October 2018 Newsletter

Wizards, fusion, and GT Conferences take over October.  JAGC gladly offers these resources and opportunities for your child and family as you navigate this exciting month for GT families in Jefferson County.

Highlights this month:​
  • Jeffco Parent Seminar features Tom Clynes, author of The Boy Who Played with Fusion - Oct 24
  • Dr. Brian Wolff presents about helping your child cope with anxiety - Oct 24, Mackintosh Academy-Littleton
  • Gifted Parent Classes and Workshop Opportunities
  • Resources for mental health, homework, and parent-teacher conferences
  • 2 Days of 2e Virtual Online Conference - Oct 26 & 27
  • Twice Exceptional training for educators, counselors, psychologists and administrators
  • CAGT and NAGC conferences
  • Save The Date - Gifted Education Conference & Symposium, Denver, Feb 6-7, 2019
Note: This newsletter is intended to provide a wide array of information that readers may find helpful. In an effort to bring breadth of information, JAGC does not necessarily endorse or support opinions presented. JAGC also does not endorse, approve for services, or recommend any specific program mentioned.

Jeffco GT Parent Seminar Night

Author and photojournalist Tom Clynes travels the world covering the adventurous side of science and education for magazines such as National Geographic and Popular Science, where he's a contributing editor. He also writes and photographs for The New York Times, The Times of London, Nature, The Atlantic, and Scientific American. Tom is the author of three books, including, most recently, The Boy Who Played With Fusion, which tells the story of 14-year-old Taylor Wilson, who became the youngest person in history to build a working nuclear fusion reactor. Through Taylor's story, Tom explores the challenges facing gifted children and their parents and educators, as well as the increasingly important contributions of amateur scientists. What does it take to translate the raw material of exceptional intelligence into genius-level mastery and exceptional accomplishment? Why do only a tiny portion of would-be prodigies go on to become eminent, high-achieving adults? And how can we best help our children, whatever their gifts may be, develop their talents and reach their potential as creative, happy adults?
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
6:30pm - 8:00pm
Jeffco Education Center 
5th Floor Board Room 
1829 Denver West Drive, Bldg #27​
Next Parent Seminars
Monday, January 28, 2019 – Topic to be determined
Monday, February 25, 2019 – JAGC "Ask Us Anything" Panel
Join Jeffco Association for Gifted Children (JAGC) for an evening where you decide what you want to hear. We will have a panel of folks who will share their experiences parenting/educating/being gifted students to help you navigate your own journey on a sometimes confusing path. Get answers to your burning questions and learn some tried and true strategies in this "Ask Us Anything" seminar.

Extra-Curricular

Free Night at the Museums

Free Night at the Museums  - Some of Denver's best museums are open late and admission is FREE. There will be shuttle busses serving some of the museums and new museums have been added this year!

Saturday, November 3
5 - 10 p.m.

Center for Bright Kids - Testing Process

Western Academic Talent Search (WATS), PSAT 8/9, SAT, ACT  - Testing for GT Students in Grades 3-9
The Center for Bright Kids (CBK) is the regional talent center in the Rocky Mountain area,  serving 7 states, providing summer programs and other youth programs. The goal of CBK is to "offer K-12 enrichment and acceleration programming for high interest and high ability kids. Our focus is not only on how kids think and learn, but how they discover ways to navigate the world while thinking and learning differently. CBK is focused on providing safe spaces for kids to laugh and play while being intellectually challenged with intensive academic experiences and actively engaged in meaningful, authentic learning experiences."

In addition to their youth programs, CBK also offers testing without ceilings, provided by the Western Academic Talent Search (WATS). The benefit of this testing is to find a child's true potential in Reading, English, Math, and Science at the given time they take the test. Typical assessments used by school districts only test one or two grades up, not demonstrating some childrens' true potential in a subject. WATS testing goes far beyond one or two grades. WATS uses ACT, SAT, and PSAT 8/9 tests. PSAT 8/9 is used for grades 3-6, while ACT and SAT are used for grades 6-9.

