings, we will ask if any student would like to say a few words. Please see the attached prompts to cover with your child to prepare them if they would like to speak. The message this year is to say thank you for including highly capable within the definition of basic education and also for maintaining the funding highly capable in the current budget.

6. On the agenda, we have specified districts of each representative we are meeting. We ask that you try to attend the meetings with the representatives from your district or when there are no conflicting meetings, we all try to attend.

Thank you again for your participation!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Tina Raghu.

CONNECTIONS Conference sponsored by Northwest Gifted Child Assoc. – Feb. 4th

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Parents of Gifted Learners:

Parents of children in the Edmonds School District gifted program are encouraged to attend the following conference for parents of gifted learners.

The 2012 CONNECTIONS Conference, sponsored by Northwest Gifted Child Association, will be Saturday morning, February 4 th , at the Edmonds-Woodway High School in the Edmonds School District. Don’t miss this informative symposium on raising gifted children. You can learn more about this conference and register by going to www.nwgca.org and clicking on the CONNECTIONS registration tab on the home page.

Message from the Coalition for Gifted Education – January 7th, 2012

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If you have been reading the newspapers the last few day, you know that there was a suit (McCleary v. State) about adequacy of state basic education funding before the state supreme court. That decision was handed down Thursday and was a major victory for the plaintiffs. The full decision can be found at http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/?fa=opinions.

In this decision are several items of interest and importance to supporters of appropriate educational opportunities for highly capable students.

• The court found that the new definition of basic education in ESHB 2261 is part of a comprehensive reform acceptable to the court in fulfillment of prior court orders. The inclusion of HCP in this definition is mentioned in several places.

• The court is going to retain jurisdiction over the case to ensure that the provisions of 2261 are fully implemented by the school year 2018, as set out in the law.

• The court reaffirms that “programs and offerings that fall within the legislature’s definition of ‘basic education’ are considered nondiscretionary and must be funded regardless of budgetary constraints.” ” State-level funding for ‘basic education’ is not subject to debate, even in times of budget shortfalls.” (Page 18)

• Unless the Legislature choses to change the definition of basic education (and the decision says such a change “must be accompanied by an educational policy rationale; the legislature may not eliminate an offering from the basic education program for reasons unrelated to educational policy, such as fiscal crisis or mere expediency,” page 54) HCP has a “safe harbor.” We are no longer at extreme risk every budget cycle.

SENG Webinar Event January 19, 2012 — Self-Regulation: Essential Skills for Adolescent Gifted Students

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Presented by Richard M. Cash, Ph.D.

As gifted children move into adolescence, motivating and engaging them in learning becomes more complex and complicated. In many cases this perceived lack of motivation and/or engagement may be due to the students’ deficit in the academic strategies of self-regulation to learn independently. It is essential that parents and teacher assist students in developing the skills of self-regulation, including planning, organizing and meta-cognition. This session will offer suggestions as to how to develop self-regulated learners and ideas of how to encourage autonomous learning.

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Family Gifted Education Day 2012

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Please plan to attend Gifted Education Day in Olympia. We are all in this together! And we need you!

DATE: Monday, January 23rd, 2012

TIME: 7:30 AM Leave Terrace Park by carpool or caravan / Estimate 2:30 PM departure from Olympia, WA

WHERE: State Capitol Building in Olympia, WA

WHO: Parents, Students, Teachers and Administrators of Edmonds School District Highly Capable Programs

Gifted Education Day is an annual event scheduled by the Coalition for Gifted Education. CPA has participating for many years bringing families to Olympia for Gifted Ed Day to tour the Capitol, meet with Legislators, and meet other parent groups for gifted education from around the state. As you may be aware, the Washington legislature has gone back into Special Session to continue the cut the budget. Once we see the results of the Special Session we will draft specific talking points with the help of the Coalition.

If you plan to attend please open the Family GED 2012 Form, print, complete, and return along with and any payment due for Gifted Ed. Day t-shirts to your child’s teacher or the CPA box in the Terrace Park Office by Monday, January 9th. Please note: this form is for Family GED, 4th Graders will be receiving forms for their field trip from their teacher.

Have questions about this event please check our FAQ page. If you would like additional information on this event, please attend our CPA General Meeting Thursday, January 12th, 2012 at 6:30 pm. Thank you.

Draft Schedule for Family GED 2012:

TIME AND ACTIVITY:

9:30 am — Arrive Olympia

9:30 am–10:30 am — Legislator Meetings

10:30 am–noon — Capitol Tours (limited space)

Noon — Lunch

1:00 pm — Group Photo on Capitol steps

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm — Legislator Meetings

Gifted Education Day 2012 FAQs

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What is GED?
GED stands for Gifted Education Day. The day is scheduled to have supporters from all over Washington state advocate in Olympia for gifted education in Washington State.

When is GED?
Monday, January 23rd, 2012. The Washington Coalition for Gifted Education schedules GED.

Who goes?
CPA organizes a Family GED for families in the highly capable programs at Terrace Park and Brier Terrace.

Why Advocate?
We advocate to educate the legislators that every child deserves to learn every day; that includes gifted students. Through advocacy the Washington Coalition for Gifted Education has succeeded in adding gifted education to the definition of basic education. We continue to advocate to push for adequate funding and standards in gifted education.

What is the 4th Grade Field Trip?
In conjunction with 4th grade social studies curriculum on Washington State, the 4th grade challenge classes will be taking a field trip to Olympia on GED. Ginger Everhart ( ginger.everhart@comcast.net ) is leading the 4th grade field trip and more information will be coming home. They will need chaperones as in all field trips.

What is Family GED?
CPA organizes Family GED to Olympia. Families caravan to Olympia to tour the capital and meet with legislators. Family GED is for Terrace Park Challenge students in Grades 1-3, 5-6 and Brier Terrace Highly Capable Students Grades 7-8.

My student wants to attend but I can’t?
CPA can not accept unattended children at Family GED. You may have your student attend with another family but you are responsible for making the arrangements.

Is this an excused absence?
Yes! The principals at Terrace Park and BTMS will excuse any students attending GED with their family including siblings not in the highly capable program.You must still contact your school and report your child’s absence.

I can’t go. Is there anything else I can do?
YES! You can write letters or email your state representatives. CPA will keep you informed on the most vital talking points for this correspondence.

Do I have to buy a T-Shirt?
We wear purple T-shirts with a Wolf print on them for GED. This identifies us as a group as we move around the capitol. We have used the same T-shirt for several years so you can reuse yours from last year. This year the T-shirts are available for $9and will be here in January. You can also wear any purple shirt or come as you are as the T-shirt is not required.

How do I get more information?
You can attend the CPA meeting on Jan. 12th at 6:30pm, or email Tina Raghu, CPA President at gatiraghu@frontier.com.

SENG Webinar Event December 15, 2011 — Touching the Mystery: Spiritual Dimensions of Giftedness

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Who am I? Where did I come from? What will become of me?

Presented by Joy L. Navan, Ph.D.

These are existential questions asked by many gifted children with deep spiritual concerns. In this SENGinar, Dr. Navan ponders these questions and their impact on our children, and presents several dimensions of spiritual giftedness, including a review of research in the field. Through interactive sharing and case studies of spiritually gifted children, she engages attendees in a discussion of ways that parents and educators can recognize, honor, and respond to spiritual facets of gifted children.

Date: Dec. 15th, 2011

Time: 4:30 PM Pacific

Location: Participate at home or office using your computer.

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