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Emory will host summer programs for gifted kids ages 6 and up
The leaves aren’t even off the trees yet, but somehow we’ve entered the application season for summer programs for 2011.
The Summer Institute for the Gifted is now taking applications for all of its programs, which range from day camps for elementary-age students to residential experiences for middle- and high-school kids.
Emory University is a host site this summer, which opens up a whole array of options for us local folks. Kids as young as 6 can attend a three-week day camp on campus. Older kids (ages 10-17) can live at Emory in the residential program or attend as commuter students, going to camp during the day and coming home at night.
Make no mistake: This camp is pricey. The day camp for little kids is $2,000 for three weeks. But the sad truth is, when it comes to finding camps for the gifted that will take kids as young as 6, there aren’t that many local options. As for the residential program, it’s $4,400. The commuter option will cut your fees roughly in half (to $2,500); however, commuter students miss out on evening and weekend social events — and from what I’ve read, the social aspect of this camp for the gifted is almost as important as the academic component.
Free physics demonstration at UWG
The University of West Georgia is hosting a physics demonstration for children next Friday, Oct. 29, from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. The class will be led by two of the university’s physics professors, who will present such scientific wonders as bubbles, burning steel, a bed of nails and an electrified hot dog and pickle. (I don’t know what “electrified hot dog and pickle” means; I just saw it on the flier and found it too fascinating to leave out.) UWG bills the event as appropriate for ages 6 and up.
As I’ve said about UWG before, it’s a great resource and the price is right on their kids’ classes, but be prepared for a long drive — it’s about an hour’s drive to the campus from where I-285 intersects I-20 on the west side of town.
For more information, call (678) 839-4087.
Legislative meeting CANCELED
I got word today that the DeKalb legislative meeting scheduled for this Thursday, Oct. 21 at the Capitol has been CANCELED. Dr. Mark Elgart, president of SACS, has business in Washington, D.C., that day. They say they’ll reschedule. I’ll let you know when I hear more.
Deadline near for NAGC Parent Day
As part of its annual convention, the National Association for Gifted Children (with the Georgia Association for Gifted Children) will hold a one-day seminar for parents on Saturday, Nov. 13, at the Georgia World Congress Center.
While most of the NAGC’s main convention is geared toward educators, Parent Day is ideal for parents who want to foster their children’s growth and success. The event will offer sessions on parenting gifted kids, and working as your child’s advocate with your school and teachers. There also will be time for networking with other Georgia parents of gifted kids.
The deadline for advance registration by fax or mail is Oct. 26, although if you miss that, you can register at the door on the day of the event.
If you’re a member of GAGC or NAGC, the event fee is $65. If you’re not a member, you’ll pay $110, which includes one year of membership in both organizations.
More information and the registration form are available through the NAGC web site.
Legislative team meeting Oct. 21
UPDATE 10/18/10: I just received word that this meeting has been CANCELED, but they say they will reschedule it for a future date. So technically, I guess it’s been postponed. I’ll keep you posted.
If you’ve been following DeKalb County Schools in the news, you know that we’ve had our struggles with allegations of impropriety at the highest levels. You may also know that the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) has requested more information from our school board about the system’s operation. This is serious business — so serious that two members of the Georgia House of Representatives, Mary Margaret Oliver and Howard Mosby, are taking their own look into what’s happening in DeKalb.
Their group, called the DeKalb Study Work Group on Education Issues, will hold its next meeting on Thursday, Oct. 21, at 10 a.m. in the Capitol, room 341. They haven’t released the full agenda yet, but Dr. Mark Elgart, president of SACS, is scheduled to speak at the meeting.
While this isn’t directly related to gifted education, it is important to our school system as a whole, so I thought it merited a mention.
Fernbank presents bird watching, chemistry and more
In clicking around the Fernbank Science Center web site for my previous post, I found a variety of programs coming up this fall:
- A bird watching tour in Fernbank Forest the morning of Oct. 16
- National Fossil Day activities from 1-5 p.m. on Oct. 16. Kids can do a fossil dig and create a fossil cast, and it’s all free.
- Chemistry Night In, an evening of hands-on chemistry and physics activities for kids in 4th-6th grades. The first session will be held Oct. 22 and will look at how chemistry is used to create special effects for movies. Registration fee of $15 per child ($10 per additional sibling) is due by Oct. 15.
- Exploring Nature with Your Child. Taught by an ecologist, this program encourages children to bring in natural items they find (e.g., unusual bugs, feathers, leaves) to learn more about what animals and plants are in our local habitats. The ecologist also discusses a nature topic and takes the kids out for a walk in the forest. This free program will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Oct. 7, Oct. 21 and Nov. 4. No registration is necessary.
No school Friday makes Thursday night perfect for stargazing at Fernbank
This Friday, all DeKalb County schools will be closed for one of our furlough days. That means Thursday night isn’t a school night, making it a great time to watch the stars at Fernbank Science Center.
At 8 p.m., you can see the featured planetarium show about the Hubble Space Telescope, then hang around to watch the night sky in the observatory, which is open until 10:30 p.m.
Gifted Atlanta 