Testing is currently being offered. If your child has an Advanced Learning Plan (ALP), you will need to contact the Jeffco Gifted & Talented Department to receive the Jeffco GT Eligibility letter for WATS testing. Once they verify a student's GT status, they will send the necessary letter to you electronically. Your child can qualify to test in other ways too if you are interested. If you allow results to be reported to your school district, at least in Jeffco, they will become part of your child's ALP, further aiding your child's teachers in challenging him or her academically.

School of Mines STEM Program for Girls

 After-school programs on the Colorado School of Mines Campus
DECTech is a Colorado School of Mines outreach program designed especially for girls! Program leaders are female Mines students who are both passionate about their subjects of study and sharing this passion with the next generation. Their mission is to engage girls in STEM by introducing them to various subjects with an interactive, engaging, and hands-on approach!
Learn more about their programs: DISCOVER Tech for girls (grades 3 - 6) -- EXPLORE Tech for girls (grades 7 - 9) -- CREATE Tech for girls (grades 10-12).

CU Wizards

For over three decades, the CU Wizards program has presented FREE monthly shows that entertain and inform children about the wonders of science. Under the direction of Prof. David Nesbitt, these interactive shows are presented once a month from September through June. They are hosted by renowned University of Colorado, Boulder professors and provide a perfect start to a fun-filled weekend. The shows are geared toward children and young adults, but all are welcome! Each program lasts about an hour and includes several lively demonstration experiments.

Girls In STEM

Girls in STEM inspires girls to visualize themselves in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math careers and empowers them to pursue STEM professions. We envision a world where women feel confident to pursue STEM careers and are equally represented in the STEM workforce.

Girls in STEM works to create numerous pathways for middle school and high school girls to explore various STEM industries and careers, in an effort to fill the pipeline and close the gender gap in tomorrow's workforce. In addition, we aim to provide information, guidance and support for potential scholarships and internships

Teen Book Con

The Colorado Teen Book Con is a full day event exclusively for teens with two keynote presentations, several author panels, a special writing workshop, a special panel with local literary agents, and a big author signing party at the end of the day. Books will be available for purchase throughout the day.

Join Tattered Cover as we present 20+ of your fave teen authors...
You meet them.  You hear them speak.  You talk to them.  You get lots of books signed.  Snap some selfies with them. And food trucks. Of course, food trucks.

This event is free, open exclusively to teens, but you must register.

Saturday, November 3, 2018
8:30am - 5:00pm
Littleton High School (199 East Littleton Blvd, Littleton, CO 80121)

Registration now open. Visit the website at www.tatteredcover.com/2018-colorado-teen-book-con

Jeffco Writing Challenge

Now a K-8 challenge and a High School Challenge. Submission deadline February 28, 2019.

Denver Writes

Denver Writes mission: to provide young writers in the Denver area with a supportive community and creative opportunities to express themselves through writing. They achieve this by offering monthly workshops, intensive and expeditionary summer camps, and exciting special events.

2019 Optimist Brain Bowl

All Colorado and Wyoming public, private and home-schooled 6th, 7th and 8th grade students are invited to form teams and participate in the Optimist Brain Bowl!

Fall Whale of a Used Book Sale

The Jefferson County Library Foundation and Friends will hold their annual Fall Whale of a Used Book Sale Oct. 19-21 at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds at 15200 W. 6th Ave., Golden
Hours are 9am - 5pm Friday and Saturday, Oct. 19-20, and 11am - 3pm Sunday, Oct. 21.
Admission to the sale is free.

For the Parents

Gifted Parent Academy

Jeffco Schools Gifted Parent Academy is now offering four different online courses to help parents gain a deeper understanding of their gifted children and load up their tool boxes with effective strategies for greater success and well-being. Courses are open enrollment - start anytime and work at your own pace - and cost only $35 per family. See the website for course descriptions, format information and registration.

Gifted Support Group, Littleton

Friday, October 26, 2018
Lunch Bunch at 11:30am - 1:00pm (feel free to bring your own lunch or buy it there)
Southwest Plaza Mall Food Court
Bowles & Wadsworth
Main door entrance next to Bad Daddy's (entrance is on southwest side of mall between Dillard's and Macy's)

Please RSVP by Monday October 22nd if you wish to attend. If no RSVP's are received to a particular meeting, that meeting will be cancelled.

