VBPS Gifted and Talented Program Newsletter 2008/2009 Volume 1

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VARSITY ACADEMICS

(This is condensed and paraphrased from an article I read from EdWeek online, August 20, 2008. It certainly provides “food for thought.” ~Mrs. Woody)

On the Today show in July, Matt Lauer was interviewing swimmer Dara Torres the day after she qualified for her fifth Olympics at the age of 41. She broke the American record for the ninth time in that event in the qualifying process, and then she went on to win a silver medal in the Olympics.

Near the end of the interview, Matt asked Dara how she did it. After describing her workout regimen and diet, she said to Matt, good-naturedly, and with a twinkle in her eye, that perhaps she was more athletically gifted than he was.

This was a funny statement - and definitely true. She got a chuckle from Matt and the audience. Dara is clearly far more athletically gifted than most of the population.

But it’s never funny when someone – even good-natured and with a twinkle in their eye – says, “You know, perhaps I’m more intellectually gifted that you are.”

Nobody is advocating that people go around making such statements. But we have such a double standard in our society. When it comes to sports we don’t have any trouble supporting an individual’s pursuit of greater levels of achievement. We cheer them on, we donate to the Booster Club and we raise a fuss when there is a possibility of school sports getting cut. These students have talents that most of the rest of us don’t. It is okay to celebrate the development of their athletic talent. And it should remain so.

And yet the students who excel intellectually are often neglected in our schools. They are sometimes not allowed to move ahead because they might begin to think too highly of themselves. Many people consider gifted programs to be “elitist” or “unnecessary,” and besides, “the students are already where they need to be.” How can we justify putting money into kids who are already succeeding?

The Olympics don’t inspire us because the bar is set at an average level. They inspire us because the bar is set quite high and each individual is stretched to his or her capacity. They break records because they and their coaches focused effort on developing the talent that was already there. Gifted children have natural talent in one or more areas, and we want to let them develop those talents to their fullest potential.

Do we expect gifted athletes like Dara to learn their skills in a heterogeneous group taught at an average pace? Of course not. At some point, in order to pursue what she was capable of, Dara had to break away from that and follow a more challenging course.

It is the same for our intellectually gifted children who have greater levels of thinking ability and academic talent. We can’t expect them to magically develop those talents further solely through regular education classes. We must recognize that they need advanced training to polish what they begin with and to stretch them to their fullest potential.

GOOD LUCK, MRS. WOZNIAK

It is an unfortunate sign of the times that VBPS has had to make budget cuts that reach our classrooms. As a result, we have lost a wonderful 3rd Grade teacher. Good luck, Mrs. Wozniak. We’ll miss you!

To all of my families,

Thank you so much for your generosity and support during a time that is hard for each of us. You each have wonderful children and it has been a sincere pleasure to get the chance to spend a few weeks with them. I hope to be back in the future, but until then I wish you all the best of luck. I look forward to seeing how your children grow and change through out the year (because I will be back to visit!!).

Take care,
Colleen Wozniak

SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 MEMO FROM
DR. LINDA OLSON

If you haven’t had the chance to read the memo addressing the declining enrollment and economic challenges that have arisen in our school district, you may do so by visiting clicking here to visit where this memo is posted on the Van Buren Public Schools web site. Thank you.

Paper copies of this memo were sent home with students the week of September 16, 2008.

GIFTED AND TALENTED TEACHERS 2008/2009

Tyler Elementary

• Kindergarten: Preuss, Lisa
• Grade 1: Dybicki, Kim
• Grade 1/2: Anguilm, Diana
• Grade 2/3: Mallon, Yvonne
• Grade 3: Jedinak, Kaleena
• Grade 3/4: Geshel, Megan
• Grade 4: Hunwick, Scott
• Grade 5: Runyan, Jennifer

North Middle School

Grade 6:

• Bargardi, Dave (Social Studies)
• Kissman, Joan ( Eng. & Enrichment)
• Kost, Susi ( Eng. & Enrichment) sub - Kunselman
• Pryzdzial, Karen (Social Studies)

Grade 7:

• Hudock, Steve (Social Studies)
• Porzondek, Tonya (English)

Grade 8:

• Hutchinson, Bruce (Social Studies)
• Delfuoco, Tracy (English)

NEWS FROM THE COORDINATOR

Welcome to the 2008/2009 school year! It looks like the school year is off to a great beginning. The students are hard at work, the classrooms look terrific, and the teachers are very busy planning an exciting year for your children. It’s hard to believe that September is almost over. We have a great GT Program and so much to be proud of.

