Guest Lecture - Change of Plans for April 9, 2015

We originally planned to hear from Nancy Eisenbise about non-verbal/visual spatial learners but we will have to reschedule it for next school year because the speaker isn't able to attend due to an unexpected conflict.  We look forward to hearing from Nancy at a later date.

We have this lecture offered instead on 4/9/15.

March 19th Webinar by SENG - Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted

From the SENG Newsletter ... March 19 SENGinar:  

Gifted Children, Marriage Difficulties, Separation, and Divorce

Date: March 19, 2015
Time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern [90 mins.]  

Presenters: Lori Comallie-Caplan and Marc Caplan
Fee: $40 ($30 for SENG members)

Divorce can have many effects on the gifted child.  Children can develop insecurities  and fears for the future.  There are many changes that happen through the process of a divorce - changes in parenting styles, living arrangements, even schools and access to their friends.  How you approach the divorce process can help alleviate some of these stressors for the child. It is vital to focus on your children's feelings and put aside your own feelings when assisting with your child's adjustment to the divorce. Remember that gifted children are very insightful, overexciteable, and complex thinkers and may ask some very difficult questions.  

Lori Comallie-Caplan is a New Mexico Licensed Master Social Worker, a Licensed Educational Diagnostician with a Master's Degree in Psychological Counseling in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Additionally she holds Certification as Family Law Mediator, Discovering Your Sacred Gifts Guide, Frasier Talent Assessment Profile Evaluator, and SENG Model Parent Group Master Facilitator and Trainer.  She is a past President of SENG and New Mexico Association of the Gifted.  Mrs. Comallie-Caplan's private practice includes counseling, coaching and evaluation for gifted individuals throughout the age-span.  She frequently provides professional development for school districts and state and national associations.

Marc A. Caplan, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He specializes in civil and criminal forensic psychology. Over the last 30 years, he has served children and families and the courts in a variety of roles: therapist, court appointed custody evaluator, and parenting coordinator. He frequently presents at state, national and international conferences on the best practices in custody evaluation and high conflict divorce.  

Register AT THIS LINK for the SENGinar.

To view a listing of recordings of past SENGinars, GO TO THIS LINK.

For questions about SENG membership, GO TO THIS LINK.

GPS Gifted Education Update

It is important to collect the facts before one leaps into speculation.  To that end, there will be a GPS School Board work study this Tuesday, March 17^th, where the ALP department will be sharing their recommended budget for 2015-16 to the school board.  The work study begins at 6:30 pm.  You can view the work study agenda here on BoardDocs.   You are invited to attend the work study in person at the district office – 6:30pm at 140 South Gilbert Road, Gilbert AZ 85296.  Or you can view the work study via the district’s Livestream Link from their website. 

At a work study:

1.       There is no open comment time for members of the public to address the board.  However, the public can attend and observe the presentation.

2.       The GPS school board cannot vote to take any action.  A work study is for district Q&A only, which the public can observe.

The next school board meeting is Tuesday, March 31^st, at 7pm.  At school board meetings:

1.       Members of the public can request to speak to the school board for a maximum of 3 minutes during the open comment portion of the agenda.

2.       The school board will vote on actions to take.  Specifically at the March 31^stmeeting, they will vote regarding department budget recommendations.

We need to remember that though gifted education is mandated in AZ, the state COMPLETELY DEFUNDED gifted education in 2009, leaving districts to fund gifted education from their general fund.   An override was placed on the ballot here in Gilbert in 2012 and again in 2013.  An override allows a community to directly invest in local education since the state budget has dealt increasing cuts to public education, including not funding to the inflation factor even though it was mandated by law.  However, in both 2012 and 2013 the override failed at the ballot and so those local funds have not been renewed and are therefore phasing out to zero.  Gilbert Public Schools will be facing a $8-10million cut to its budget for 2015-16.  For more information about the GPS budget, you are invited to view this GPS budget presentation which was given to the GPS Parent-Superintendent Committee in February 2015. 

We hope you are aware that GPS is in its second year of having a Gifted Education Parent Council (GEPC) similar to the GPS Special Education Parent Council (SEPC).  After viewing the March 17th work study you are invited to contact your school rep on the GEPC to see when/how additional information will be distributed.  You can find out who your GEPC rep is from your principal.  It is important to collect the facts before we leap into speculation. 

The philosophy of gifted education is worth remembering – To identify and support student strengths while also providing support for student deficits. This is not just good gifted education, but good education for all. When gifted education is supported, this philosophy can permeate throughout the community and every student can feel the benefit of such a philosophy.  

-Stephanie Newitt

SENGinars (March Seminars by Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted)

SENG – Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted is a national organization formed decades ago to support parents and healthcare professionals in caring for the needs of gifted children.  They frequently offer webinars – SENGinars – through their website.  The March SENGinars are listed below.  For registration or questions regarding these SENGinars, visit the SENG website.

  

March SENGinars

NEW! Continuing Education SENGinar March 12, 2015 Spiritually Gifted  Presenter: Patricia Gatto-Walden  Time: 7:30 pm Eastern [90 mins.]   Credits: 1.5  Participants will learn the inner world and outer manifestations of being spiritually gifted, understand more fully their insights and perceptivity, and subsequent daily life blessings and struggles.     SENG is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. SENG maintains responsibility for this program and its content. March 19, 2015  Gifted Children, Marriage Difficulties, Separation, and Divorce.  Presenter: Marc Caplan and Lori Comallie-Caplan Time: 7:30 pm Eastern [90 mins.]    There are many changes that happen through the process of a divorce - changes in parenting styles, living arrangements, even schools and access to their friends. How you approach the divorce process can help alleviate some of these stressors for the child.     Webinars are $40 for non-members and $30 for members (with discount code). Become a member today!  Every registered participant will have access to the full webinar recording approximately one week after the live event, regardless of attendance. SENGinars recorded prior to November 2014 are available in the SENG Store and newer recordings are available on our event page.

For registration or questions regarding these SENGinars, visit the SENG website.