Lunch Bunch typically happens the last Friday of each month, but please email Shelly Morris to RSVP or if you have questions. This group is a place to find support and get new ideas. Come share how things are going for your family, ask questions, and share your experiences with others who "get it." Please help JAGC volunteers plan their time and also reserve enough space. RSVP to Shelly Morris , noting your name. Your RSVP also allows us to contact you in the event of a last minute cancellation. The next Lunch Bunch will be Friday, November 30.

Mackintosh Academy Presents:
Dr. Brian Wolff - Helping Your Child Learn to Cope with Anxiety

Dr. Brian Wolff is the owner of Wolff Child Psychology and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with specialized training in the evaluation of Autism Spectrum Disorders, Dyslexia and other learning disabilities, intellectual and executive functioning, developmental challenges, ADHD, anxiety, depression, and behavioral difficulties. His clinical work is grounded in evidence-based research and employs a primarily cognitive-behavioral approach to assessment and therapy.

Wednesday, October 24, 2018
FREE
6:00 – 8:00pm
Mackintosh Academy - Littleton
7018 S. Prince St.
Littleton, CO

Douglas County Association for Gifted and Talented (DCAGT) Program:
Navigating the World of Giftedness

Tuesday, October 30
6:30 to 8:00 pm.
Highlands Ranch Library
Shea Meeting Room
9292 S. Ridgeline Blvd.
Highlands Ranch, CO

CAGT Conference Parent Institute

CAGT Parent Institute - parents, guardians, and educators interested in gifted children to come together to hear national and local experts share their knowledge and answer some of your questions. Part of the CAGT annual conference.

Monday, October 22
7:00pm - 9:00pm (Registration opens at 6:30pm)
Embassy Suites Loveland, 4705 Clydesdale Parkway, Loveland, CO
$20 per individual or for 2 family members

SENGinars

SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted) webinars (SENGinars) provide convenient access to many of the top experts in the gifted field discussing issues related to the social and emotional needs of the gifted. The webinars are designed expressly for parents, educators, and mental health professionals who work with gifted children. You will have an opportunity to ask
questions at the end of each live webinar. Webinars are attended online from your own home and are $40.

Upcoming Senginars:
  • Bring On The Cringe: Talking to your gifted child about sex education - Oct 25
  • Smart is Not Easy: What Grit & Growth Mindset really mean for the Gifted Child - Nov 8
  • A Neuro-developmental Understanding of Twice-Exceptional Kids - Nov 15
  • Navigating Career Success: The Lifewide Learning Experiences of Successful Gifted Adults in Early Adulthood - Nov 29
REGISTER

In Case You Missed It...

September’s Jeffco GT Parent Seminar Presentations:

Resources

JAGC's Parent-Teacher Conference Checklist

October is generally when teachers request parent-teacher conferences. Be prepared with this handy checklist! Find some helpful hints for a successful parent-teacher conference for your gifted child. There are also links to articles that offer guidance in advocating for your child.

Helping Gifted Kids Thrive - a free eBook

Child & Family Therapist Tina Harlow interviewed 26 experts across the field of giftedness to ask them one question: “What one thing can parents do now to help their gifted child to thrive in the future?”

Jeffco Public Schools GT Department Resources

Below are highlights and easy finds for resources within the Jeffco GT Department website.

Jeffco GT Gazette

Find articles of interest about GT programming in Jeffco, helpful ideas for parents of gifted learners and information on upcoming GT-related events. Spanish version now available.

Jeffco GT Resource Teachers (RT) and
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Counselors

GT Resource Teachers (RTs)
RTs are responsible for identifying gifted students in the schools they serve, initially setting up the Advanced Learning Plan (ALP), and working with teachers to make sure gifted students are receiving instruction for their academic needs.

GT SEL Counselors
SEL counselors are assigned to GT Center Schools and work with the students in those Centers to ensure their social emotional needs are being met.

