board updateS

July 2026

Summer may be here, but things have certainly not slowed down behind the scenes at WATG. Over the past few months, board members and committee volunteers have been hard at work planning events, developing resources, and looking ahead to some exciting opportunities for gifted learners across Wisconsin.


One of the biggest projects on the horizon is the 2026 National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Convention coming to Milwaukee November 5-8. This is a unique opportunity to showcase Wisconsin's gifted education community to a national audience. Several WATG board members are serving on the Local Host Committee and helping coordinate ways to highlight the amazing students, educators, schools, and organizations that make our state special.


A particularly exciting effort is the Local Spotlight initiative. We are currently gathering submissions for student performances, student artwork, and displays from schools, districts, and organizations throughout Wisconsin. Our goal is to create a showcase that reflects the creativity, talent, and innovation happening in communities across the state while helping conference attendees experience the best of what Wisconsin has to offer. View this flyer for more information on how your students, school, district, or company can be highlighted at the conference.


The Board has also spent time discussing future programming opportunities for members. Whether through virtual events, conferences, book studies, or resource sharing, we continue to look for ways to provide meaningful support for educators and families. One recent highlight was the success of our spring book study of the book Gifted and Distractible. The sessions were well attended, conversations were engaging, and participants shared overwhelmingly positive feedback. Opportunities like these remind us how valuable it is to learn alongside colleagues who share a passion for supporting gifted learners.



As this newsletter goes to press, the Board is also preparing for our annual face-to-face planning meeting. This dedicated time together allows us to step back from day-to-day operations, think strategically, and identify ways WATG can better serve gifted learners, educators, families, and advocates throughout Wisconsin. We will be exploring new programming ideas, strengthening collaboration across committees, and identifying opportunities to better meet the needs of our members and constituents across the state.


Several committees continue to meet regularly, working on everything from membership engagement and communications, to scholarships, conference planning, advocacy, and resource development. While much of this work happens quietly in the background, it is helping build a stronger organization and create more opportunities for our members.


One thing that consistently stands out to me is the dedication of the people involved with WATG. Board members, committee volunteers, presenters, and members all bring unique expertise, perspectives, and dedication to the table. Together, we continue to advocate for gifted learners and work toward ensuring they have access to meaningful opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive.


Thank you for being part of the WATG community. Your support, ideas, and involvement help make this work possible. We are excited about what lies ahead and look forward to sharing more updates as the year progresses.


Have a wonderful summer, and thank you for all you do on behalf of gifted learners across Wisconsin!


- Laura Mukerji, WATG Board Secretary


Thank you to Keelin Eggleston of the WATG Board for the translation of this article for our WATG educators and families.

June 2026 - Maximize Your Membership: Explore WATG's Members Only Tools

As summer begins, we want to encourage our members to take advantage of one of WATG's most valuable offerings – resources on our Members Only pages. Over the past year, the WATG Board of Directors has worked to expand WATG's website to serve as a resource for gifted education support across Wisconsin, and our members-only content is a big part of that work.


WATG members have access to a variety of tools designed to support both educators and families. This includes ready-to-use Educator Toolbox materials that can be printed and implemented right away, along with past blog posts, facilitator guides, professional learning resources, and materials that support deeper understanding of gifted learners. We hope that these resources help save you time, improve your programming, and provide meaningful strategies that can be applied immediately in schools and at home.


For families, the Members Only pages also include resources to help you navigate gifted education systems, understand learner needs, and support advanced learners at home. Whether you are looking for easy-to-use tools, new ideas, or support you can return to throughout the year, these pages are designed to provide a wide variety of resources to meet your needs.


If you haven't explored the Members Only resources recently, now is a great time to take a look and see what has been added. And if you are not yet a member, we invite you to consider joining WATG to access these resources and support our mission of strengthening gifted education across Wisconsin.


Go to https://www.watg.org/signin to explore the Members Only resources.


- Stacy Novak, WATG Executive Assistant


Thank you to Keelin Eggleston, WATG Director,  for the translation of this article for our Spanish-speaking educators and families.