Sessions Recommended for Parents

Reading Strategies with Kelly Jackson (10:15-11:00)

Parents tips, ideas and some classroom strategies found to be successful in getting reluctant readers to read will be offered by Ms. Jackson.

This is her fourth year as a Kindergarten teacher at Stargate has a BS with an endorsement in Special Education, and is currently working on her Master's degree in Educational Administration.

G/T 101 with Nancy Hall (10:15-11:00)

No matter what the age of your gifted child, this session covers the basics of what behaviors and expectations are typical from young gifted children.  Ms Hall has been in the field of gifted education for over 20 years, authored Stargate's Charter proposal, and founded two schools which focus on the needs of gifted students.  She was Stargate's educational leader for the first five years and served as its Executive Director for a brief time.  Ms. Hall has also worked as a consultant in gifted education, including coordinating the start-up of a charter school for highly gifted students in North Carolina.

Social/Emotional Needs of the Gifted with Meril Amos (11:15-12:00)

Gifted children typically bring with them a unique set of attributes, which are not necessarily found in same-age peers.  Ms. Amos, Stargate's Counselor, will have information on what to expect as well as how to handle some of these issues.  She has a background in Mental Health and School Counseling, and a Master's degree in Counseling from Fort Hays State University.  This is her second year at Stargate.

Leadership and Gifted Children with Shelly Krill (11:15-12:00)

This will be a fun, hands-on session which demonstrates some of the leadership training Ms Krill does with Student Council and other Jr. High groups.  Ms. Krill has been at Stargate for five years, teaching Language Arts in Junior High.

Value of Foreign Language Instruction with Jennifer Burchill (1:45-2:30)

Have you ever wondered what the benefits of studying a foreign language are or why there are foreign language requirements in most schools?  Have you ever wondered why your child is not fluent in a foreign language after years of instruction?  This session will look at some of the practical aspects of studying foreign languages.  We will begin with a hands on demonstration that will get you talking even if you don’t know a word of Spanish before you walk in the room.

Jennifer Burchill has been a teacher at Stargate for seven years.  She graduated from the University in Maryland in 2001 with a degree in Foreign Language Instruction. She studied Spanish pedagogy at the Universidad de Playa Ancha in Valparaíso, Chile.  In addition to Spanish, she has studied American Sign Language (ASL) and Russian.

Parenting Your Gifted Child with Bev Weiler & Valicia McPherson (1:45-2:30)

This will be an informal session talking frankly, answering questions and offering encouragement about the ups and downs of gifted children at home and school.  Bev and Valicia helped to start Stargate thirteen years ago, responding to their own children's needs. Between them, they have seven gifted children, who currently range through all levels of education from fourth grade through college, and represent the full spectrum of gifted children, including highly gifted and twice-exceptional.

Sessions Recommended for Educators

Differentiation in the Classroom with Stargate Staff (10:15-11:00)

Offering practical strategies, tips and classroom examples, members of Stargate's staff will present how they handle diverse needs in a several content areas.

Technology in the Classroom with Russell Burchill (11:15-12:00)

Presentation will focus on practical applications of technology and a variety of ideas which teacher can use.

Needs of Highly Gifted Children with Chris Johnston (1:45-2:30)

This population has unique educational and social/emotional needs which often go unrecognized and are underserved by the educational system.  Ms J will offer some insights and accomodations which can be made.  She is the Associate Director at Stargate, has been with the school for ten years.

Effective Educational Use of Smartboards with Ryan Valance (2:45-3:30)

Mr. Valance will offer tips, ideas and practical suggestions for how to effectively apply this new technology in a classroom setting.

Panel Discussions

High School Panel:  Life After Stargate

This panel, facilitated by Stewart McPherson,  will have Stargate alumni representatives from local schools that will give a presentation about their experiences at each school. This is an opportunity for parents, students or educators to think about what the high school options are for eighth graders and also to get a first person perspective on what High School life is all about for Stargate students.

They Said It Couldn't Be Done! - a Q & A, with Nancy Hall, Doug Morrow and Roger McPherson

This informal discussion will answer questions and satisfy curiosity about what the educational and community environment was like in the early years of the school. Nancy and Doug are the authors of Stargate's charter proposal and initial members of the school's leadership team.   Roger served as the initial Chair of the Organizing Council and Governing Council of the School.

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