University School Milwaukee (USM) and the Madeleine and David Lubar Family announce the Joe Lubar Scholarship in memory of Joe Lubar, USM Class of 2008. 
 
USM will award an annual full-tuition scholarship to a new incoming ninth-grade applicant. The Joe Lubar Scholar will have demonstrated outstanding achievement in academics, character, and extracurriculars that will broaden and enrich the USM community. 

This Scholarship is intended to provide an opportunity for gifted students who otherwise might not consider attending USM.

Applicants must participate in the regular admissions process. An admissions testing date is scheduled for January 14, 2012 for all scholarship applicants. The deadline to apply is January 31, 2012. For more information and application materials, click here.

Link to full announcement:  http://www.usmk12.org/scholarship?rc=0 

As you may recall, twenty-seven teens, ages 13-16 participated in our Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted Fall Teen Conference entitled, “Head, Heart and Hands: Finding Yourself in Service Learning” on
October 7, 2011 at Camp Upham Woods Environmental Learning Center in Wisconsin Dells. Check out a video of their work HERE.

At this conference, each teen made a commitment to explore service learning in his/her community, and many provided contact information so that we could track their progress.  
 
As we enter this new year, we are pleased to share that our reporting teens are involved in mural-painting,
recycling efforts, work in community food pantries and soup kitchens, Habitat for Humanity projects, and tutoring.  
 
We wish them continued success as continue to find themselves (literally and figuratively) in service learning.
 

My thanks to all of you for allowing me to attend the annual conference of the National Association for Gifted Children held last November in New Orleans.  It is always inspiring to learn from the major authorities in our field -- Carol Ann Tomlinson, Jim Delisle, Sally Reis, Marcia Gentry, Rick Olenchak, Jim Webb,
Sandra Kaplan, Karen Rogers, and Joyce VanTassel-Baska. I spent a few minutes with Nadia Webb, reminiscing about our fall WATG conference and also thoroughly enjoyed a presentation by Rich Cash, our 2012 WATG conference keynoter.  You’re going to love his energy and expertise.  Rich also was honored with the NAGC Early Leader Award during the Thursday night reception.  
 
Fellow WATG board members, Pam Clinkenbeard, Kirsten Reitan, and Scott Peters also attended the conference and joined me for the State Affiliate breakfast.  Pam and Scott each presented multiple sessions. I was thrilled to be selected to present my own session, Self-Advocacy: Preparing Gifted Students to be Partners in their own Education. Handouts from my presentation can be found on the WATG website.

For info on next year’s convention, go to: http://nagc.org/2011convention.aspx


 

In November The National Association for Gifted Children released the 2010-2011
State of the Nation in Gifted Education: A Lack of Commitment to Talent Development. The report concludes, “A half-century after winning the space race, our nation’s competitiveness is at risk.” http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=1051

A summary of Wisconsin’s responses can be found here: http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=687

We are grateful to Dr. Chrystyna Mursky, DPI Gifted & Talented and AP Consultant, for her work serving on the NAGC Council of State Directors.  AND for submitting responses to the lengthy survey regarding gifted education across the state of Wisconsin.  As we sort through those data in the next few months, we’ll be sharing more info with you and listening to your suggestions on how we can best advocate for change and
improvement.  

WATG has been very proud the last several years to receive grants from the DPI to help fund our various educational outreach, advocacy and networking projects.

Grant projects included such endeavors as:

GIFTS 101 and 201 workshops for parents and educators
Diversity Summits
Free Webinars
Wisconsin G/T Speaker’s Bureau
Teen Conferences
SENG Leadership Workshops
Advocacy Conference
G/T Counselor/Psychologist database
Identification software development
WATG Creativity Guide
G/T Grand Rounds with hospital pediatricians and medical staff
Overlooked Gems Academy

In 2011-2012, the purpose of the grants was changed to support only learning opportunities not ordinarily provided in the classroom to meet the education needs of G/T students. While we applaud the focus on direct instruction to students, we’re disappointed WATG’s mission and related activities don’t fall into that category.   

