CANDO Chat Tuesday, January 10, 9:30-11 a.m. and Thursday, January 12, 7-8:30 p.m.
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CANDO Chats are open topic discussions and networking opportunities for parents of gifted and high-ability students in grades K-12. Please join us!
When Tuesday, January 10, 9:30-11 a.m. and Thursday, January 12, 7:00-8:30pm Where Gelato and Pastry Cafe, on Butterfield Rd near Kirk Rd. on Tuesday morning (1555 Butterfield Rd #105, Aurora, IL 60502) and the Panera on Wilson St in Batavia Thursday evening. CANDO will alternate CANDO Chats and Book Discussions each month, usually on the first Tuesday of the month 9:30-11 a.m. and the first Thursday of the month, 7-8:30 p.m. Book Discussions will center around a previously chosen book written for parents of gifted/high-ability children. Please submit titles for future book discussions to: [email protected]. |
May 2016: Spring and Summer Announcements
As the academic year winds down, CANDO would like to especially thank our School Liaisons and parent volunteers who coordinated and facilitated the PETS (Primary Education Thinking Skills) groups in K-2 at all six elementary schools. PETS has been a tremendous success and much beloved enrichment experience by all involved, most especially our youngest curious and creative minds in BPS grades K-2! CANDO looks forward to year two of PETS in 2016-2017, and parents can watch for sign-up opportunities via CANDO and the Enrichment Coaches this summer.
Also coming up in the next few months should be news about a new High-ability Procedures document forthcoming from BPS101. CANDO will share it with parents as soon as it is published by BPS101. Stay tuned!
Also coming up in the next few months should be news about a new High-ability Procedures document forthcoming from BPS101. CANDO will share it with parents as soon as it is published by BPS101. Stay tuned!
November 30 Gifted Committee Meeting Summary
Please read the November 30th Gifted Committee meeting summary from CANDO and review the accompanying Power Point slides presented by Dr. Newkirk. Feel free to share them with your child's classroom teacher and building principal, as well.
November 30 2015 Meeting Summary BPS101 Gifted Committee November 30 2015 PowerPoint Slides
The CANDO Executive Board and your CANDO School Liaisons believe the proposed reductions in services will have the following negative impacts on our students educational experiences:
November 30 2015 Meeting Summary BPS101 Gifted Committee November 30 2015 PowerPoint Slides
The CANDO Executive Board and your CANDO School Liaisons believe the proposed reductions in services will have the following negative impacts on our students educational experiences:
- Utilizing only MAP scores as the identification tool for participation in differentiated (formerly called "gifted") learning experiences will result in excluding many gifted students from appropriate opportunities. MAP is not designed to identify gifted learners and does not provide adequate information about students' unique characteristics to inform teachers' differentiation processes.
- Discontinuing use of the term "gifted" in identifying students with this unique approach to learning will make it difficult for educators to properly meet their learning and social/emotional needs.
- Discontinuing direct service of Gifted Coaches to gifted and high-ability students places an unfair burden on already overburdened teachers, who in many cases have not received the professional development/training needed provide appropriate differentiated instruction for this student population. Under the proposed changes, Gifted Coaches become a resource teachers can "elect" to call upon, and they would no longer interact with students.
- Discontinuing accelerated Math for gifted elementary Math students with the advent of Common Core-aligned Math already leaves this population poorly served. Now, under these proposed changes, BPS will not compact curriculum for these students until 5th grade. This is a disservice to our Gifted elementary Math population, and will leave them ill-prepared for Math III at RMS and Honors/AP Math courses at BHS.
- Under the proposed changes, elementary classroom teachers can decide whether or not to offer "Enrichment" in English Language Arts and Mathematics. In other words, BPS is moving away from the progress we've made toward unilateral, equitable delivery of services to elementary students across the district; and reverting to the teacher-dependent service delivery model that existed several years ago in BPS.
- None of the proposed changes to Gifted Services reflect known best practices in education, nor are they supported in the professional body of research. These proposed changes will put our students at a disadvantage when compared to students in our neighboring districts, and they are contrary to the positions on these important issues that CANDO has long expressed and advocated.
CANDO Fall 2015 Social and Networking Events: T.E.N. Chats and Game Night
This fall CANDO has a few great events planned for parents to meet, mingle, and compare notes.
CANDO's Twice-Exceptional Network (T.E.N.) is hosting monthly chats for parents who have 2e children. Drop in to meet, share, and network with other parents who understand the complexities of raising 2e kids, and help T.E.N. and CANDO to set goals for our group for the coming year. Chat dates are on our calendar and our 2e Resources page. Any questions? Direct them to our 2e co-chairs, Margie Goliak and Kimberly Lawler-Sagarin [email protected] and [email protected].
October 1 brings our first fall Game Night at the Batavia Public Library. Come and have some fun playing games, talking to other parents, or both! Games will be available to play, but please feel free to bring some of your favorite games to share too.
CANDO's Twice-Exceptional Network (T.E.N.) is hosting monthly chats for parents who have 2e children. Drop in to meet, share, and network with other parents who understand the complexities of raising 2e kids, and help T.E.N. and CANDO to set goals for our group for the coming year. Chat dates are on our calendar and our 2e Resources page. Any questions? Direct them to our 2e co-chairs, Margie Goliak and Kimberly Lawler-Sagarin [email protected] and [email protected].
October 1 brings our first fall Game Night at the Batavia Public Library. Come and have some fun playing games, talking to other parents, or both! Games will be available to play, but please feel free to bring some of your favorite games to share too.
