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The Gifted Gazette
www.cfbgifted.org
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Greetings, AGT Families & Friends!
This year allowed us to be super busy, and with the summer months finally starting I would like to share my perspective on our blooming partnerships. We love our kids and are happy to give them -- and us -- a well-deserved break and pat on the back!
While we look at all the “academic successes” at the end of each school year - final digits, performance achievements to be passing the current level, certificates and credentials to be moving on to the next/higher class, or even out of school into college – let's reflect on the village that made this all happen.
We are fortunate to live in a district with so many dedicated educators, administrators, teachers, specialists, and supporters in GT education. Each person focuses on their level of engagement to accommodate and guide GT students in their class related and social needs on a daily basis. Our board had the opportunity to work with many members of this community in 2018/19, and if academic success and happiness is what we ultimately want from all our kids, we have to acknowledge our village!
AGT is excited to partner with all our GT supporters and we are looking forward to the 2019/20 school year to connect and collaborate with CFB GT administrations, specialists, liaisons, teachers, and staff to expand on our mission:
“…. to advocate jointly for the needs of the gifted and to ensure that all gifted and talented students in the CFB ISD receive appropriate, interesting, and well-rounded educational opportunities.”
To venture out of our district and into the greater limits, be sure to stay tuned and engaged with GT education in our state. Many of you have been following information on the 86th session of the Texas Legislature, especially updates on School Finance and the GT Allotment. Please continue to following frequent updates from Texas Association for the Gifted & Talented at their advocacy homepage and share your story of #whyGT matters.
A marvelous handbook on GT education and standards in our state is the
Texas State Plan For the Education of Gifted Talented Students. The State Plan provides requirements for and guidance to districts as they meet the unique needs of the GT populating in Texas. Please find below the newly revised version from April 2019, the final plan will most likely pass in upcoming June 2019. The proposed draft was developed by the Commissioner Advisory Council for Gifted/Talented and input from Education Service Centers and Gifted/Talented Stakeholders. The document represents the clean version of the draft of recommendations if the recommendations were approved. So please consume as such – considering the proposed changes.
We hope the information in this plan will help all of us in supporting our student) and their academic needs - now and in the future for the benefit of everyone involved in the inspiring activities on hand that form our village!
Texas State Plan:
Draft of Texas State Plan, Revised April 2019
With best wishes,
Your 2018-2019 AGT Board
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Congratulations, Adults! You Made It to the End of the Year!
“This school year has gone by so fast!” These words are echoing throughout homes everywhere this week, as parents are rifling through the last hurrah of performances, recitals, class parties, and appreciation gifts. Summer camps are being researched and paid for, and students are reporting the school countdown every day with glee.
Some of our kids are graduating and moving out, some are changing schools, starting new ventures. All of them are looking forward to summer.
So parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, to everyone else who is part of the village:
You made your child’s school year fantastic.
You boosted self-confidence, you helped with homework, you made the last-minute runs to get supplies for that amazing science fair project.
You modeled gratitude and compassion by showing appreciation to the teachers and staff at the school, by volunteering at school events, by signing up for the PTA, by chaperoning field trips, by driving your child to school events.
You supported your child as they learned new skills, and took on new leadership roles — championed them as they became students council officers, team captains, debate team mentors, class representatives, leads in the school play, chairs of instrument sections, as they took tests, made models, and wrote reports. You answered questions and when you didn’t know, you helped look them up or show your child where to find the answers.
Many of you are educators. You created an atmosphere of growith and learning for all of your children -- giving your best in creativity and empathy each and every day, leading each child in your class to be their best self.
You balanced the calendar, every week, for the year. You made the days run smoothly, making it to practices and events, tournaments and games, juggling priorities to do your best to make sure that the big things were taken care of.
You helped with driving lessons, college applications, friend drama, social media issues, all while teaching your child to grow into a better version of themselves.
So here’s to you, grown-ups! Enjoy your summer and we’ll be back to see you again in August.
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Apple Coding and App Camp
May 18, 2019
10:15 - 11:30 a.m.
Southlake Apple Store
- Registration is limited to the first 20 students (AGT members only*)
- Geared to Upper Elementary and Middle School Students
- Private Tour and Hands On Experience
- Parents will need to provide transportation to and from the event
Contact Dr. Pooja Shah Goyal (AGT Dream Link Chair) --
poojashahgoyal@yahoo.com
For more information, download the event flyer and permission slip.
