April 11th Guest Lecture / NEW GPS self-contained class

Gilbert Supporters of the Gifted

Guest Lecture

Thursday, April 11, 2013 at 7:00 PM

Pioneer Elementary Library

(1535 N. Greenfield Rd, near the SE corner of Greenfield and Baseline)

Underachievement Issues and the Gifted Student

Why do some of our most capable students display apathy, sloppiness, little to no effort and poor grades? The Underachieving Gifted Student (UG) is a challenge at many levels. Explanations of why UG children perform far below their potential and how to deal with this challenge.

 Featuring DeeDee Abaroa

DeeDee Abaroa began her teaching career in 1981 as a Third Grade Teacher. She taught in Utah until joining the Gilbert School Family in 1987.  Her experience is mainly in Third through Sixth Grade.  But it was her passion for Gifted Education that drew her to the ALP focus in 2000.  Teaching Intermediate ALP as well as ALP Coaching has been a great learning journey for her.

Her greatest teaching AND learning came from within her own home. Wife and mother, DeeDee has four sons. Two of her sons are identified Gifted, one of whom is identified as twice-exceptional or 2e. She has one granddaughter with one more on the way and will welcome her first grandson in only a few more weeks.

DeeDee loves writing, music, and traveling. She and her husband have journeyed across Europe with each one of their sons. Her next quest is to take her grandchildren to the global classroom so they, too, can gain a perspective far-reaching and filled with understanding. DeeDee hopes one day to teach internationally with her husband by her side.

8:00PM Breakout session for New Members and Parent Mentors 

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Gilbert Public Schools:  New Self-Contained Classroom Option

We are excited about the variety of options that Gilbert Public Schools (GPS) is now offering for its gifted students. GPS will continue to offer pull-out part-time services at its elementary campuses and new for 2013-2014 is an option for full-time services in two self-contained classes, one for 4th graders and one for 5th graders.  Students who are not typical learners, whether needing support from special education or gifted education programs, need a variety of options to support both strengths and deficits.  

We are pleased that the GPS School Board voted in favor of supporting gifted learners by expanding the program to offer variety as a means to better meet the needs of gifted students. From the GPS website-

On March 5, 2013 the Governing Board approved the implementation of 4th and 5th grade Gifted Self-contained classrooms at Towne Meadows Elementary to begin in August 2013. The self-contained gifted program provides an all-day differentiated learning experience addressing the individual needs of the highly gifted students. Students will be with other highly gifted peers for all core content areas (math, reading, writing, social studies and science). They will participate in special area instruction and are included in all grade level activities, field trips and lunch.
 
Participant criteria and applications are available at this GPS link:  http://gilbertschools.net/Page/20254
 
PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS ARE DUE APRIL 30TH.

-Stephanie Newitt