September 2021 - Volume 2

WATG Mission: To educate about and advocate for the needs of gifted in Wisconsin.

As you may have noticed, WATG’s activities and reach have been growing! To keep you more informed on a more timely basis, our Board of Directors voted to send out news TWICE each month. The first installment will always arrive at the beginning of the month, and the second installment will arrive in the middle of the month. With this change, we hope to keep you more curious, informed, motivated, and engaged.

NEWS A Few Words from Our New Executive Director Hello, my name is Roxane Hagedorn and I’m excited to be the new Executive Director for WATG! A little about me...I’m married to Dave, who is a 4th-grade teacher in the Wausau School District. We have one son who was identified as GT in elementary school, and is now a junior at UW-Madison, majoring in History and Philosophy. We recently adopted a rescue dog named Rivers who is almost 8 months old. She takes up most of my free time with her endless energy!  For the past 11 years, I have worked in the Wausau School District as the Volunteer and Community Involvement Coordinator, and have learned much about working with volunteers, parents, and educators.  I’m looking forward to using my background in communications, my personal experience as a GT parent, and my general school district knowledge to advance the mission of WATG.   (WATG desea extender un enorme agradecimiento a la Dra. Martha Aracely Lopez de las Escuelas Públicas de Milwaukee por traducir este artículo al español para nuestras familias y educadores hispanohablantes. La traducción) WATG 2021-2022 Board of Directors WATG is pleased to announce the 2021-2022 ballot for the WATG Board of Directors. The election will be held during the WATG 2021 Conference. View the ballot. MORE NEWS Check out the following on the WATG News Page: WATG Award Nominations are due by September 22, 2021. Beginning in September, WATG will be sending TWO newsletters each month. FREE Parent Membership! Highlights from the National Symposium on Gifted and Talented Also, be sure to check out Cory's new podcast - Self-Advocacy with Deb Douglas, Past WATG President and Author.

Don't Miss It!

We are so excited to have you join us October 3rd, 4th, and 5th for WATG’s 2021 Annual Conference, “Leading the World into the Future.” Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted’s annual conference is for teachers, parents, administrators, counselors, coordinators, college students, business and community members, and more! This year, we have two amazing, nationally known keynote speakers, Dr. Jonathan Plucker and Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, who will share their expertise. Topics include addressing excellence gaps in Wisconsin and using a talent development model to diversify gifted and talented educational programming. We also have a special guest speaker, Alonzo Kelly, who is a national expert on talent development in the area of leadership. He will share his passion, humor, and stories. Finally, we have a powerful lineup of workshops presented by other great speakers who are knowledgeable in our field, great exhibitors, and opportunities to network with others. In the past, participants have shared that this conference is a great way to learn and grow. Why Should You Attend? WATG’s Annual Conference is a great opportunity to expand your connections and to find the information you need to help meet the needs of gifted and talented youth. Classroom teachers, administrators, G/T coordinators and resource teachers, college professors, parents, and college students can all benefit from the sessions and learning at this event. Participants attend this conference to: improve their knowledge and skills with high-quality local and national presenters gain insights by connecting and sharing with parents and educators from around the state build a repertoire of ideas to engage gifted and talented learners; and find out about the latest educational resources from exhibitors Benefits Aside from fulfilling your personal and professional development goals at the WATG Annual Conference, you will be able to bring expertise and knowledge back to your school, district, family, and friends. Here are some more benefits for attending the conference: Stay on Top of Trends in Gifted and Talented Education: With 2 keynotes and over 30 breakout sessions, you will be informed of what is important in gifted education. You will build your repertoire of effective strategies for differentiation, personalization, and acceleration, refine your program and practices, and learn strategies to equitably identify and meet the range of diverse learner needs. Expand Your Professional Network: During the conference, you will connect with knowledgeable speakers and session leaders, as well as experience peer-to-peer networking opportunities to learn from and build relationships with others in the field. Keep Students Engaged and Excited About Learning: Speakers from across the state will share insights and strategies for student success. Gain Fresh Ideas and Get Inspired: Our keynote speakers and state leaders in gifted education will renew your passion for supporting advanced learners. Learn About New Ideas and Resources: Our exhibitors provide a great way for you to informally gain knowledge and learn about new products and educational resources.  Bring Information Back to Your Home and School District: You will be able to take all the information you learn from the session speakers and apply it to your own gifted children and students. To register for WATG’s annual conference, please visit our Eventbrite page today. We look forward to seeing you!

