Saturday October 25, 2008
O'Shaughnessy Education Center
St. Paul campus of the University of St. Thomas
Instructions for registering after the October 14th deadline are available at this link:
MCGT is pleased that, for the tenth year, the University of St. Thomas School of Education's Graduation Program for Gifted Studies is host and co-sponsor of MCGT's Annual Conference. MCGT's 2008 annual conference will be held on Saturday, October 25, in O'Shaughnessy Education Center on the St. Paul campus of the University of St. Thomas. (That's the weekend after the teacher convention.)
The keynote speaker will be Andrew Mahoney, director of a counseling center for the gifted and talented in Pennsylvania, and past chair of the Counseling and Guidance Division of the National Association of Gifted Children. Mahoney speaks and consults on topics that help counselors, educators and parents better understand the nature of gifted and talented people and their identity. He is also a professional pastel artist.
Mr. Mahoney's keynote address is titled "Understanding Executive Functioning and Your Gifted Child." (See the last page of the registration form for a more complete resume and a description of his keynote.) Mr. Mahoney will also conduct three breakout sessions.
Conference registration information, including the class options for kids from kindergarten to seventh grade, is on the blue pages in the center of the September issue of Outlook and here, in the link below:
The conference includes adult sessions on a variety of topics, plus morning and afternoon classes for kindergarten through seventh grade kids. Parents who are coming to the conference and bringing their children must pre-register for their child's choice of both a morning and afternoon class. You'll find several new teachers and courses for the kids, as well as new presenters and subjects for the breakout sessions. Adults do not choose their sessions before the day of the conference. A tentative schedule for the adult breakout sessions and descriptions of the sessions are available in the links below. Note: the list of breakouts and when they are scheduled is subject to change.
Tentative Adult Breakout Session Schedule (pdf)
Adult Breakout Session Descriptions (pdf)
A diverse group of displayers and vendors will show their services and sell their products. The MCGT book sales table will include books from several publishers for gifted kids, their parents and teachers. Payment with cash or checks are preferred by most.
Those who register by October 3 will receive their choice of a set of 12 fact sheets about gifted kids and their education from the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), a copy of Parenting for High Potential magazine (NAGC publication), or a coupon for $1.00 off a purchase from MCGT's book table.
October 14 is the deadline for all registrations. Classes in the Kids Program fill quickly, so don't wait! No class will exceed 20 students; students volunteers will help in some classes. Postcards will be sent to confirm each child's classes.
Three of Minnesota's authors will autograph their books about gifted kids in the lobby during the lunch break and at the end of the afternoon: Wendy Skinner, Infinity and Zebra Stripes: Life with Gifted Children; Deborah Ruf, Losing Our Minds: Gifted Children Left Behind; and Karen Rogers, Re-Forming Gifted Education: How Parents and Teachers Can Match the Program to the Child. Their books will be available at the MCGT table.
This will be a stimulating, informative, and fun day of networking, learning and making connections for everyone - parents, educators, counselors, psychologists, other professionals and anyone interested in gifted kids.
Hope to see you there!
MCGT Annual Meeting Notice
Saturday, October 25th
The Annual Meeting of the Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, October 25th, in the auditorium in O'Shaughnessy Education Center at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul campus, during the annual conference. Plan on attending this short informational meeting to hear about what has happened with MCGT in the past year plus plans for 2009, and to elect and meet board members. Outgoing President Teresa Boatman will highlight MCGT's activities in the past year. Julie Borchart, MCGT treasurer, will discuss the organization's financial status and answer questions about how MCGT's money is spent.
The membership-at-large will vote on the MCGT Board's recommendation to re-elect board members whose terms expire this year: Karl Bunday (stepping into the President's position) and Betty Johnson (newsletter editor), and to elect new board member Jackie Hildreth (secretary); their terms will expire in October, 2010. Nominations will be accepted for additional board positions. All positions are for two years.