As many of you know, the Van Buren School District is experiencing financial difficulty, just like many districts are in the state of Michigan, because of the economy. Many teachers have been laid off, including Colleen Wozniak, a GT teacher from Tyler. We had to reconfigure five of the elementary classrooms to accommodate this change, which required moving several students into different GT classrooms. Thanks to the efforts of the teachers and the cooperation of the parents, the students are all settled and ready to continue learning and achieving. Mrs. Wozniak is an excellent teacher; we wish her well and hope to see her rehired next year.

On a personal note, I am having both knees replaced on October 9. I had hoped to wait until next summer, but the other medical interventions are no longer working, and my doctor recommends that I need to take care of this now. (I’m really quite nervous about this, but everybody assures me that it will be worth it.) I will not be back to work until at least December, and possibly January. My secretary, Mrs. Slone, will be available to handle many questions and day-to-day office concerns. I will also be checking my e-mail as soon as I get home, probably the last week of October. Please be sure to send in the e-mail address request attached to this newsletter so that I have your current e-mail.

Barbara Woody
734-697-6370
bwoodygt@yahoo.com

E-MAIL REQUEST

Throughout the year I like to send reminders and updates using e-mail. This is also an effective way for you to communicate with me. If you're new to the program or just want to make sure that I have your e-mail address, send me a note with your name, your child's name and grade/teacher. Also, feel free to include any siblings in the program as well. When you e-mail me use bwoodygt@yahoo.com.

Thank you!
~Barb Woody

GIFTED RESOURCES

I found this reference in the Septemer 2008 issue of Woman's Day Magazine. I checked out these sites and think that they contain a wealth of information and activities for your children. Take a look! ~Barb Woody

The Internet Public Library Kidspace http://ipl.org/div/kidspace/

An exhaustive roundup of educational links, developed by a consortium of colleges and universities, complete with a homework help section. Does your child need an idea for the science fair? This site leads you to a link of projects with instructions.

Fact Monster
http://www.factmonster.com/

From the folks at Information Please/Pearson Education comes an attractive, easy-to-navigate reference site. Flash cards, multiplication tables, history timelines, biographies of U.S. presidents... they're all here.

Kid Info
http://kidinfo.com/

Created by retired teacher Linda Guterba, this site categorizes links according to the curriculum covered in most U.S. schools, be it ancient Rome or the solar system. You'll also discover online atlases, dictionaries, and encyclopedias.

Math.com
http://math.com/

If you've forgotten what an integer is, you'll need this site's arithmetic refresher courses. From basic addition and subtraction to ratios, algebra and geometry, it takes you through the steps of finding a solutions.

National Geographic Kids http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/

Take a virtual tour of the natural world, including its people and places, flora and fauna. When your third-grader asks you the name of the red-eyed tree from (Agalychnis callidryas) or the population of China (1.3 billion), travel here.

B.J. Pinchbeck's Homework Helper http://bjpinchbeck.com

Recommended by the University of North Carolina School of Education and other educational institutions, this one-stop 411 was created by a 9-year-old with his dad. That was 12 years ago, and B.J. is still offering more than 800 updated links to subject matters from art to social studies... even recess. You'll also find links to study guides, such as studygs.net, that can help your child with time management and other learning skills. C.S.

Elementary GT Classroom News

Mrs. Preuss & Ms. Liu – Kindergarten

Ms. Liu and Mrs. Preuss are enjoying getting to know your child and we are working together to discover their individual needs and strengths. They are doing great learning the Chinese names for things such as shapes, days of the week, and numbers.  Along with learning to say those, they are also learning their Chinese name and how to write it. We expect to have a great year!