CANDO Annual Meeting Thursday, May 21, 7-8 p.m. @ Rotolo LMC
At CANDO's annual general membership meeting, we will look back over the accomplishments of academic year 2014-2015, discuss plans for 2015-2016, and vote for executive board members for 2015-2016. We will also appoint school liaisons for each elementary school and 2 for each grade level at Rotolo Middle School. More information about the meeting, the ballot* for executive officer positions, and open liaison positions are detailed in this document prepared by CANDO Chair, Deb Grizzell. Please join us for the meeting and consider volunteering for the coming academic year! *Updated ballot for May 21 meeting available now (as of 5/20).
CANDO's Notes from May 11 Gifted Committee Meeting and from Gifted Services Vision Work Group
May 11 was the final Gifted Committee meeting for AY2014-2015. Summary notes from CANDO chair Deb Grizzell are available here. Also this spring CANDO was delighted to take part in a Vision work group for BPS101's Gifted Services. Our notes from this group's first meeting are available here.
Q and A: 2015 Candidates for the BPS101 Board of Education
–Remember to Vote on April 7!–
CANDO asked the eight 2015 Board of Education candidates to respond to four questions on issues important to gifted and high-ability students and their families in BPS. Their responses are available at the links below. Candidates were contacted by e-mail March 13 and given one week to respond via e-mail with their responses.
Please plan to attend the final Board Candidates Forum at the Batavia Public Library, Wednesday, March 25 at 6 p.m., and remember to vote in the April 7 election!
The questions submitted by CANDO are as follows:
Responses from candidate Dremel
Responses from candidate Dryden
Responses from candidate Gabriel
Responses from candidate Impastato
Responses from candidate Knautz
Responses from candidate Lowe
Responses from candidate Olache
Responses from candidate Rechenmacher
Please plan to attend the final Board Candidates Forum at the Batavia Public Library, Wednesday, March 25 at 6 p.m., and remember to vote in the April 7 election!
The questions submitted by CANDO are as follows:
- What experience do you have with Batavia Public Schools’ gifted services and what knowledge do you have about gifted education in general?
- What is your vision for gifted education in this community?
- What issues do you believe BPS101 needs to address in its academic programs and course offerings so that students can reach their full potential and be college or career ready by the end of their tenure in Batavia schools? What changes would you recommend?
- If elected, what criteria will you use to evaluate proposals to maintain or develop the existing gifted services available to students in BPS101?
Responses from candidate Dremel
Responses from candidate Dryden
Responses from candidate Gabriel
Responses from candidate Impastato
Responses from candidate Knautz
Responses from candidate Lowe
Responses from candidate Olache
Responses from candidate Rechenmacher
Summary Notes from the March 2 BPS101 Gifted Services Committee Meeting
CANDO board members and school liaisons participated in the BPS101 Gifted Services Committee on March 2 at the Rosalie Jones Administration Center. CANDO's notes from the meeting summarizing the discussion are available as a PDF to download here.
CANDO's Appeal, Support of STEM School Participation, and Supporting Documents Submittted to the Board of Education on Feb. 24 Meeting
CANDO parents were out in numbers last night to support our organization’s appeal to the Board of Education on three key issues in Gifted Services for Batavia students:
CANDO is asking the Board of Education to:
1) Allocate human and financial resources toward developing a philosophy of learning, a vision statement, and accompanying goals to guide the development of curriculum and instruction for all students by bringing in outside experts to guide this process,
2) Allocate financial resources to ensure that teachers receive targeted professional development opportunities that result in differentiated instruction in our classrooms, and
3) Promote a Culture of Excellence in Batavia that includes support for well-trained teachers who differentiate instruction to meet students’ needs, and academic challenge and support for all of Batavia’s students.
- Links to a copy of CANDO’s position paper,
and the supporting documents CANDO presented in written form to the BOE at last
night’s meeting can be found below. In
addition, if you missed last night’s meeting, the speeches delivered by members
of CANDO’s Executive Board are also available for reading.
- CANDO also spoke in support of Batavia’s participation in the John C. Dunham STEM Partnership School. Dr. Brad Newkirk and other BPS Administrators devoted much time and attention to informing members of the BOE and the public about the benefits to individual participants and to the Batavia educational community as a whole. Everyone’s efforts were rewarded when the Board voted to participate in this innovative educational opportunity at Aurora University. http://stem.aurora.edu
- CANDO encourages its members to contact the Board of Education to express gratitude for their support of the STEM School opportunity, and also to remind them of our three requests (listed above). You can address the Board as a whole and superintendent Dr. Lisa Hichens through the BPS101.net district website by pulling down the “Board” tab and clicking “Contact the Board”, or through this link: http://www.bps101.net/contact-board
Thanks to everyone who attended Tuesday night, and those who voiced their support to CANDO via our website and e-mail.
CANDO’s Executive Board and School Liaisons will next meet with the BPS Gifted Committee on Monday, March 2. Watch our website and Facebook page for summaries of those meetings and news about other upcoming CANDO events. Enjoy the long weekend!
Regards,
Deb Grizzell
2014-15 CANDO Chair
Links to Documents
STEM letter of support
CANDO written statement to BPS Board of Education outlining concerns and recommendations
CANDO Chair Deb Grizzell spoken comments to BPS Board of Education
CANDO description of Gifted Services in neighboring districts
CANDO Needs Your Support at February 24 BPS Board of Education Meeting, 7 p.m.
The CANDO board is asking for your support at Tuesday night's school board meeting. The meeting is at 7:00pm at the Rosalie Jones Administrative Center.
Three members of the CANDO board will be speaking to the school board during the public comments portion near the beginning of the meeting about their concerns with the changes in the gifted math instruction as a result of the Common Core changes and the state of gifted services for elementary and middle school students.
