September PACE Meeting

Columbus City Schools has Gifted Resource Specialists assigned to all of our school
buildings and Primary Enrichment Specialists assigned to several of our
elementary buildings. Come out and meet your Specialist and see how they can help maximize your students gifted learning experience. To start the meeting, Dr. Colleen Boyle, Director of the Gifted and Talented Division will speak on identification and definitions of giftedness. This will be an informal meeting with Specialists and parents. Join us to speak with your child’s Specialist and connect with other families going through similar challenges in raising gifted children.

Thursday September 19, 2019, from 6:30pm-8:00pm
Arts Impact Middle School (AIMS)
680 Jack Gibbs Blvd., Columbus, OH 43215
(Cafeteria)

You may have seen a few things in the Dispatch lately about potential school closings, and changes. (More details of this came to my attention via my civic association – Forest Park Civic Association).

Besides regional plans, there is also a plan for Citywide Alternative Programs Options. Some of these may have a significant impact on Columbus Alternative High School, as well as other programs of interest.

Please plan to attend meetings scheduled to discuss the work of the Columbus City Schools Facilities Master Plan Ad Hoc Committee.

Citywide Alternative Programs Options (PDF City-wide Alternative)
Wednesday April 20th—Fort Hayes Campus, Building 110 (cafeteria), 7:30-9:30pm

Info on regional meetings can be accessed through
Links:
Columbus City Schools: Facilities Master Plan
Facilities Master Plan Ad Hoc Committee

In case you missed it, here is a Dispatch Editorial regarding New Gifted School from Sat. Aug. 29.
Another kind of special need: City kids with exceptional abilities have a place to call their own

While the editorial says many good things about the Columbus program, it notes:

But when it comes to Ohio’s gifted children, state law requires only that they be identified. No services are required.

This has long been a key issue for parents and other advocates for gifted children. Thus services to gifted children end up on the chopping block every time a new budget crunch comes along. The only way to change this is through concerted collective action. It might be worth joining the Ohio Association for Gifted Children. Among resources available at their web site are the latest Advocacy Update.

You might also consider signing up for GTAdvocate (or the wider, high volume, OhioGift) listservs, to receive email updates. These are on the on the OAGC Advocacy page. (You might even want to consider joining your local O.A.G.C. affiliate – like P.A.C.E. – if you are not already a member.)

Numbers matter – both at the state and local levels.

Here is Columbus Dispatch page one story from Wed. Aug 26, 2015 on Columbus City Schools’ new Gifted Academy:
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/08/26/given-room-to-grow.html

Here is C.C.S. link for Columbus Gifted Academy:
http://www.ccsoh.us/ColumbusGiftedAcademy.aspx

Bill Bush @ Dispatch intersted in your thoughts on New Gifted School| A message from P.A.C.E. Home

Parents

I got a call from Bill Bush, education reporter at the Columbus Dispatch. He is looking for thoughts from parents regarding the new self-contained gifted school @ Beck.

Do you have a student there? Or perhaps did you choose instead to use one of the other service options, such as having services at the local school? Mr Bush would love to hear from you!

Please call Bill Bush ASAP at 614-461-8591

Regards

While you are hopefully having a splendid summer, here is another reminder of why it is so important to join P.A.C.E. (Parents for Academic Challenge and Enrichment).

There was a largely adulatory article recently in the Columbus Dispatch concerning the first year of Dan Good’s first year as interim (now permanent) Superintendent of Columbus City Schools: “A year in, Dan Good has won fans with style”.

I notice that in the article

Good said his biggest “misstep” was the botched April rollout of changes to the district’s gifted and talented program, which led some parents of gifted students to threaten to keep their kids out of state proficiency tests.

It is good to see that Dr. Good is aware of these concerns. (Also, the issue is not fully resolved.) While many of the parents who made the most noise may not have been members of P.A.C.E., they ought to be! It is important that we help guide Dr. Good, the Board, and other educational leaders to be able set policies and procedures with the knowledge that they have heard from parents of gifted and talented students.

When P.A.C.E. can engage the Superintendent (or other officials) as an organization representing many parents, the officials will listen!

Those membership numbers matter! Even if you can’t be as active in the organization as you might like to be, I still encourage you to join. Then you can be counted among those who raise important concerns. At any level of activity, you can learn more about gifted education — not just for the good of your child, but to the benefit of all our children. (And when you are ready to be a more active leader, the steps to that are shorter.)

The same principle of strength in numbers applied to our advocacy at the state house, through our affiliation with O.A.G.C., the Ohio Association for Gifted Children.

Please join us for our May meeting:
Monday May 13,2013 – 6:30-8:00 p.m.
at the Shepard Center, 873 Walcutt Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43219 (MAPS)

Join fellow parents of gifted students, as we wrap up 2012-2013 meetings, and look ahead to next school year.

Planned highlights of this meeting.

• A Brief Thanks and Farewell to Dr. Gene Harris
• Election of Officers for 2013-2014
• Discussion to help Steering frame an agenda for 2013-2013
• Parent-To-Parent Sharing and Discussions to help each other

No matter what challenges you are encountering on the pilgrimage of raising your gifted and talented student, you are not alone. Come and compare notes with other parents and guardians. Let us learn from each other, and together work to make our experiences and programs the best possible – on the level of each student, school, district, and the state.

We especially request your contribution to the discussion for planning next year’s focuses and activities. Steering will appreciate all the ideas and enthusiasm you bring, as they on seek to plan programs and advocacy for 2013-2014! And you will be glad you came and contributed.

We will have child care at this meeting. Your child is welcome to bring a favorite book or game – or homework!

We are a community of parents, grandparents, guardians and families working to help gifted children shine. We know the frustrations, the joys and the intensity of raising a gifted child and we support all those who are on this difficult and wonderful journey.

Latest Flyer is available on the Resources page, in case you want to share with a friend!