Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools S.T.E.P.S. Summer Institute

1

February, 2018 Newsletter

The Forsyth County PAGE chapter welcomes gifted students and their parents from public schools, private schools, charter schools, and homeschools operating within Forsyth County, offering support for families and students at all levels (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12).

Educational Opportunities

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools S.T.E.P.S. Summer Institute

(Students Thinking, Exploring, Problem Solving and Succeeding)

The S.T.E.P.S Gifted Summer Learning Institute is designed to create enriching opportunities for academically and intellectually gifted students. S.T.E.P.S. allows talented students to explore personal interests and engage in learning experiences that foster challenge, innovation, and creativity. Students will work under the supervision and guidance of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools teachers with experience in the field of Gifted Education and will be nurtured in an environment that encourages academic risk-taking and celebrates each student’s unique gifts and talents.

Goals of S.T.E.P.S.

• Students explore interests, skills, and aptitudes
• Students engage in intellectual challenges
• Students develop social skills while working with peers

The Institute will be held July 16-19 at Moore Elementary School

More details coming soon

Robotics, the Design, Construction, Operation, and Application of Robots: A Presentation by Dr. Shirley Disseler, School of Education, High Point University

If kids are not coding by kindergarten they will not be ready for their future world!

EV3 Robotics Lessons provide hours of learning through coding as it relates to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.

Parents and gifted students in grades 3-8 will get an up close and personal view of coding as it applies to robotics. Dr. Disseler will demonstrate how coding can guide students through a wide array of tasks which robots can and will perform in the future.

Parents and their children in upper elementary grades and middle grades will be able to observe as Dr, Disseler models the coding process of EV3, a demonstration designed to illustrate how students who master robotics can expand their learning whether it occurs at home or in educational settings.

May 10th at the Education Building at 4801 Bethania Station Road, 6:30 to 8:00 PM

More information will come in April.

Duke Talent Identification Program (TIP)

Duke University in Durham hosts a variety of programs for gifted children in grades 4 through 12. Their offerings include online study, self-study, study abroad, summer residential programs, and weekend courses.

Their Talent Search program is divided among three placement levels: grades 4-6, 7th grade, and grades 8 through 10. 4-6 is the starting point for younger gifted students. 7th graders take PSAT tests to enter at that grade level, which is the entry level for many TIP programs. The 8-10 option includes international students, older students, as well as other students who missed the regular talent search process. After taking the ACT or the SAT on their own, students submit their scores for consideration.

Academic Adventures, designed for students in 4-6, offer interactive one-day courses held during the academic year.

Crisis, a week long residential program for students in 5-6, provides problem-based learning to solve a hypothetical community crisis.

elnvestigators is a month-long online program for students in 4-6 conducted in the fall, spring, or summer, focusing on a real world mystery.

eStudies is a 7-week program composed of rigorous courses in small online coursework for grades 7 through 11.

Find out more at

Davidson THINK Summer Institute

Gifted students interested in a challenging academic summer program should consider attending the Davidson THINK Summer Institute on the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno. This intense three-week residential summer program offers exceptionally gifted 13- to 16-year-old students the opportunity to earn college credits that may be transferable.

All THINK courses are taught by university faculty at the Davidson Academy which is located adjacent to the THINK residence hall. Participants choose 2 courses, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. While the focus of THINK is to provide a challenging academic experience, having fun and social time are also key components. Group games and outside activities are planned for the evenings along with weekend field trips to local attractions that have included beautiful Lake Tahoe, Squaw Valley Olympis Village, and historic Virginia City.

Why choose THINK?

-earn 6 college credits in 3 weeks

-experience college life while living on campus

-build friendships with like-minded peers from all over the country

-work closely with University faculty in small classes

-pay less compared to other credit programs (financial assistance also available)

To get the latest updates and program information: sign up for a newsletter (

High Point University LEGO Showcase

The next LEGO Showcase event is scheduled for Saturday, April 14, 2018. Beginning February 12th parents can go online at to register for this free event which typically attracts up to 800 participants. The schedule that day runs from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM with activities including engineering competitions, machine building, robotics, free build, and storytelling. These events usually fill up within a couple of days so be sure to register quickly on or soon after February 12th.

The new location for this Showcase will be at the former Oak Hollow Mall on Eastchester Drive in High Point. Parents must remain on the premises during the event. Each child must be registered separately. For more information contact Dr. ShirleyDisseler at .

*Registration for STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Math) events at High Point University opens February 15th. 60 seats are available for rising 3rd through 6th grade students.