If you can attend and show your support for CANDO, that will help us make a powerful impact Tuesday night. The more support we have, the better! For a brief moment during the presentation, we will ask for CANDO parents to stand and show our numbers, making our presence and concern concretely visible to the BPS School Board.
You are welcome to attend just the beginning of the meeting and leave after this discussion or stay for the whole school board meeting.
Gifted and high-ability students need and deserve to have the opportunity to excel and reach their full potential, as all students do. Unfortunately, the current state of BPS services for gifted and high-ability students does not consistently support this end in all grades across BPS. We are asking for the Board of Education’s help to rectify this situation.
Our requests are for the Board to attend to these concerns by taking action: to create a district philosophy and vision supporting education for gifted and high-ability students, and educational excellence in general; to support teachers by providing training opportunities directly related to this group of students; and to allocate both human and financial resources to support services for gifted and high-ability students.
Questions? Comments? [email protected]
Three members of the CANDO board will be speaking to the school board during the public comments portion near the beginning of the meeting about their concerns with the changes in the gifted math instruction as a result of the Common Core changes and the state of gifted services for elementary and middle school students.
If you can attend and show your support for CANDO, that will help us make a powerful impact Tuesday night. The more support we have, the better! For a brief moment during the presentation, we will ask for CANDO parents to stand and show our numbers, making our presence and concern concretely visible to the BPS School Board.
You are welcome to attend just the beginning of the meeting and leave after this discussion or stay for the whole school board meeting.
Gifted and high-ability students need and deserve to have the opportunity to excel and reach their full potential, as all students do. Unfortunately, the current state of BPS services for gifted and high-ability students does not consistently support this end in all grades across BPS. We are asking for the Board of Education’s help to rectify this situation.
Our requests are for the Board to attend to these concerns by taking action: to create a district philosophy and vision supporting education for gifted and high-ability students, and educational excellence in general; to support teachers by providing training opportunities directly related to this group of students; and to allocate both human and financial resources to support services for gifted and high-ability students.
Questions? Comments? [email protected]
Thursday, January 15 Parent Forums at 9:30 a.m. or 7 p.m.
CANDO will be hosting two parent forums this week to solicit input requested by Dr. Brad Newkirk, Chief Academic Officer, for the District’s next Gifted Services Committee Meeting where the topic of discussion will be the continuum of services for K-12, specifically looking at the procedures for and implementation of transition in services between 5th and 6th grades and 8th and 9th grades.
We are also requesting input from current 4th grade parents on possible math instruction service models for next year. The district is evaluating how best to continue to deliver accelerated math instruction for these students since the “walk-up” model most 4th graders currently use will no longer be possible when they are in 5th grade and there is only a small number of students at each school requiring this instruction.
Finally, we will provide a brief update on feedback received from the district on the math curriculum survey results to date.
Please join us at one of these forums:
Thursday, January 15th, 9:30am-11am, Panera Meeting Room, 154 West Wilson Street
OR
Thursday, January 15th, 7pm-8:30pm, Elizabeth L. Hall Conference Room, Batavia Public Library
We are also requesting input from current 4th grade parents on possible math instruction service models for next year. The district is evaluating how best to continue to deliver accelerated math instruction for these students since the “walk-up” model most 4th graders currently use will no longer be possible when they are in 5th grade and there is only a small number of students at each school requiring this instruction.
Finally, we will provide a brief update on feedback received from the district on the math curriculum survey results to date.
Please join us at one of these forums:
Thursday, January 15th, 9:30am-11am, Panera Meeting Room, 154 West Wilson Street
OR
Thursday, January 15th, 7pm-8:30pm, Elizabeth L. Hall Conference Room, Batavia Public Library
Monday, December 1: Join CANDO to Explore Games and Books !
Explore Games and Books Night at The Chalkboard and Toy Town
When : Monday, Dec. 1st, 6:30-8pm
Where : 381 N Randall Rd Batavia, IL
More information : The Chalkboard and Toy Town are sponsoring an evening of toy testing for the kids! Bring your children to explore games, toys and books that will guide and enhance their development, ability and interests! All for FREE!
When : Monday, Dec. 1st, 6:30-8pm
Where : 381 N Randall Rd Batavia, IL
More information : The Chalkboard and Toy Town are sponsoring an evening of toy testing for the kids! Bring your children to explore games, toys and books that will guide and enhance their development, ability and interests! All for FREE!
CANDO Position Paper, Feedback Summary, and Recommendations from October 20, 2014 Gifted Services Committee Meeting
On October 20, CANDO board members and school liaisons attended the first Gifted Services Committee meeting of AY 2014-15, for which the topic of discussion was K-8 math curriculum and instruction as BPS101 transitions to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) using Illinois State Board of Education recommendations. Our position paper, accessible below, was accompanied by anecdotal evidence from parents, feedback collected from parents and students by way of voluntary survey, and the resulting recommendations concerning math education for the district's gifted and high ability students. All of these documents are available at the below links in PDF form.
PDF 1 CANDO Position Paper
PDF 2 Summary of Anecdotal Feedback from Parents
PDF 3 CANDO Math Survey Information
PDF 4 On Acceleration: Representative Letter from a Parent and Professional Research Findings on Acceleration
PDF 5 CANDO Recommendations
National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) information on the CCSS and Gifted Education
PDF 1 CANDO Position Paper
PDF 2 Summary of Anecdotal Feedback from Parents
PDF 3 CANDO Math Survey Information
PDF 4 On Acceleration: Representative Letter from a Parent and Professional Research Findings on Acceleration
PDF 5 CANDO Recommendations
National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) information on the CCSS and Gifted Education
NEW! Lunch and Learn Series for Students
As part of our mission, CANDO seeks to enhance and enrich the educational experience for all students, so we are organizing a “Lunch and Learn” series at each of our elementary schools to tap into BPS parents' interests, knowledge, and careers to share with and inspire students. We are very excited about providing this new opportunity for parent involvement!