Reclassification of GT Identification Areas

Colorado Department of Education (CDE) recently updated the categories for GT identification. For students identified prior to 2018, find out how the Advanced Learning Plan strength/focus areas may have changed for your child.

Jeffco GT Parent Resources

This site has information about upcoming Parent Seminars, as well as presentations from past seminars. Also - find helpful links and past editions of the Jeffco GT Gazette, the GT Department's monthly newsletter.

Jeffco GT Social & Mobile App

Follow Jeffco GT on Facebook and Twitter.

Download the new Jeffco Public Schools mobile phone app and get GT news delivered directly to you no matter where are! Available for both iOs (Apple) and Android. Once the app is on your device, go to ‘Settings: Schools’, then scroll down to switch on ‘Gifted & Talented’. You can also select your children’s schools to receive notifications from them on the same app!

College Planning Help

Jeffco Virtual Academy put together this helpful JVA College Planning Calendar 2018-2019 listing fairs and offering links for financial aid and testing information.

School Interest Nights

Schools showcase their instructional programs and explains enrollment procedures. These Interest Nights are typically held in late October through February, but can be any time. Please check the school's website for schedule information. Informational will also be available Jeffco's School Interest Nights web page. 

Colorado School of Mines Intro to Petroleum Course

Colorado School of Mines is offering juniors and seniors interested in learning more about the Petroleum industry the opportunity to take a three credit hour Introduction to Petroleum class beginning in January 2019 at no cost to the student. Tuition and Fees will be covered by the department and a textbook will be provided for the semester. Students currently enrolled in or have completed at least Pre-Calculus, Chemistry and/or Physics, have a 3.5 unweighted GPA and have attended high school in Colorado since freshman year are eligible to apply.
Application Deadline: Oct 31, 2018
This month's helpful articles:
Misperceptions of Giftedness: Are You Struggling With What Those Around You Believe Gifted Is? This article provides some tools to communicate to parents, teachers, and school administrators, what gifted is and what gifted is NOT.

Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnosis of Gifted Children by James T. Webb, Ph.D., ABPP-Cl
Many gifted and talented children (and adults) are being misdiagnosed by psychologists and other health care professionals because specific social and emotional characteristics of gifted children are mistakenly assumed to be signs of pathology. Other children are gifted, but also have a coexisting disorder-a dual diagnosis-yet seldom is their giftedness considered in
educational planning or treatment.

ADD/ADHD vs Gifted Behavior – see the similarities side by side.

​
Homework Help:
Book of the Month:
The Explosive Child: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children by Dr. Ross Greene
What’s an explosive child? A child who responds to routine problems with extreme frustration—crying, screaming, swearing, kicking, hitting, biting, spitting, destroying property, and worse. A child whose frequent, severe outbursts leave his or her parents feeling frustrated, scared, worried, and desperate for help. Most of these parents have tried everything-reasoning, explaining, punishing, sticker charts, therapy, medication—but to no avail.
Dr. Ross Greene, a distinguished clinician and pioneer in the treatment of kids with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges, has worked with thousands of explosive children, and he has good news: these kids aren’t attention-seeking, manipulative, or unmotivated, and their parents aren’t passive, permissive pushovers. Rather, explosive kids are lacking some crucial skills in the domains of flexibility/adaptability, frustration tolerance, and problem solving, and they require a different approach to parenting. Dr. Greene provides a new conceptual framework for understanding their difficulties, based on research in the neurosciences. He explains why traditional parenting and treatment often don’t work with these children, and he describes what to do instead. Instead of relying on rewarding and punishing, Dr. Greene’s Collaborative Problem Solving model promotes working with explosive children to solve the problems that precipitate explosive episodes, and teaching these kids the skills they lack.


Website of the Month:
hoagiesgifted.org
Hoagies' Gifted Education Page consists of over 1150 pages of information on gifted children and adults, including 650 pages of Hoagies' Page collection.  The website is a wealth of resources of "all things gifted".