Publications and Websites

1---Parents should investigate the following websites, each of which comprises an extensive storehouse of information about giftedness and the unique problems and obvious advantages related to giftedness:

A---Davidson Institute for Talent Development

B---Hoagies Gifted Education Page

C---National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)

D---Duke Talent Identification Program (TIP)

2---The Brick Math Series, by Dr. Shirley Disseler at High Point University. Dr. Disseler is Associate Professor and Chair of the HPU Department of Elementary and Middle Grades Education where she also serves as STEM Coordinator. She has authored a series of math books which provides activities which can help students learn the basics of the K-5 math curriculum by modeling with LEGO bricks. Specific math subjects include Counting, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, and Fractions. When they are taught with the activities in these books, students develop a deeper understanding of the concepts that are the foundation of true mathematical knowledge.

Find the website at

3---“The Tyranny of Pathologizing our Kids,” a blog by Heater Boorman found online at Boorman is a licensed Clinical Social Worker with 15 years of experience practicing in Wisconsin. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Association of Gifted and Talented.

She asks “When did the energetic child become the child with hyperactivity? When did the opinionated child become the oppositional child/ When did we start pathologizing our kids?” She notes that she has personally seen kids pigeon0holed based on diagnoses that merely describe symptomatic behavior rather than identify genuine disorders. For example, ODD, which stands for Oppositional and Defiant Disorder, which she claims is not a genuine disorder. She goes on to include ADHD as criminally over-diagnosed and over-medicated, adding that behavior is not a disorder. Rather, it is communication.

She refers to a specific case: “The profoundly gifted child whom everyone understands to be “smart,” but also experiences the world with such intensity that her body simply can’t sit still gets diagnosed with ADHD, thrown on medications, which directly impact her brain chemistry.” She concludes that she has a problem with jumping to the quick answer with a quick treatment instead of taking the time to listen to what the child is trying to communicate under the surface.

4---Too Gifted?by Devon Mac Eachron. Multi-potentiality is the state of having many exceptionally strong abilities or talents. The child whohas the Midas touch and is good at everything he does from math to science to English to music to sports to art to leadership has multi-potentiality. It sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? But for many children and young adults it can be a burden. Find this article and the others listed below at

5---When Everyone Wants a Piece of You by Kathleen Casper in One World Gifted. When people realize your special talent for balancing time and resources, or the way creative ideas just flow into your mind, or the way you hate leaving a mess and have an idea for organization or the way ideas go together. They grab you and don’t want to let go. Let’s face it---giftedness is a blessing and a curse. People may not understand you or even befriend you, but they appreciate when you get stuff done.

6---Understanding Your Gifted Child’s Anxiety

Many gifted children assume that they should be good at everything without having to practice or put in extra work. Often, these children become frustrated when work becomes more challenging and it doesn’t come easily to them.

What can you do when your gifted child is worried?

• Remind your child that working hard is just as important as success.
• Reward your child for the hard work he/she has put into something rather than just the grade at the end.
• When your child is feeling frustrated, show empathy for his/her frustrations-let them know that you understand what it is like to feel sad or pressured.
• Help your child understand that learning sometimes involves risk-taking, struggling and effort, but the growth that takes place is worthwhile.
• Encourage your child to take risks. It is tempting for gifted students to focus on what they do well and limit their potential for trying new things.
• Provide your child with coping tools to manage stressful situations. A great resource is the book Why Smart Kids Worry and What Parents Can Do to Help by Allison Edwards, LPC. (ISBN:978-1-4022-8425-0)

Do You Suffer from Paralyzing Abundance? by Aurora Remember.

Mentoring for Multipotentiality by Jessie in CounterNarration.

Is There a True Calling? By Planet Smarty Pants.

The Real Problem with Multipotentiality by Heather at The Fringy Bit.

Parenting and Potential by Jen Campbell, repurposed genealogy.

Multipotentiality is Not the Problem by Gift-Ed Connections.

BOOKS

Different Minds: Gifted Children with AD/HD, Asperger Syndrome, and Other Learning Deficits by Deirdre V. Lovecky 2004.

Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults: ADHD, Bipolar, OCD, Asperger’s, Depression, and Other Disorders by Jim Webb, Edward Amend, Nadia Webb, Jean Goerss, Paul Beljan, and F. Richard Olechak 2005.

Twice-Exceptional Gifted Children: Understanding, Teaching and Counseling Gifted Students byBeverly A. Trail 2011.

News from WSFCS

Select a School

Language

Staff/Student Links

User Options

• Home
• About Us
• Board of Education
• Departments
• Parents/Community
• Students
• Employees
• Careers
• Calendar

Return to Headlines

"ALWAYS UP FOR THE NEXT CHALLENGE"

• Home
• Front Page

By Kim Underwood

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools

FEBRUARY 5, 2018 – For 29 years, Donna Walker has taught middle school students. Now she is bringing her experience and her appreciation of students to her new job as the Lead Teacher for the Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) program for middle schools.