As we pilot the program in 2014-15, we invite parents to volunteer one lunch period of their time at their child's elementary school to host a Lunch and Learn, during which they will present a short, fun enrichment lesson, demonstration, or activity. The subject matter need not be strictly academic. In fact, these gatherings are ideally suited for subjects that are not a regular part of the curriculum. Ideas suggested so far range from aviation to philosophy.
Before the event, students will be offered the chance to sign up for the Lunch and Learn at whatever grade level the parent chooses to work with. Lunch and Learn workshops will take place in a designated space during the students' lunch period, and students will bring their lunches with them to the presentation to eat their food while they feed their minds.
Depending on variables at each school—parent involvement, space availability, etc.—Lunch and Learn events might take place at your school once a trimester, once a month, or on another periodic schedule.
Do you have any knowledge or expertise you would like to share with our students? Please let us know if you are interested in being a part of this fun series! School Liaisons and Gifted Coaches are working together with each building principal to help to plan the arrangements. Please get in touch with the appropriate people at your elementary school if you have questions and to volunteer.
As we pilot the program in 2014-15, we invite parents to volunteer one lunch period of their time at their child's elementary school to host a Lunch and Learn, during which they will present a short, fun enrichment lesson, demonstration, or activity. The subject matter need not be strictly academic. In fact, these gatherings are ideally suited for subjects that are not a regular part of the curriculum. Ideas suggested so far range from aviation to philosophy.
Before the event, students will be offered the chance to sign up for the Lunch and Learn at whatever grade level the parent chooses to work with. Lunch and Learn workshops will take place in a designated space during the students' lunch period, and students will bring their lunches with them to the presentation to eat their food while they feed their minds.
Depending on variables at each school—parent involvement, space availability, etc.—Lunch and Learn events might take place at your school once a trimester, once a month, or on another periodic schedule.
Do you have any knowledge or expertise you would like to share with our students? Please let us know if you are interested in being a part of this fun series! School Liaisons and Gifted Coaches are working together with each building principal to help to plan the arrangements. Please get in touch with the appropriate people at your elementary school if you have questions and to volunteer.
Exemplary Educator Award Recipients and Honorable Mentions
CANDO's first annual Exemplary Educator Awards were presented at the May 27 BPS Board of Education meeting. CANDO received many nominations for the numerous excellent teachers working in our schools! All of the nominees have made a significant difference to students and families in our community. Thank you to everyone who took time to nominate the educators who have made an outstanding contribution to providing differentiated instruction that challenges all students to reach their full potential. We are truly fortunate to have these educators working with our children. Please visit the Exemplary Educator Award page tab to read more about the award and to see the names of the recipients and honorable mentions.
Exemplary Educator Award Nominations
CANDO is excited to sponsor the 1st Annual Exemplary Educator Award and we are inviting parents and students to nominate BPS101 educators and administrators now through Saturday, May 10. The recipients will be recognized by CANDO at the May Board of Education Meeting at the Rosalie Jones Administration Center.
The purpose of the Exemplary Educator Award is to recognize those BPS101 teachers and administrators for their outstanding contribution to providing differentiated instruction that challenges all students to reach their full potential.
For detailed information about the award nomination process, click here. Click on the below link to go directly to the nomination form via Survey Monkey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HKXS3DK
As always, thank you for your interest in and support of CANDO. Together we can make a difference!
The purpose of the Exemplary Educator Award is to recognize those BPS101 teachers and administrators for their outstanding contribution to providing differentiated instruction that challenges all students to reach their full potential.
For detailed information about the award nomination process, click here. Click on the below link to go directly to the nomination form via Survey Monkey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HKXS3DK
As always, thank you for your interest in and support of CANDO. Together we can make a difference!
April 2014 Focus Group Summaries
Thank you to all the parents who came to discuss their experiences with the new gifted services at RMS. CANDO's focus group summary for parent input is available here.
We are also grateful to those who were willing to share their experiences as parents of twice-exceptional (2e) students. CANDO's summary of these focus group meetings is available here.
If you missed NAGC's April Webinar on 2e students, but wish to see the correlating handouts, click here to access them. Regarding 2e issues, we are excited to announce that a new CANDO position will begin in May, the 2e Resource Chair, to help parents of 2e students find and support each other, network, and share information about navigating this complex intersection of giftedness and learning challenges. Look for more 2e information to be posted online this spring, on the resource page and in blog entries that will be tagged “2e.”
We are also grateful to those who were willing to share their experiences as parents of twice-exceptional (2e) students. CANDO's summary of these focus group meetings is available here.
If you missed NAGC's April Webinar on 2e students, but wish to see the correlating handouts, click here to access them. Regarding 2e issues, we are excited to announce that a new CANDO position will begin in May, the 2e Resource Chair, to help parents of 2e students find and support each other, network, and share information about navigating this complex intersection of giftedness and learning challenges. Look for more 2e information to be posted online this spring, on the resource page and in blog entries that will be tagged “2e.”
April 2014 Focus Groups: Gifted Services at Rotolo Middle School and Twice-Exceptional Students
CANDO's upcoming focus groups will discuss (1) middle school gifted services: the 2013-2014 implementation of new enriched literature/language arts curriculum and placement and (2) twice-exceptional (2e) issues at all grade levels.