Local Picks:
Advanced Learning Plans (ALP) - learn more about what they are and their life cycle in Jeffco Public Schools

Twice Exceptional - gifted with an additional challenge - learn more on JAGC's web page about 2e

Other Online Resources:
LDOnline - Lots of information on learning disabilities
Understood.org - for learning and attention issues
Byrdseed - A website to better understand giftedness
Institute for Educational Advancement - Scholarships and Competitions Guide grades K-12
Boulder Country Day School Events (there are often gifted topics)
Jefferson County Public Library Kid Events
Douglas County Parent University Courses (there are often gifted topics)
Davidson Institute Newsletters
Parent Engagement Network Events
SENG Newsletters
Previously recorded SENGinars

JAGC Needs YOU!

Engage, show up, be seen, and make a difference by supporting JAGC in these ways....
  • GT Ambassador - JAGC works in positive partnership with the Jeffco School District's Gifted & Talented Department to provide leadership by promoting information about the educational and social-emotional needs of gifted and talented (GT) students. JAGC's Ambassador Program extends this leadership from the district level into individual school buildings. JAGC
    Ambassadors are volunteers who receive training in how to serve GT students, parents, and staff at the articulation area and school building levels. If you are interested in volunteering as a family or community member to help JAGC locally support the local GT community, please think about advocating for Jeffco's GT students in this capacity. JAGC would like to have a GT
    Ambassador at ALL schools, so please let us know if you can help.
  • JAGC Member - The Jefferson County Association for Gifted Children (JAGC) is a non-profit group providing leadership and support to families and educators of gifted young people in Jefferson County, Colorado. Membership in JAGC includes joint membership in CAGT (Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented). Combined dues are $40 annually.  Although JAGC often works in partnership with Jeffco Public Schools' Office of Gifted and Talented, JAGC is a volunteer organization. JAGC provides its newsletter and seminars to everyone in the community but membership, donations, and volunteers are essential to providing these resources. Locally, through JAGC, your membership helps support things such as: seminars, presentations, and speakers; printed literature; this website (including the JAGC newsletter); JAGC on Facebook; local advocacy. Through CAGT, your membership helps support such things as: CAGT's annual conference, CAGT's annual Parent Institute, CAGT's website, monthly "Happenings" email, the quarterly Kaleidoscope e-newsletter, state level legislative advocacy for gifted learners, and online learning opportunities.

Membership in JAGC and CAGT runs concurrent to the school year. Both are valid from September until August of the following year. Be sure to select Jeffco as your affiliate.
  • Amazon Smile - Through Amazon Smile - a part of your purchase price will be donated to JAGC.  When you shop at Amazon, first go to https://smile.amazon.com/ and select "Jefferson County Association for Gifted Children" before making your purchase.
  • JAGC on Facebook - You can "Like" JAGC on Facebook and read GT and Jeffco-related information as part of your Facebook feed. To join -  "friend" Jeffco Gifted and send a Facebook message to request group membership.

Educator's Resources

Advanced Placement (AP) Changes for 2019

From apcentral.collegeboard.org:
We’re making some improvements to the way AP works, including giving students and teachers new resources to support them all year.  Beginning August 1, 2019, AP teachers and students will have access to a robust set of new classroom resources. At the same time, some of the processes around AP Exam registration and ordering will change. All schools offering AP will implement these changes in the 2019-20 school year. We’ll help you with information, support, and guidance to make sure the transition is smooth.

CDE 2e Training

The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) is offering two 2e (twice exceptional – gifted with a disability) training opportunities for educators who want to learn more about gifted students with disabilities, including: gifted educators, general educators, special educators, counselors, psychologists, social workers, specialized service providers, and administrators. Teams from your district, school, or BOCES are welcome to take the course together. Each level is eligible to earn one (1.0) graduate credit hour or 15 re-licensure hours.

