Group Rate Reservations

Dr. Robin Carey

Robin J. Carey, Ph.D. has over 30 years experience in public education. During her career, she taught K-12 vocal and instrumental music, was a gifted education facilitator at the middle school level, and served for several years as a director of instructional support services, educational programming, and personalized learning to include meeting the needs of gifted learners, English language learners, and literacy interventions through a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) framework. Robin also served as the president of the Colorado Association of Educational Specialists (CAES) Department in the Colorado Association of School Executives, and was name the 2014 CAES Distinguished Service Award Recipient.

 Robin holds a bachelor of arts degree in Music Education from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota and a master of arts in Gifted Education from the University of Northern Colorado.  She earned her doctor of philosophy in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Denver in 2011.  Her dissertation focused on using the Response to Intervention framework to serve the needs of all learners through the lens of high potential.

 

Dr. Blanche Kapushion

Blanche Kapushion, Ph.D. has been in education in Colorado for 33 years as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, principal and central administrator.  Her love for education is evident.  A favorite activity is traveling with students in various regions of the world to help them discover new strengths and passions.  Besides travel, reading, music and gardening keep her busy.

She earned her BA in Elementary Education from the University of Colorado in Boulder, her MA in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Colorado in Denver, with an endorsement in Gifted Education, and her PhD in Administration and Policy at the University of Denver.

 

Dr. Elizabeth Shaunessy-Dedrick

Elizabeth Shaunessy-Dedrick, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Gifted Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the University of South Florida.  She teaches graduate courses leading to the Florida Gifted Endorsement and the Master of Arts degree in Gifted Education.  For the past 11 years, Elizabeth has worked closely with USF colleagues in the College of Education to identify academic stressors experienced by students in accelerated learning programs and recently completed a grant project funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) to study stress and coping among advanced learners. In 2009, Elizabeth and other USF colleagues were awarded a Jacob A. Javits Gifted and Talented Education Grant, which supported the examination of differentiated learning in reading in 8 elementary schools that served a large population of students who qualified for subsidized meal programs.  She has published in Gifted Child Quarterly, Journal for the Education of the Gifted, Psychology in the Schools, Roeper Review, and the Journal of Advanced Academics, where she recently completed a four-year term as Associate Editor.

Breakout Sessions October 4 - 6

Organization of Breakout Sessions 

Sunday - Breakout sessions for educators and parents.  

* Special workshop for students elementary through middle school presented by Destination Imagination and Science City.

* SENG Parent Group Training continuation from Saturday pre-convention training.

Monday - Breakout sessions for educators and parents.

* Special sessions for administrators.  

Monday Evening - "Wine and Dine at Prairie Fire!"

* Monday evening head over to Fat Brain Toys at 5601 West 135th Street, Overland Park, at Prairie Fire just 3 miles from the Marriot.  Where we will "Wine and Dine" with Fat Brain.  As you peruse Fat Brain Toys, you may find something missing. In fact, if you are accustomed to the toy selection at most stores, you may find lots of items missing.  Missing are the licensed, violent, cheaply made toys that end up in the trash can shortly after being played with.  But what you will find are THOUSANDS of quality, open-ended toys, games, and gifts that entertain AND educate.

* You can also head over to the American Museum of Natural History where they have created a place to understand and celebrate natural history and culture in our region and around the world.  The Museum will engage visitors and area students with world-class exhibitions, important programming and significant educational opportunities.

Tuesday - Breakout sessions for educators and parents.

KGTC will have high-quality breakout sessions in all topics related to gifted education stakeholders from parents to administrators and especially teachers.

Strands for this year represent our theme  of MTSS: The Real Thing.  They are:

1. Tier 1: Units, Activities, or Strategies to use in the general education classroom with high ability/gifted students (differentiation strategies, classroom challenge centers)
2. Tier 2: Targeted individualized classes/units/competitions for small groups of high ability students, including but not limited to Math Plus class, First Lego League, Science Fair, History Day, Future City.
3. Tier 3: Units, activities, or strategies to use in the Gifted education classroom
4. Information about gifted students: Identification, IEPs, Social-Emotional needs, Twice-Exceptional, etc.
5. What School Psychologists need to know about Gifted  including testing, IEPs and more.
6. KGTC: What you need to know about KGTC including board structure and activities, Survey of Best Practices, and much more.
7. What administrators need to know about Gifted students and Gifted education
8. Parenting gifted students  with information about SMPG, Overexcitabilities and more.

By using these strands an attendee will be able to plan which breakout sessions provide the information that he or she needs in his or her own situation.

College Credit

One hour of college credit for $60 will be available through University of St. Mary, Leavenworth.  For more information contact Gwen Singer- Landever gwen@landever.com or glandever@gmail.com.

Payment Options and Instructions

There are several payment options available to pay your registration fees:

CREDIT CARD - Select the PayPal option to register with your business/district/personal VISA or MasterCard.

CHECK - Select this option to pay by business/district/personal check or to use a Purchase Order.  Please include contact information for the Accounts Payable department or the person in your building who is responsible for payment of fees through Purchase Order.

Cancellations will not be accepted after September 23, 2015 and you will be obligated for payment.

Note: Each convention attendee (including students) must complete a registration form individually.  Group registrations are not allowed.

Hotel Reservation Information

You must make hotel reservations directly with the Overland Park Marriott.  Follow the link below or you can contact them through Marriott Reservations at 1-800-228-9290 or calling the property directly at 913-451-8000.

Book your group rate for Kansas Association for Gifted Talented and Creative Annual Convention

All reservations must be accompanied by a first night room deposit or guaranteed with a major credit card.  The Hotel will not hold any reservations unless secured by one of the above methods.

Reservations received by the Hotel prior to 6:00 PM on Monday, September 18, 2015 booked directly at the property (913-451-8000) will be eligible for the KGTC discounted price of $115.00 (plus all applicable taxes) per night by asking for the KGTC discount.  After that time, the KGTC rate is no longer available and the normal room rate for the Hotel will apply.

KGTC Membership and Regions

Donations in lieu of dues again this year!

The annual membership fee has been waived by the Board of Directors this year for conference attendees.  In lieu of paying meKmbership fees, each attendee is asked to make a contribution to the KGTC philanthropic project to establish a scholarship fund for gifted high school students with financial need to dual enroll in college classes for which no other scholarships are available. Donations may also be made at the conference.  The annual membership fee will remain $35 if you do not attend the conference.  Membership information is available through the KGTC website at www.kgtc.org.