Minnesota Council for the Gifted & Talented

Building community and empowering families of gifted & talented children from all backgrounds through five core values: Connections, Advocacy, Resources, Equity, and Support.

MCGT Cares

Resources

Gifted & talented people are everywhere. Many parents observe markers of gifts and talents in their child before educators see their strengths.

Learn more about the traits of giftedness

Identifying Gifted

Highlighted Events

CHAT Night: Exploring High School Options (AP, IB, PSEO, Community College, etc

with Lynn norby

thursday, february 19, 2026
7:00 – 8:30pm CT via zoom

free and open to all
no registration required

Join a conversation about what options are available to high school students in Minnesota as they work to find the right fit of challenge, experiences, and readiness for post high school experiences.

Lynn Norby was a founding member of what is now the MCGT Choices chapter and also of STAR Academy. She homeschooled all 4 of her kids at one time and homeschooled one full-time through all of high school. Her kids went on to attend U of MN, St. Johns and Notre Dame and 3 continued on through graduate degrees. Each had different paths through AP, PSEO and Community College and different benefits of participating in these programs.

Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89812966562?pwd=OJ4Az6M58RjrHdrUQGA8a8JYXrtxiJ.1

What is a CHAT Night? CHAT (Connect. Help. Advocate. Talk.) Nights are dedicated to informally connecting parents of gifted children, helping them find other parents in similar situations with an ear to listen, experiences to share, and solutions to offer. Each CHAT Night starts with a brief (10-15 minutes) presentation by a facilitator on a designated topic of interest followed by small group discussion. The format of CHAT Nights is intended to be casual, rather than structured. Due to the nature of CHAT nights, they are not recorded.

Strategies for Positive and Productive Advocacy

with katherine geary and carol malueg

FREE AND OPEN TO ALL BUT REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED

Part 2: thursday, February 12, 2026
7:00pm – 8:30pm CT via zoom

part 2 registration

You can register for both sessions, or just one session. Part 1 attendance is not required to attend Part 2. These sessions will NOT be recorded.

In Session 1 we will use MCGT’s Advocacy Toolkit* to support your relationship with educators, develop a learn profile for your learner, prepare for upcoming parent/educator conferences, and discuss successful advocacy strategies, and potential obstacles to effective advocacy. There will be time for discussion and questions.

As your child’s learning needs, both successes and challenges, evolve during the school year, our advocacy efforts and strategies need to also evolve. In Session 2 there will be a deeper dive into understanding your child’s learning profile, creating a portfolio for your child, building a “paper trail”, document management, and reviewing your school and district educational options. There will be opportunities for discussion and questions.

*MCGT Membership is required to access MCGT’s Advocacy Toolkit, however non-members attending these sessions will be able to see it shared during the sessions.

Family Event:
Let’s Stop Crashing Into Writing

With tina van erp, m.ed

Saturday, February 21, 2026
10:00am – 12:00pm
Roseville, MN

Co-sponsored by Roseville Area Schools

$15 MCGT Member Family
$25 Non-member family

More Details and Registration

This is a family event, parents/caregivers are encouraged to bring their student(s). This is not a drop off event – parents/caregivers must attend.

Using an abbreviated version of human-centered design’s “crash course”, this session will immerse you into the struggle with your learner and writing. Gifted learners have a complex relationship with learning to write and writing. Together we will quiet the noise and identify the first steps to supporting you and/or your learning in improving their relationship with writing. You will leave the session with a new perspective, a lot of knowledge of reasons why gifted learners struggle with writing and the first next right steps to reconnecting your support and partnership with your child.