Madison School District Talented & Gifted Plan Presentation 11/17/2009 from SIS.
Click to listen or CTRL-Click to download this 32mb mp3 audio file. Much more on the Madison School District’s new talented & gifted plan.
Thanks to Jeff Henriques and Laurie Frost for recording this event.
Thanks for posting this, Jim (and for the public service you do by maintaining this site).
A few words about the forum —
First, the best estimate is that somewhere between 150 and 175 people from all across the District showed up. The Hamilton LMC was absolutely packed and the energy was high.
Second, here is the agenda:
6:00 Welcome and introductions (Superintendent Nerad)
6:10 Review of agenda, overview of TAG Plan (Interim TAG Coordinator Barbie Klawikowski and TAG staff Kerry Berns and Bettine Lipman)
6:30 Clarifying questions (this did not happen — we went right into small groups)
6:35 Small group discussion 1
6:55 Small group discussion 2
7:15 Large group share-out (Teaching and Learning Director Lisa Wachtel, with help from MMSD staff discussion group leaders)
7:25 Closing (we ended promptly at 7:30)
Attendees got to participate in two twenty-minute small group discussions. The District chose the five following topics/questions:
Group 1: The Talented and Gifted (TAG) Division is working to systematize and streamline the identification of students with talents and gifts (TAG Plan Goal 1). In your opinion, what are the most important things to consider in identifying students as talented and gifted?
Group 2: Our high schools are reflecting upon and redesigning the curriculum offered to all students to better meet student needs (TAG Plan Goal 2). What advice would you give them about curriculum offerings for TAG students?
Group 3: TAG Plan Goal 3 — Individualized Student Planning — focuses on the creation of a Differentiated Education Plan (DEP, formerly InStep) for identified students. The DEP will document the plan for a student, including transitions. What information would you want included in a DEP for a student’s next teacher?
Group 4: TAG Plan Goal 4 — Provide Support for Student Socio-Emotional Needs — calls for the development of a program to support TAG students in this regard. What do you believe would be the critical elements of a program?
Group 5: TAG Plan Goals 7 and 8 — Communication and Program Evaluation — address the need for consistent and effective communication with stakeholders and evaluation of TAG programming. What information would you want to know about the TAG programming and the progress of the Plan?
Group 6: In response to parental lobbying before the forum, a sixth group was added for a general Q-and-A about the Plan, its implementation, and its further development. Dan Nerad and Barbie Klawikowski led that group.
If you were unable to attend the forum — or even if you were — and you have comments, concerns or questions in response to the above five topics or anything else related to the TAG Plan, its implementation, or the 11/17, please send them to Interim TAG Coordinator Barbie Klawikowski (bklawikowski@madison.k12.wi.us). Ask Barbie to include your comments in the report she will be writing about the forum, which she will be posting on the MMSD TAG website by December 14.
The place was just packed with people. There was an extreme underestimation of how many people would be interested in hearing about the TAG Plan. This clearly reflects the gross underestimation of how concerned parents are about their kids not being challenged.
It is really important for the Superintendent and BOE members to understand how many people are interested in this. Please take a moment to thank them for holding this forum, but explain your frustration and concerns and remind them of the urgency of challenging your child now.
Email:
comments@madison.k12.wi.us