When it comes to middle school students, Walker said, “I love kids that age. They are fun. They keep you on your toes. They make you not take yourself too seriously.”

“It’s a time in their lives when they need someone to be an advocate.”

Kim Marion, the school system’s Program Manager for Magnet Schools andGiftedPrograms, speaks highly of Walker.

“She is a student advocate, a genuinely caring person, and loves to learn – even in her 29th year of teaching, which speaks highly of her willingness to take on a new role. Not only does she present a positive attitude, that positive nature is contagious to everyone around her.”

“Donna has been teaching gifted students in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools for many years and understands not only the needs of our gifted students, but what differentiated supports teachers need as well to better support their students’ academic growth. In addition, she has worked closely with gifted colleagues at Duke University to support local efforts for AIG licensure.

“I’m thrilled to have her as part of the Gifted Team.Her commitment to students, contributions to gifted education, and support for/with teachers will be felt immediately. I’m very happy to have such a great talent join our team.”

The Middle School AIG Lead Teacher position is a new one.

The school system will also hire an Elementary School AIG Lead Teacher. Until that person starts, Walker will be working with AIG teachers in elementary schools as well, and she is looking forward to the opportunity to get to know world of elementary students better.

“I hope I will be able to help more gifted kids throughout the district in this role,” Walker said. “I started going out to schools this week. So I really enjoyed that.”

As she works to support AIG teachers, she is looking forward to seeing what all of those hard-working and creative teachers are doing for their students.

“The excitement of learning – that’s what I’m looking forward to – going into all of these schools and seeing what they are doing.”

*****************

Walker grew up in Yadkin County and graduated from Forbush High School in 1983. Walker has three older siblings – one brother and two sisters – who still live in Yadkin County.

Growing up, she always knew she wanted to be a teacher.

“I never thought about being anything else,” Walker said.

She loved her teachers at school, and she loved learning.

“I loved to read,” she said.

She enjoyed such classics asFrankensteinandThe Wizard of Oz, and she liked that reading took her to other places.

“You can never be bored if you love to read,” she said.

Her love of reading drew her to wanting to become an English teacher, and, when she went off to Appalachian State, she majored in English Education with the expectation of teaching in high school. When she graduated in 1987, high school English positions were scarce, though, and the job she found was a teaching sixth-graders at a school in East Bend.

The challenges of finding that first job turned out to be a gift. She soon discovered that she thoroughly enjoyed working with students in the middle school grades.

In 2007, she joined WS/FC Schools as a teacher at Meadowlark Middle. There, she taught students in both regular and academically gifted classes.

Amy Harris is an Assistant Principal at Meadowlark Middle.

“I am so thankful I have been able to get to know Donna professionally and personally over the past few years at Meadowlark Middle School,” Harris said.

“Serving as the Instructional Facilitator for almost two years and as an Assistant Principal for one year, I have seen Donna through different lenses but with the same highregard. Donna is a team player placingstudents at the core of what she does. She was a teacher leader at Meadowlark Middle and helped lead the way for eighth-grade English Language Arts to be successful in proficiency and also exceeding growth.”

“Donna has always greeted me with a smile and is always up for the next challenge. She is one of the kindest people I have worked with and I am thankful I had the opportunity to work alongside her. As a former math teacher serving as an Instructional Facilitator, I am so appreciative of all I learned from Donna while she served as the secondary English Language Arts teacher and Professional Learning Team Facilitator. She served as our AIG lead in our school and she helped our teachers understand the importance of rigor and challenge.”

“She helped lead professional development at the school level, and she and I worked diligently to plan for ways to roll out Balanced Literacy starting the 2016-2017 school year. In doing this, we were able to celebrate successes at the school level for increasing our reading proficiency and growth among all three grade levels.”

“I know Donna will do a great job in her new role as she embraces change! We will surely miss her presence here at Meadowlark Middle but we are so proud to say she will always be a MUSTANG!”

****************

Over the years, Walker worked in a number of ways to get to know her students.

When she began teaching middle school, she began reading novels written for students that age.

“I wanted to be able to talk to them about what they were reading,” she said.

She connected with them by attending their ball games and concerts. She bought cookies from Girl Scouts and popcorn from Boy Scouts.

Along the way, students have shown their appreciation for her through such creative gifts as original drawings and making tiny school houses with her name on them. Several of these are displayed in her new work space at Central Office.

Walker has kept up with many of students, and she has attended weddings and other events that were significant for them.

One way that Walker got to know her students was by assigning “homework” for their parents on the first day of school. Parents were asked to write about their children. Some wrote poems or vivid essays.