To register for the event, click here.
*To become an AGT member, click here. |
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Center for Brain Health | UT Dallas
Brain Boost Summer Camp and Summer Events!
The Brain Performance Institute’s Brain Boost Summer Camp is an exciting and innovative half-day camp designed to inspire teens and tweens to own their brain performance. Campers will learn how to leverage their own brain power to boost their creativity and out-of-the-box thinking through activities and experiences. This fun camp will enhance how kids think, innovate and socialize.
For details about Brain Boost Summer Camp and Family Brain Night, please visit https://brainhealth.utdallas.edu/programs/brainboostcamp/
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Prufrock Press Guide to 2019 Summer Programs
for Gifted and Advanced Students
Summer is fast approaching, and programs that adequately challenge and enrich gifted students’ unique needs are sometimes intimidating to search for. Whether looking for a residential camp that immerses students in the college experience or a local program that meets for a couple hours a day, finding the right match is hard work. With deadlines and application fees to juggle, it may seem easier to just send the kids to the park or plant them in front of the TV for the summer. Luckily, there are quite a few easy-to-use resources that offer a variety of options, from marine science Sea Camp to intensive math immersion programs, that are sure to provide must-have skills and experiences.
Along with checking out these databases, consider one or more of the following programs that are still open for applications and registration.
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Breakthough Challenge with Khan Academy!
**Deadline June 15, 2019**
Is your child great at explaining math or science concepts?
Want a chance to win a $250,000 scholarship?
We’re proud to partner with the Breakthrough Junior Challenge video contest again this year. Students ages 13 through 18 are invited to create a short— under three minutes— video explaining a challenging concept in physics, mathematics, or the life sciences in an engaging, illuminating, and creative way.
In addition to awarding a $250,000 college scholarship to the winner, the Breakthrough Junior Challenge will give the winner’s teacher a $50,000 prize and the winner’s school a new $100,000 science lab.
For more details check out the official page for Breakthrough Challenge: https://breakthroughjuniorchallenge.org/
Past Breakthrough Junior Challenge winners’ videos have collectively been viewed over six million times, teaching a global audience about science and math in the winners’ individual voices. In fact, the finalist videos from last year were so good you can find them on our Khan Academy website here.
The winner will be presented their award on the live, globally televised Breakthrough Prize ceremony on National Geographic, Facebook, and YouTube, where they’ll also meet with world leaders in science, technology, academia, business, and entertainment.
Good luck—we can’t wait to see your video!
Onward,
Sal and the Khan Academy team
P.S. The deadline for submission is June 15, 2019, so register today at www.breakthroughjuniorchallenge.org.
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For the 14th consecutive year the Computer Science and Engineering Department (a CTC partner) at the University of North Texas is offering STEM Summer Camps for middle school and high school students in North Texas. Camp programs will be offered at Discovery Park in Denton, as well as the UNT New College at Frisco Campus. The current camp offerings include
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Robocamp - a week of exploration with Robots
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AppCamp - learn how to build Apps for your mobile devices
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Animation and Game camp - build some cool cartoons and live action games
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Cyber Security Camp - learn about keeping your devices and websites secure
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IOT Camp - Learn how to set up home Internet of Things devices
All the camps are 5 days in length and are generally targeting students who will be entering the 7th grade and above in Fall 2019. All the camps currently listed are Co-Ed and are offered at the low cost of $300 per student, with a limit of 24 students per camp
Also, stay tuned at the website below. We are waiting on notifications about some grant funding that may enable additional capp opportunities for this summer, including some all-girl camps that will allow rising 6th to 8th graders to attend.
Registration is currently open. More details and links to registration can be found at http://summercamps.cse.unt.edu. |
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AGT Board Meetings
If you are interested in volunteering with the AGT Board or finding out more about what we do, please join us at our next Board Meeting.
Please email us for details. |
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Links to Previous AGT Newsletters
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••• External Resources •••
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Links to resources outside of CFBISD...
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AGT is committed to serving gifted youth in our community. Financial Support may be available to CFBISD GT student organizations. Contact the AGT Board for consideration.
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