Mrs. Dybicki & Ms. Chin - First Grade

“Nihao” from the first graders who are in the Chinese immersion class. (“Nihao” is Chinese for “Hello.”) The students have been very busy learning all about apples. They have been using their math skills to weigh, measure, and count the seeds in the apples. In science they have been studying how apples grow, and in social studies the students are learning about different kinds of apples and where they grow. In addition, the kids can talk about apples using some Chinese words!

Pet Week was a lot of fun! The first graders brought their pets to school to show their friends. They talked about their pets and learned how to say their pets’ names in Chinese. Everyone is looking forward to a fantastic year in first grade!

Mrs. Anguilm’s First and Second Grade

Mrs. Anguilm’s first and second graders are off to a great start.  Our curriculum is both challenging and exciting.  In addition to reading, writing, and mathematics, we will be doing many interesting Social Studies and Science units.  So far, we have been learning about our rivers and how important they are to us and our community.  Next week we are building a river in our classroom and we are very excited to get started on that. 

Welcome back, Students - it’s going to be a wonderful year!

Mrs. Mallon’s Second & Third Grade

Mrs. Mallon's second graders are off to a great start, learning about place value, the continents and oceans, and the scientific process.  We've learned that fractured fairy tales aren't really broken, just changed in some way.  We look forward to the addition of 6 new third graders this week and can't wait to learn with them!

Mrs. Jedinak's Third Grade

We have enjoyed the past couple weeks together in our class and are excited to welcome some new friends into our lively community.  Thanks to all the parents and students who so willingly offer your support and help with projects, copies, helping in class, etc.  It makes the classroom community so much stronger!

We have been learning about our environment, Earth's natural resources, ways to recycle and protect our land, air, and water, and will soon be learning about our local watershed.  We will perform water quality tests to determine the heath of our watershed and then devise a plan to protect and improve it.  We have also been writing poetry the past few weeks.  We sure have some creative poets in the room! 

We have a pre-student teacher joining us for the first half of the year.  Her name is Ms. Grace.  Once we all got to know her a bit we tried our hand at writing a poem about her.  The poems really made her smile. :) I'm looking forward to a great year!  Mrs. Jedinak

Ms. Geshel’s Third & Fourth Grade

We’re very excited about the new third graders who have joined our class. For many of the students, these are old friends from last year. The third graders are busy practicing their cursive writing and are getting quite proficient already. We read “Arctic Voyage,” a story about explorer Matthew Henson, and we’re studying the fifty states, regions of the United Sates, and land formations.

The fourth graders are reading Gossamer, a novel by Lois Lowry. They are really into it! The writing project for fourth graders is autobiographical and is called “A Day in the Life of …” Coming attractions include Michigan history and Hispanic Heritage Month. As you can see, we’re very busy in Ms. Geshel’s class!

Mr. Hunwick’s Fourth Grade

The students in Mr. Hunwick’s class have begun working on their “Day in the Life of … Project.” Each student uses pictures taken from their life to create a photo journal of who they are and what they do. These literary masterpieces will be displayed in the hallway across from the cafeteria. Please feel free to stop by and take a look.

Mrs. Runyan ’s Fifth Grade

We’re off to a great start in 5 th grade. We are reading The City of Ember and the students can’t wait to find out what happens next. We have also been discussing our upcoming field trip to the Cranbrook Institute of Science for 2 days in the beginning of October. In science class we can’t wait to study Energy, Motion, the Moon, Electricity and Fossils. The students have also been creating their own science vocabulary posters that they are presenting to the class.

We can’t wait for our trip to Chicago!!!

Middle School GT Classroom News

GRADE 6

English & Enrichment (Mrs. Kissman): Welcome! The school is off to a good start. The students seem comfortable and ready to learn. We started off the year with a pre-test in English and are about to begin the process for our first research paper in Enrichment. The plans for this year are for the students to increase and enhance their writing abilities using the “6 Traits of Writing.” In reading, the students will sharpen their reading comprehension, conversation, and presentation skills. Let’s not forget the creative side. The students will be given numerous opportunities to be creative by way of projects, group work, and dramatization, all of which will be centered on the curriculum.