Still, this affirms our organization’s specific charge -- fostering a climate in the home, school, and community that allows each individual to reach his or her unique potential. We can assure you that we will continue to seek ways to fund the activities you have found so valuable in the past.

Having grown up in a very small western Wisconsin village, I have a special interest in the needs of gifted rural students and their parents and educators.  While small towns offer many benefits, they also can cause gifted kids to feel isolated. Urban kids have a much better chance of finding a kindred spirit, programming that matches their abilities, and a wealth of enriching experiences at their doorstep . . . or at least a public transportation ride away. Of course, that doesn’t mean that gifted kids in urban areas have it made.  NO gifted student has it made!  But rural kids often face a different kind of struggle.

I believe our 2011-2013 strategic goals will be of special help to those in rural areas.  
 
1.     WATG will spread Educational Outreach events around the state.  By the end of the 2012-2013 school year WATG will perform needs assessments for each CESA and provide an Educational Outreach event that targets each CESA.  (You can help by taking our survey)
 
2.     WATG will create a vibrant online community of support and a database for advocacy and networking
by the end of the 2011-2012 school year. (The more we share, the lighter the load.)

3.     WATG will lobby for dedicated funding for GT education and/or categorical funding. (Enough for every district in the state.)

If you have specific ideas on how we can meet these goals, please let us know by filling out our online WATG survey.

Last October, I joined Board member Pam Cernocky (Eau Claire) and other gifted coordinators from CESA (Cooperative Educational Services Area) 10 for a lively listening session on what WATG could do for their districts. Many of the attendees were from smaller districts struggling to address the needs of their gifted students. I heard over and over again from new coordinators who feel they don’t have the background, time,
training, or experience they need.  They are looking for ways to network with other small districts to share
resources, ideas, and encouragement.  
 
Whether yours is a large, medium, or small district, we’d like to hear about your specific needs.  If you have a gifted consortium in your CESA or region, I’d love to join you for a listening session too.  If you don’t have a formal group, can you pull together people in your area who can share their stories?  Just drop me a line at watgpresident@gmail.com and we’ll arrange a meeting.

January-April 2012
If your district is looking for economical ways of providing professional development on gifted education, consider the Webinars on Wednesdays from the National Association for Gifted Children.  Check out full details at their website http://www.nagc.org/wow.aspx A  six-month site-license is a reasonable way for your district to use the program at a time and location of  your choosing.  It also allows you to build discussion time in to the program to relate the content to issues, resources and situations you face locally. 

The first session is on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 7PM, Eastern Standard Time.  The topic is “State of the Nation: Effective Advocacy Resources in a Challenging Climate”.  It is presented by NAGC President, Paula Olszewski-Kubilius.  

Topics and dates of additional presentations include:
January 25:“The NAGC Pre-K-Grade 12Gifted Programming Standards: Getting Started”
February 1:“Assessments for Measuring Student Learning Outcomes” with Tracy N. Sulak and Susan Johnson, Baylor University
Feb. 8: “Common Core State Standards: What Gifted Leaders Need to Know”
Feb. 15:“Instructional Strategies for Differentiated Assessments and Products Within the Classroom”
Feb. 22:“P-12 Gifted Programming Standards: Models and Program Design”.  This session features Dr. Chrystyna Mutsky, WI DPI Consultant for Gifted Education and Advanced Placement.
March 14: “Using the P-12 Gifted Programming Standards to Identify Low Income & Minority Students
March 28: “What Parents and Educators should Know About RtI”
April 4:“RtI and Twice Exceptional Students: A Promising Fit
April 11:“The Intricacies of Twice-Exceptional Children: An Overview”
April 18: “Double the Label, Double the Need: Strategies for Educators and Parents of Twice-Exceptional Children”