WATG Blogs

No Regrets As you read this article, I will be closing out my final month of serving on the WATG board for seven years. I’m not going away though, simply moving into a different kind of role within WATG. But the culmination of a seven-year term has me really pondering the work that I’ve done to date because of WATG and because of having gifted children myself.  READ MORE Cathy Schmit, WATG President

Ruth Robinson, Past WATG President Gifted Meanderings: Gifted Education Week and Beyond   Declarations of Gifted Education Week as a public awareness and outreach mechanism began in 1982. This was several years into the campaign to achieve a state statute requiring services for children and youth who are gifted, talented, and creative. (This statute was not created until 1988.)  The earliest records of Gifted Education Week were simply printed press releases from the governor’s office. READ MORE

Ask the Doctor: Working Together Recently several teachers were talking about how much they were looking forward to this school year. They said their focus is on meeting the needs of their students, even when those needs are very different. I asked how they planned to do that, given the wide range of abilities and student needs in the classroom. Their responses were interesting, but every teacher said they wanted to improve their relationship with all students and their families.  READ MORE Dr. Wanda Routier Past WATG Board Member

Nicholas Green Distinguished Student Award goes to… Students in 3rd through 6th grades in Wisconsin were eligible to apply for the 2021 Nicholas Green Distinguished Student Award by June 15th. This year we had a record number of applications, and WATG’s selection committee had a tough time choosing only one winner. There were many great applications that emphasized how much talent, work ethic, and leadership there is in Wisconsin’s young students. WATG is pleased to announce Elena Johnson as the winner of the 2021 Nicholas Green Distinguished Student Award.   Elena Johansen is an 11 year old who attends Glen Hills Middle School in Glendale. Elena is passionate about writing and desires to become an author. She also excels in math, enjoys playing viola, piano, and singing, and loves reading. She dreams of traveling to Russia to visit the hometowns of her relatives.    Elena’s 4th grade teacher stated that she has an “understanding of the ways small moments can lead to bigger consequences ….evident in her work in our social studies...and science curriculum.” Her teacher also recognized her for being “comfortable answering questions or helping others, and not needing to have recognition.” Elena is grateful to her teachers who have helped her with her educational achievements, and is especially grateful to teachers Lalitha Murali and Michelle Kornitz. Please join WATG in congratulating Elena for being this year’s Nicholas Green Distinguished Student!   Background about this Award: Nicholas Green was a bright seven-year old who was killed in a senseless shooting while on vacation in Italy. Nicholas’ parents started the Distinguished Student Awards because they wanted to recognize young people who are working hard to make the most of their lives and develop their unique gifts and talents, and who are now about the age that Nicholas was when he died. Nicholas’ parents donated the money they had saved for his college expenses to fund a scholarship to recognize a gifted student in each state, every year from 2000-2013. WATG decided to continue this recognition in Wisconsin and has been presenting a Nicholas Green Distinguished Student Award to a deserving student in grades 3-6 since 2014.

LAST CHANCE TO NOMINATE! Each year at the WATG Fall Conference, the Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted honors individuals, schools or organizations who have made significant contributions to furthering WATG’s mission by educating or advocating for the needs of Wisconsin’s gifted and talented children. As a WATG member, you have the opportunity to nominate someone who, in your opinion, is worthy of recognition.  More Information

FREE PARENT MEMBERSHIP Parenting gifted children can be an exciting, yet challenging journey, and WATG is committed to providing information, resources, and networking opportunities for parents and caregivers of gifted children. As a service to gifted children and their families, WATG is offering FREE memberships to all parents/caregivers beginning now and extending through September of 2022. Benefits of WATG membership include: Support for educational outreach Support for parents/caregivers and advocates Voting privileges Consultation and coaching And so much more! So far, over 50 parents/caregivers have taken advantage of this outstanding opportunity! We encourage more of you to join us by filling out this Free WATG Parent Membership Form, and look forward to meeting you and growing with you.

Any organization mentioned in this newsletter does not constitute an endorsement by or partnership with WATG. No recommendation regarding the services of these organizations is being made by WATG. Families and educators are urged to perform due diligence in researching all organizations.

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