All interested parents are invited to attend one of the focus group meetings to provide feedback on these subjects.
Focus group meetings are scheduled as follows:
Wednesday April 9 from 7-9 p.m. at the Batavia City Hall building, Fox River Conference Room on the first floor
7-8 p.m. RMS services; 8-9 p.m. 2e
-and-
Friday April 11 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Panera Bread (group meeting room in the back, 154 West Wilson St., Batavia)
9:30-10:30 a.m. RMS services; 10:30-11:30 a.m. 2e
Background for middle school gifted services: This past school year, BPS101 implemented a new plan for gifted services at the middle school level, one which is more closely aligned with the gifted services at the elementary level than it had been before. To this end, a new Enriched Literature/Languages Arts section was created at each grade level at Rotolo, and a new curriculum designed for these sections was rolled out this year. At the next BPS Gifted Committee meeting, the discussion will review the experiences of educators, parents, and students with this model for middle school gifted services. If you have comments or questions to share regarding this topic, we hope you can join us!
Background for twice-exceptional students: There are a number of gifted students who are "twice-exceptional" (often referred to as 2e). A good definition of this group can be found on the website for the Twice-Exceptional Newsletter: "Coupled with high intelligence, these children also may have one or more learning disabilities, attention deficit, autism spectrum disorder, emotional or behavior problems, or other types of learning challenges." (Mark Bade's Twice-Exceptional Newsletter) We invite parents of 2e students to share information about their experiences navigating the complexities of gifted services, IEPs, 504 plans, and making sure that their child's educational needs are met.
All interested parents are invited to attend one of the focus group meetings to provide feedback on these subjects.
Focus group meetings are scheduled as follows:
Wednesday April 9 from 7-9 p.m. at the Batavia City Hall building, Fox River Conference Room on the first floor
7-8 p.m. RMS services; 8-9 p.m. 2e
-and-
Friday April 11 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Panera Bread (group meeting room in the back, 154 West Wilson St., Batavia)
9:30-10:30 a.m. RMS services; 10:30-11:30 a.m. 2e
Background for middle school gifted services: This past school year, BPS101 implemented a new plan for gifted services at the middle school level, one which is more closely aligned with the gifted services at the elementary level than it had been before. To this end, a new Enriched Literature/Languages Arts section was created at each grade level at Rotolo, and a new curriculum designed for these sections was rolled out this year. At the next BPS Gifted Committee meeting, the discussion will review the experiences of educators, parents, and students with this model for middle school gifted services. If you have comments or questions to share regarding this topic, we hope you can join us!
Background for twice-exceptional students: There are a number of gifted students who are "twice-exceptional" (often referred to as 2e). A good definition of this group can be found on the website for the Twice-Exceptional Newsletter: "Coupled with high intelligence, these children also may have one or more learning disabilities, attention deficit, autism spectrum disorder, emotional or behavior problems, or other types of learning challenges." (Mark Bade's Twice-Exceptional Newsletter) We invite parents of 2e students to share information about their experiences navigating the complexities of gifted services, IEPs, 504 plans, and making sure that their child's educational needs are met.
Seminar for Parents and Educators on Monday, March 24, 7-8:30 p.m.: "How Well Do You Know Your Gifted Child?"
We are honored to have scheduled guest speaker Elizabeth Selander Hutchins, retired BPS101 Gifted Coordinator and Instructor of the Gifted Seminar at Aurora University, for this informative seminar. Please join us to learn about both myths and typical characteristics of gifted students in her talk entitled "How Well Do You Know Your Gifted Child?" There will be time for questions and discussion. This is a great chance to learn about the concept of giftedness and meet other interested parents and educators. Please join us! This seminar is open to all parents and educators.
Author Fair on Saturday, February 8, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. at Batavia Public Library
All children and their families are invited and welcome to this event, so please spread the word! Our Author Fair features a local husband and wife author/illustrator team, Tad and France Mitchell, and a Chicago author of children's books, Liesl Shurtliff. Come learn what inspired these authors, what they have learned about writing and illustrating, and hear about their journeys from childhood to becoming published authors.
They will be reading from and discussing their recent books, as well as sharing about the process of publishing books, from their beginnings and conception all the way to the ending, the physical process of printing books.
The Mitchells will be sharing Where is the Sears Tower? , the story of a young pigeon visiting famous Chicago-area landmarks and learning from different animals along his tour. Their book is a read-aloud well-suited for children in elementary school. Ms. Shurtliff will be sharing Rump: The True Story of Rumplestiltskin, a retelling of Rumplestiltskin from a new, funny point of view. Her book is of interest for children up through eighth grade.
While authors are not permitted to sell books during events at the library, both the Mitchells and Ms. Shurtliff will be available to sign copies of their books at the event if attendees have already purchased them.
We hope to see you there!
They will be reading from and discussing their recent books, as well as sharing about the process of publishing books, from their beginnings and conception all the way to the ending, the physical process of printing books.
The Mitchells will be sharing Where is the Sears Tower? , the story of a young pigeon visiting famous Chicago-area landmarks and learning from different animals along his tour. Their book is a read-aloud well-suited for children in elementary school. Ms. Shurtliff will be sharing Rump: The True Story of Rumplestiltskin, a retelling of Rumplestiltskin from a new, funny point of view. Her book is of interest for children up through eighth grade.
While authors are not permitted to sell books during events at the library, both the Mitchells and Ms. Shurtliff will be available to sign copies of their books at the event if attendees have already purchased them.
We hope to see you there!
