A New Presidency!

As we begin the year after our Fall 2022 Conference, I would like to thank Sarah Kasprowicz for her hard work this past year as WATG’s Past President. After two years of being fully virtual, Sarah was able to put together a great face-to-face meeting with board members in June. We were able to network and connect with one another in person. Sarah brought her ideas to the board and inspired and motivated our board members to continue helping gifted students around Wisconsin. It will be hard to fill Sarah’s shoes in the President’s role!
 
And now I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Stacy Novak, and I look forward to being WATG’s President for the next two years! I wanted to share a little of my background information so that you can get to know me. I grew up in the Fox Valley (Appleton area) and still live in the area today with my husband and 4-month-old son. 

I received a double major in elementary and special education from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2010. I began my career teaching special education, and then moved into a regular education classroom for a few years. The past eight years I was working at St. Mary Catholic Schools in Neenah/Menasha. After being there for a few years, I was asked if I would be interested in developing the gifted program for the system. I was elated. To help me fulfill this role, I earned my gifted and talented teacher and coordinator license through Concordia University. These past four years I was the gifted and talented teacher for the program and worked with qualifying third through fifth graders daily for all their core subjects. 

This year I am sad to not be in a classroom, but I am so glad I can stay home with my son and devote more attention to WATG and advocating for gifted students around Wisconsin.

I have been a WATG board member since July 2019. I spent the first year serving on the Membership Committee, and then I co-chaired the 2021 virtual conference. This past year, I chaired the Programming Committee and served as President-Elect; during the year I shadowed Sarah to learn about the role of the President.
 
Thinking back to last summer when WATG’s past Presidents asked me if I would be interested in being WATG’s President for 2022-2024, I was very surprised and honored. I was excited to take on the role and serve the gifted and talented community even more fully. I love being part of a board that advocates for our gifted students, and I am excited to see what new ideas and work the WATG board will envision during my next two years of presidency.
 
It is going to be a great two years serving WATG as President! Feel free to email me at president@watg.org with any thoughts, ideas, or questions, or even just to chat! 
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