English & Enrichment (Mrs. Kunselman - subbing for Mrs. Kost): If I did not get a chance to meet you at North’s Open House, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Letitia Kunselman, and I will be substituting for Mrs. Susi Kost until October 27. I am a certified teacher of English and Communication; previously I have taught in the Ann Arbor Public Schools and at Eastern Michigan University. I am delighted to be at North Middle School and am very excited at the opportunity to teach and learn with these exceptional children.

The GT students in Mrs. Kost’s Enrichment class are currently reading a novel for a book talk that will be given by each student during the week of October 13. This assignment requires them to keep a reading log and answer a series of questions on character, setting, conflict, and resolution, as well as reader response questions. In addition to this assignment, the students are working on a research paper; through this project, students will learn how to take notes, cite sources, and refine a thesis statement. This is the first research project of the year, with more to follow as the year progresses; therefore, the students may choose the subject for this first project.

In GT English, the students have been working on an essay and refreshing their writing skills. As we move on from this project, we will be reading a novel as a class; the novel is Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan. I’m anticipating great class discussions from this novel!

Social Studies (Mr. Bargardi & Ms. Przydzial): Welcome to a new and exciting school year!  We are happy to announce that we have two GT teachers for Social Studies this year, Mr. Bargardi and Ms. Przydzial.  The beginning of the year will focus mainly on MEAP review and the Five Themes of Geography.  You might have already noticed your child working vigorously on MEAP vocabulary words.  The first major project will be given the second week of October.  Students will use the Five Themes of Geography to describe an assigned state.  Next stop.......... Canada!

GRADE 7

English (Mrs. Porzondek): Hello There! Just a quick note to let you know that in the 7th grade GT English class we are starting off the year with practice for the MEAP.  This includes having students read various selections and respond in a way that demonstrates that they can organize their thinking and writing. We'll transition into a unit of literacy strategies in an effort to become better at the grammatical part of writing.  I know it sounds like an exciting start, but grammar cannot be ignored or forgotten!  The beginning of the year is the best time so that these skills can be practiced throughout the year.  We will "throw" in a time capsule, a textbook scavenger hunt, and play some literacy games. GT students need to be reading at least 100 pages a week in their novels. It's all "fun and games." 

Social Studies (Mr. Hudock): We have kicked off the year with a bit of a social studies review of basic geography skills, our new GPS units, and a Constitution Day celebration!

We will be quickly moving into ancient history of the Eastern Hemisphere where students will study three or four different ancient civilizations and then compare these in a final project.

This should take us through the first quarter and possibly into the second. It has been a great start to the new year, and I am very excited to be working with my new class. We had fun trying to figure out the GPS units and may revisit these again soon. I’m looking forward to a successful year with everyone!

GRADE 8

English (Mrs. Delfuoco): Mrs. Delfuoco’s Language Arts Class is off to a fantastic start! I have really enjoyed getting to know this year’s 8 th grade GT students. What a great group! We began the year by interviewing each other and then giving speeches. It was a terrific way for me to get to know the students. We are currently prepping for MEAP. The students have tried their hand at grading essays according to the MEAP rubric and have already written two of their own essays. I am impressed by the amount of creativity and talent that I have observed. I know that it is going to be an awesome year!

Social Studies (Mr. Hutchinson):

Well, it has been a busy start to the school year as we have dived right into studying the principles of the Constitution with students working together to create wonderful posters that showcase the fundamental beliefs of American democracy. For the next few weeks we will continue to examine the growth of the United States as a new nation while continuing our exploration of the foundations of American law and government. Please look for upcoming information on the 8th grade GT trip to Washington D.C. (We are waiting to get dates confirmed from Mrs. Tilson) as well as the annual " America and Me" essay contest sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance which presents opportunities to earn money for college. As always, feel free to contact me anytime via email at bhutchin@vanburenschools.net.