CANDO Position Paper and Resource List from October 24, 2013 Gifted Services Committee Meeting
Click here for CANDO's meeting notes from the October 24 Gifted Services Committee meeting. The meeting topic for discussion was the unique social and emotional needs of gifted and high-ability students. Click here to read CANDO's position paper based on our findings from parent focus groups that we held prior to the Gifted Services Committee Meeting. This paper was prepared by CANDO Chair Deb Grizzell, and we provided it for the BPS101 district staff at the meeting. Deb Grizzell also compiled a resource list from SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted) that lists articles and other resources of use to parents, educators, and administrators.
"Meet and Greet" with new BPS superintendent Dr. Lisa Hichens and the BPS elementary schools' gifted coaches on Monday, September 30, @ 7 p.m.
Please join us as in the Rosalie Jones Administration Building, 335 W. Wilson St. in Batavia, as we meet and welcome Dr. Hichens and get to know our Gifted Coaches. This BPS parent event is co-sponsored by CANDO and BPS Gifted Services.
2nd Annual "Back to School Picnic in the Park" on Monday, August 19, 11-1 at Big Woods Park
Pack your lunch, bring money for the Ice Cream Truck and meet some some new (and old) students and families! We especially invite incoming 6th graders and their families to join us for this great opportunity to meet their new classmates at Rotolo Middle School. Students and families of all grade levels are invited to the picnic, and specifically the 6th grade students will enjoy playing some games to get to know each other while the parents will be able to meet the CANDO Executive Board and learn about what CANDO is working on together with BPS 101 to support appropriate education for our gifted and talented children in elementary, middle and high school. Please join us under the picnic shelter! Big Woods Park is on Raddant Road on the east side of Batavia.
General Membership Meeting on Wednesday, May 22 at 7 p.m. in the Library Media Center (LMC) at Rotolo Middle School
As the 2012-13 Academic Year draws to a close, the CANDO Executive Board invites you to our annual General Membership Meeting on Wednesday, May 22 at 7 p.m. in the LMC at Rotolo Middle School.
We will celebrate the new opportunities made available this year to Batavia’s high-ability learners through the efforts of your CANDO Board and the BPS 101 Gifted Services committee. In addition, we will discuss next year’s opportunities and challenges and elect our 2013-14 Executive Board and Parent Representatives to the BPS 101 Gifted Services Committee.
Some new opportunities for involvement have been presented for CANDO parents. The Gifted Services Committee has invited us to partner with building principals and PTOs to offer parent-facilitated, after-school enrichment classes for BPS students. If CANDO decides to be a part of this endeavor, we will need to amend our current leadership structure to accommodate this new program.
We would love your continued interest and support as we seek to expand our collaboration with the Gifted Services committee. This effort can only enrich the experience of our students.
Please mark your calendar and plan to join us on May 22 at 7 p.m. at Rotolo. Also, please help us spread the word and invite other parents who may not be on our e-mailing list. If you cannot attend on the 22nd, but would like to be involved next year, please e-mail me at [email protected]. I would be happy to talk to you about service opportunities.
Deb Grizzell, 2012-13 CANDO Chair
We will celebrate the new opportunities made available this year to Batavia’s high-ability learners through the efforts of your CANDO Board and the BPS 101 Gifted Services committee. In addition, we will discuss next year’s opportunities and challenges and elect our 2013-14 Executive Board and Parent Representatives to the BPS 101 Gifted Services Committee.
Some new opportunities for involvement have been presented for CANDO parents. The Gifted Services Committee has invited us to partner with building principals and PTOs to offer parent-facilitated, after-school enrichment classes for BPS students. If CANDO decides to be a part of this endeavor, we will need to amend our current leadership structure to accommodate this new program.
We would love your continued interest and support as we seek to expand our collaboration with the Gifted Services committee. This effort can only enrich the experience of our students.
Please mark your calendar and plan to join us on May 22 at 7 p.m. at Rotolo. Also, please help us spread the word and invite other parents who may not be on our e-mailing list. If you cannot attend on the 22nd, but would like to be involved next year, please e-mail me at [email protected]. I would be happy to talk to you about service opportunities.
Deb Grizzell, 2012-13 CANDO Chair
Minutes from the April 15, 2013 Gifted Committee meeting
Click here for the meeting minutes from the April 15 Gifted Committee meeting. The meeting topics are as follows: the transition from 5th to 6th grade, and gifted services at Rotolo Middle School; further development of elementary school gifted services; district-wide focus on mathematics curriculum; future direction for gifted services and the possibility of a magnet school for grades 4/5; and volunteer opportunities for CANDO parents in 2013-14. At the end of the minutes is a summary of CANDO's research and feedback regarding the magnet school model of service delivery.
POSTPONED!
February 12 7 p.m. Seminar: "How Well Do You Know Your Gifted Child?"
CANDO and BPS 101 Gifted Services are co-sponsoring a free seminar on gifted and talented education on Tuesday, February 12, at 7 p.m., titled “How Well Do You Know Your Gifted Child?” The presenter is Elizabeth Selander Hutchins, Gifted Education Seminar Instructor at Aurora University and retired BPS 101 Gifted Services Coordinator.
It will take place at the Rotolo Middle School Learning Resource Center, 1501 South Raddant Road, Batavia.
The seminar is open to all, so put it on your calendars, and spread the word!
The seminar will be a chance to learn more about your gifted/talented student; in addition, it promises to provide an opportunity to meet fellow BPS and CANDO parents who share concerns about gifted and talented education and related issues, as well as to meet BPS educators and professionals working in gifted and talented education.
Questions? Email us at [email protected]
It will take place at the Rotolo Middle School Learning Resource Center, 1501 South Raddant Road, Batavia.
The seminar is open to all, so put it on your calendars, and spread the word!