Level 1 (7-week online class):
Session One: enrollment closed
Session Two: Opens January 7, 2019 and closes February 23, 2019
Session Three: Opens March 11, 2019 and closes April 27, 2019
INFO & REGISTER

Level 2 (two format options – 4 weeks online and 1 day in person or a 2-day workshop):
Blended Online Session One: enrollment closed
Blended Online Session Two: March 11 – April 26, 2019 online and In-person day or ZOOM
INFO & REGISTER

CDE Online Modules for Teachers:
Addressing Needs of Gifted Learners

Colorado Department of Education Office of Gifted Education offers a variety of online courses for teachers. Among the choices are:
  • Gifted Learner
  • Differentiating for Gifted Learners – Elementary
  • Raising Thinking Skills
  • Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Gifted Learners -- NEW
  • Addressing the Social Emotional Needs of Gifted Learners
  • Depth & Complexity Framework
  • Differentiating for Gifted Learners – Secondary Level
  • Developing Mathematical Thinking in Gifted Learners
  • Reading for the Gifted Learner
  • Creativity for the Gifted Learner

Gifted Conferences

CAGT Conference - October 22-23

Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented (CAGT) Annual Conference
Putting the Pieces Together: Understanding Giftedness

Keynote speakers: Temple Grandin & Tom Clynes

October 22 - 23, 2018
7:00am – 4:30pm
Embassy Suites Loveland
4705 Clydesdale Parkway
Loveland, CO

Registration for 2 DAY and Monday Only is now closed due to overwhelming numbers of registrations. Tuesday Only registration is still open. 

CAGT Parent Institute - parents, guardians, and educators interested in gifted children to come together to hear national and local experts share their knowledge and answer some of your questions.
Monday, October 22, 2018
7:00pm - 9:00pm (Registration opens at 6:30pm)
Embassy Suites Loveland, 4705 Clydesdale Parkway, Loveland, CO
$20 per individual or for 2 family members

CAGT Leadership Forum - This professional event is co-sponsored with the Colorado Department of Education and will be
held Tuesday morning, October 23, 2018. Leadership Forum is an extended session inviting leaders in education to engage in conversation on important issues facing gifted education. It is also time for district teams to gather for collegial discussion during the conference. This year's Leadership Forum guest speaker is Bryan Goodwin, CEO of McREL International, presenting
"Flip the Switch with Student Curiosity". We encourage administrators, coordinators, directors and GT leaders throughout the state to attend this informative and inspiring event.

Tuesday, October 23, 2018
7:30am – 10:45am
Embassy Suites Loveland, 4705 Clydesdale Parkway, Loveland, CO
$25

2 Days of 2e Virtual Conference

2 Days of 2e Virtual Conference is for parents, educators, and clinicians, to help bring out the best and raise self-esteem in 2e learners (gifted with a learning difference). 12 renowned experts and innovators discuss topics from (Mis)identification, anxiety, and perfectionism, to underachievement and advocacy. Participants learn how to use research-based tools for their home, classroom or clinical office. Contact hours are available through the University of Connecticut.

Presented live October 26-27, 2018, but available on-demand through April 2019.

NAGC 65th Annual Convention - Nov 15-18

National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) will have their annual convention and exhibition in Minneapolis, MN this year. This is the largest convention devoted to gifted and talented learners.

Gifted Education Conference & Policy Symposium

The 9th Annual Gifted Education Conference – Theory and Practice: Conceptual Foundations and Classroom Strategies in Gifted Education is designed for teacher leaders, building and district leaders, researchers, parents, mental health professionals, and education service providers. The conference is intended to provide specific topical information about selected areas in gifted education, focusing on both leading edge research advances and practical classroom strategies. Important policy issues and trends facing gifted education today will be highlighted and discussed during the Symposium.

Wednesday, February 6 – Thursday, February 7, 2019
University of Denver Campus
Note: This newsletter is intended to provide a wide array of information that readers may find helpful. In an effort to bring breadth of information, JAGC does not necessarily endorse or support opinions presented. JAGC also does not endorse, approve for services, or recommend any specific program mentioned.

Jefferson County Association

for Gifted Children

P.O. Box 812
​Kittredge, CO 80457

[email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Promoting rigorous education for all students


Copyright © 2025 Jefferson County Association for Gifted Children, unless otherwise attributed.  All rights reserved. This website provides information of a general nature and is designed for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. We are a nonprofit, 501c3.