Several current board members whose terms expire in October, 2009, will assume new responsibilities. Kelly Beck-O'Sullivan will be the Chapter Liaison (and continue to do the layout for Outlook), and Carrie Hickman will be the Publicity chair. Teresa Boatman, current president, will remain on the board as Past President, a non-elected position.
We are still in need of a Treasurer. Skills needed are knowledge of Quicken computer program, basic accounting skills, and the ability to travel to the Edina Community Center on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Additionally, the Treasurer will work with administrative assistant on a frequent basis.
The vice-president position will become vacant, since Karl Bunday is moving into the President's position.
The Annual Meeting is a prime opportunity to hear about the focus and strategy of MCGT, and a chance to talk with board members about their involvement and the decisions they make. It is also a time for you to share your ideas, thoughts, and suggestions about where MCGT should head in the future. It is your right and responsibility as a member to attend and be heard. If you are unable to attend but have concerns, questions or suggestions, please contact Teresa Boatman, teresa.boatman@mcgt.net. See you on October 25!
Book Swap for Kids at the MCGT Fall Conference
Bring your good condition, used children's and adolescent books to the MCGT conference this fall and return home with new reading material! As part of the MCGT Conference on October 25, we are offering you a chance to leave with new (to you) books for the winter.
After you check in at the registration table on the morning of the conference, go to the Book Swap table and exchange those books for coupons. (No textbooks, adult or preschool books, please). Return in the afternoon and redeem the coupons for books your fellow conference attendees turned in that morning. Extra adolescent books will be available this year. We hope this service will bring kids and adults together over similar tastes in literature. Maybe you will even leave with satisfied readers - at least for a week or two!!!
Request for Volunteers
We're looking for folks who can spend a few hours helping either before or during the October 25 MCGT Conference. Tasks include preparing attendee folders, setting up and taking down at the conference, working at the registration and MCGT book sales table, helping distribute box lunches, tape-recording the keynoter's sessions, etc. And you won't miss any sessions!
We also need mature junior or senior high students to assist teachers of kids' classes (morning, afternoon, or all-day). Look at the courses in the registration form and tell us where you'd like to help. We'll provide your lunch. This activity qualifies as Community Service, so we'll give you a certificate for your wall or scrapbook plus a letter verifying your work that you can give to your school's counselor for your resume or school file.
The continued success of MCGT's Annual Conference depends on volunteers. Let us know what you would like to do! Call 952-848-4906 or email co-chairs Shari Colvin crowriver@mcgt.net or Betty Johnson betty.johnson@mcgt.net.
Late Registration Instructions
The registration deadline for the Annual MCGT conference has past, but we may be able to take late registrations. See the appropriate instructions below for how to register after Friday, October 17:
- If you have an "Adult-only" registration (i.e. you will NOT be bringing kids to attend the Kids' Program):
Before Monday, October 20th at 3pm, email your name, address and lunch choice to
info@mcgt.net. Even though you give us that information by email, we still need you to mail in your registration form and payment. Mail these to the address listed on the form so that we receive it by Wednesday, October 22nd.After Monday, October 20th at 3pm, email your name and address to
info@mcgt.net. You will not be able to get a lunch at the conference and will need to make your own arrangements for lunch. Bring the registration form and payment to the conference. Emailing your information to us ahead of time for these "at the door" registrations allows us to have materials and a name tag ready for you so the registration process will be much quicker! - If you are interested in bringing kids to attend the Kids' Program:
Registration for the Kids' Program will close at 3pm, Monday, October 20th. There are a few spots open in most of the classes for kids. The exceptions to this are that the all-day Harry Potter class is full and three classes are cancelled: both chess classes and A303, "Youth Can Change the World"; students who signed up for those have been placed in their second choice.
If you are interested in signing up your child for one of these openings, please email all the information on the registration form (including food and class choices) to
info@mcgt.netbefore Monday, October 20th at 3pm. Openings will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis, but no kids' registrations will be accepted after Monday. Even though you give us your information by email, we still need you to mail in your registration form and payment. Mail these to the address listed on the form so that we receive it by Wednesday, October 22nd.
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