The seminar will be a chance to learn more about your gifted/talented student; in addition, it promises to provide an opportunity to meet fellow BPS and CANDO parents who share concerns about gifted and talented education and related issues, as well as to meet BPS educators and professionals working in gifted and talented education.
Questions? Email us at [email protected]
February 10-12 2013: Annual Illinois Association for Gifted Children (IAGC) Convention
February 10-12, 2013 at
Chicago Marriott Naperville
1801 North Naper Boulevard
Naperville, Illinois 60563
On Sunday, February 10 from 12:00-4:00 p.m. is the parent workshop. This year, the featured speaker is Merla F. Hammack, presenting on the topic "Life Coach or Counselor? A Paradigm for Serving the Gifted." In addition, there will be an introductory preview of the Parent Module of the Gifted Education Seminar, presented by Rosina Gallagher and Cathy Greene, followed by breakout discussion groups with experienced facilitators on specific areas of concern.
Other presentations will be in the areas of program development, specific subject areas, social and emotional issues, parents, and underserved populations. Classroom teachers, gifted coordinators, administrators, and parents will be attending the Eighteenth Annual IAGC Convention.
More details are available on IAGC's website.
See the convention schedule here.
Find the registration form here.
You may register to attend if you are not a member of IAGC, or you may purchase membership to reduce conference fees and enjoy other benefits. Membership in IAGC is explained here.
Chicago Marriott Naperville
1801 North Naper Boulevard
Naperville, Illinois 60563
On Sunday, February 10 from 12:00-4:00 p.m. is the parent workshop. This year, the featured speaker is Merla F. Hammack, presenting on the topic "Life Coach or Counselor? A Paradigm for Serving the Gifted." In addition, there will be an introductory preview of the Parent Module of the Gifted Education Seminar, presented by Rosina Gallagher and Cathy Greene, followed by breakout discussion groups with experienced facilitators on specific areas of concern.
Other presentations will be in the areas of program development, specific subject areas, social and emotional issues, parents, and underserved populations. Classroom teachers, gifted coordinators, administrators, and parents will be attending the Eighteenth Annual IAGC Convention.
More details are available on IAGC's website.
See the convention schedule here.
Find the registration form here.
You may register to attend if you are not a member of IAGC, or you may purchase membership to reduce conference fees and enjoy other benefits. Membership in IAGC is explained here.
Summary of Middle School Experience Focus Group Meetings held 10/23 & 10/24/12 --minutes submitted by Deb Grizzell, 2012-13 CANDO Chair
Parents attending the meeting had students at all three grade levels in RMS, and their students were identified as either Gifted or as Academically-talented. In addition, we had one parent of elementary-age students (no students currently at RMS) in attendance at the Wednesday meeting to learn about what services would be offered to her student at the middle school level.
Feedback from the two groups was nearly identical in content, so the topics of discussion at for the two meetings have been grouped into one summary. Again, the purpose of these meetings was to discuss the experiences and concerns of families of gifted/academically talented (g/t) students at RMS. Feedback is grouped loosely by topic area, although it should be noted that some items address experience/concerns in more than one topic area.
1) Communication
· There is very little open communication about what general services/learning opportunities are offered to g/t students at all three RMS grade levels, but particularly for sixth grade students. This was especially noted in the Literature/Language Arts (Lit/Lang) curriculum area.
· Parents did not receive communication from RMS indicating that there was an “Honors” or “Advanced” Lit/Lang opportunity for RMS students, unless their student had been selected for participation in that section of Lit/Lang (when a letter was sent home informing parents that their student would be in an Advanced section of Lit/Lang).
· Student schedules make no designation of class placement (e.g. Advanced Lit/Lang at the 7th and 8th grade level has the same course name as the typical Lit/Lang course), so parents felt compelled to contact RMS after receiving their students course schedules to determine if their student had proper course placement. Other parents had assumed their student was in an Advanced Lit/Lang section, only to discover that was not the case.
2) Identification/placement and evaluation
· Parents of 7th and 8th grade students expressed concern that their students may not have been appropriately evaluated for participation in the Advanced Lit/Lang opportunity, as this cohort of students was not evaluated by the current identification protocol used for this year’s 6th grade students, and their younger schoolmates, in elementary school.
· Parents were unclear about what criteria were used to identify students for participation in Advanced Lit/Lang and responses to their individual inquiries to RMS faculty/staff met with inconsistent responses, and sometimes lack of knowledge about identification procedures on the part of RMS faculty/staff.
· Parents are confused about how RMS teams are constructed, in terms of whether students are being grouped by ability (are gifted/talented students clustered?). (E.g. “Team 6-5’s curriculum night looked like a CANDO meeting”). Responses to individual inquiries to RMS faculty/staff have been inconsistent. Some parents were told there is no formal grouping of students by ability “because that is illegal”. Other parents were told that the current cohort of RMS students are clustered in teams by Math ability/gifted identification, with the assumption that those students are also g/t in Lit/Lang areas as well. Conversely, parents of students with high ability in Lit/Lang subject areas are concerned that their students’ abilities are being overlooked and unattended to because they have not been identified as g/t in Math, thus do not receive the Advanced Lit/Lang services.
· One parent was told by her elementary school’s Gifted Specialist that identification criteria for next year’s incoming 6th graders will be different than in previous years. The Gifted Specialist would not comment on the specifics of those changes (i.e. Will different instruments for testing be used? Or different selection criteria?).
· Parents expressed frustration that there is not a clear system/protocol for continuous evaluation either for students previously identified as g/t, or for students not-yet-identified as g/t, particularly in the Lit/Lang subject area.
· Parents expressed concern that they had to advocate for evaluation and for enriched/advanced learning opportunities for their students, and that BPS did not recognize and initiate that process as part of the educational process within the school. In many cases, parents paid out-of-pocket for educational testing that identified their students as g/t because the school would not provide such evaluation when requested by parents.
3) Services provided to gifted and academically-talented students
· Parents expressed gratitude for the efforts and opportunities provided by some RMS faculty members who on their own initiative go “above and beyond” to provide enriched learning opportunities for g/t students in their respective areas of instruction.
· Parents were concerned that differentiation/enrichment of curricula seems to be teacher- or team-driven, and is not equitably delivered to all g/t students. They expressed a desire for a “top-down” approach to curriculum design instead that would offer training/resources/curriculum ideas to all RMS faculty teaching g/t students.
· Parents were concerned that the unique socio-emotional needs of their g/t students were not being addressed; and that faculty/staff were unacquainted with the personality characteristics/ approach to learning typical of gifted students, in particular…but also for high-achieving academically-talented students.
· One family was advised by their student’s classroom teacher to seek a private school opportunity for their student and was told that services adequate to meet their student’s needs did not exist at BPS.
· Parents expressed frustration at the expense and outside-school time required to provide challenging/engaging educational opportunities for their g/t students because such opportunities were not being adequately provided to their students by BPS. Also, that students in families without these resources available are being denied opportunities for learning.
· Parents questioned why BPS has not implemented a defined program/service for g/t education at the middle school level, when districts surrounding Batavia have long-running, established programs at the middle school level that cluster students in a school-within-a-school model of service delivery.
4) Teacher/staff training related to gifted/talented education
· Concern was expressed that RMS faculty/staff are inadequately trained to meet the needs of g/t students. Some parents had been told by RMS staff that they felt unqualified and unprepared to offer adequate challenge in the Lit/Lang, Science and Social Studies curriculum areas.
· Concern was expressed that there are no Gifted Education Specialists at the middle school level.
5) Math
· Parents were pleased that three levels of math instruction are offered at RMS.
· Parents expressed concern that the Advanced Math opportunities for g/t students are grade-level accelerated, but not tailored to gifted learners unique approach to learning. Parents of sixth grade students in the eighth grade math classes, in particular, were frustrated with the volume of homework frequently presented to their students, because the amount of repetition required for concepts readily mastered by their students seemed unnecessary.
· One parent had been told that there was significant attrition from the “Challenge” (most accelerated) Math courses between 8th and 9th grades. They were told that as many as 50% of those students had Failing grades in math and repeated the Algebra course at the high school or independently over the summer.
6) Literature/Language Arts (Lit/Lang)
· There is not an Advanced Lit/Lang course offered at the sixth grade level.
· Criteria for entrance into the 7th/8th grade Advanced Lit/Lang course is not clearly defined (i.e. MAP scores? Teacher recommendation? Results of outside evaluation?).
7) Other
· Parents felt that BPS does not foster a climate that encourages/rewards academic achievement. They expressed that there is an unspoken rule that “we don’t talk about academic achievement, it’s a secret”. They felt this was also reflected in the lack of communication from RMS about identification/class placement for g/t students.
· Parents felt expectations for academic performance in general should be raised in BPS. Batavia has a relatively small population, and a “small town atmosphere”, but a highly-educated population with life/work experience in the larger world.
Upcoming Meeting About Rotolo Middle School Services for Gifted and Talented Students
The Rotolo Middle School (RMS) Representatives to the Gifted Services Committee will be meeting with that committee November 5th. Before that date, CANDO will host two meetings with CANDO board members and RMS Reps where parents can discuss their experience, concerns, questions, feedback Re: services for gifted and academically-talented students at RMS. The district has not been able to provide CANDO an e-mail contact list for the parents of these students, so we are hoping you can help us "spread the word" by talking to your friends and neighbors about these meetings. In addition, an announcement of these meetings will be forthcoming in the Backpack Mail system through BPS Messenger.
Two meeting times are available. Choose the one that best suits your schedule:
Thanks everyone for your continued support in our efforts to support and advocate for the needs of Batavia's gifted and academically-talented students.
Two meeting times are available. Choose the one that best suits your schedule:
- Tuesday, October 23 at 9:30 a.m. in the meeting room at Panera Bread on W. Wilson in Batavia.
- Wednesday, October 24 at 7 p.m. in the meeting room at The Rhino Room on E. Wilson in Batavia.
Thanks everyone for your continued support in our efforts to support and advocate for the needs of Batavia's gifted and academically-talented students.
First Meeting of 2012-2013 school year
Tuesday, September 25, 7 p.m. was our first CANDO General Membership meeting for the 2012-13 academic year. Thank you to those who were able to join us! We held elections for the various chair positions in CANDO, discussed upcoming meetings with the BPS101 Gifted Services Committee, and began planning other CANDO events for this school year.
Not all of our chair positions were filled. We are still looking for parents who can volunteer to chair or co-chair one of the following positions:
If you would like to volunteer for one of these positions, or to be a part of CANDO planning or organization at any level, please direct an email to [email protected] or use the contact form on our home page with a note in the comments section stating your area of interest.
Not all of our chair positions were filled. We are still looking for parents who can volunteer to chair or co-chair one of the following positions:
- Secretary-Treasurer (keeps records of actions and funds received or disbursed; creates and makes minutes and records available to the membership)
- Program Chair (coordinates enrichment and social events for students and education programs for parents).
If you would like to volunteer for one of these positions, or to be a part of CANDO planning or organization at any level, please direct an email to [email protected] or use the contact form on our home page with a note in the comments section stating your area of interest.
