WATG 2024 Annual Conference: Full Schedule

8:15am CDT

GT 101 for Preservice Teachers Part 1 of 2

Monday October 7, 2024 8:15am - 9:15am CDT

This session includes: WI GT laws, 5 areas of giftedness, strengths and challenges of gifted children, intensities, Du Four's BIG question, advocacy and programming options.

Please note this is PART ONE of TWO.

Speakers

Cathy Schmit

Past president, WATG

Monday October 7, 2024 8:15am - 9:15am CDT
Sandstone Ballroom

Program Development & Evaluation

8:15am CDT

Seeking Equity in Gifted Identification: A New, Promising Approach

Monday October 7, 2024 8:15am - 9:15am CDT

Sandstone 3

Increasing diversity and equity is a longstanding goal of gifted education. The fact remains that Brown and Black students and those living in poverty are glaringly missing, partly because most ability tests demand fluency in English and advanced academic knowledge. Learn an innovative method for identifying gifted students more equitably using tests that include verbal, quantitative and nonverbal measures with test items that can be solved in any language and require minimal academic knowledge.

Speakers

Kim Lansdowne

Executive Director, Herberger Young Scholars Academy

Kimberly is the founding Executive Director of the Herberger Young Scholars Academy, a distinguished secondary school catering to highly gifted students at Arizona State University.In 2023, Kimberly was honored with the Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented Lifetime Achievement... Read More →

Monday October 7, 2024 8:15am - 9:15am CDT
Sandstone 3

Program Development & Evaluation

9:25am CDT

Help! I'm a New Gifted Coordinator Part 1 of 2

Monday October 7, 2024 9:25am - 10:25am CDT

Tundra CD

Feeling overwhelmed by your new role as a G/T coordinator? Not sure where to start? This extended conference session will help guide you in developing some initial steps, including what questions you should ask and what to look for and think about as you either strengthen or build a gifted program in your school or district. Bring your questions, engage, and find a network to support you!

Please note that this is PART ONE of TWO.

Speakers

Jackie Drummer

Founder & CEO, Education Works!

Jackie Drummer is a Past President and current advisor to the Board of Directors of WATG. She is a nationally certified SENG (Supporting the Emotional Needs of Gifted) trainer and facilitator, and a certified Literacy, Team/Organizational, Systems, and Transformational coach. As the... Read More →

Monday October 7, 2024 9:25am - 10:25am CDT
Tundra CD

Program Development & Evaluation

10:35am CDT

Help! I'm a New Gifted Coordinator Part 2 of 2

Monday October 7, 2024 10:35am - 11:35am CDT

Tundra CD

This is PART TWO of this session.

Feeling overwhelmed by your new role as a G/T coordinator? Not sure where to start? This extended conference session will help guide you in developing some initial steps, including what questions you should ask and what to look for and think about as you either strengthen or build a gifted program in your school or district. Bring your questions, engage, and find a network to support you!

Speakers

Jackie Drummer

Founder & CEO, Education Works!

Monday October 7, 2024 10:35am - 11:35am CDT
Tundra CD

Program Development & Evaluation

10:35am CDT

Let's Stop Pretending Giftedness Starts in Grade 3

Monday October 7, 2024 10:35am - 11:35am CDT

Tundra A

How to support gifted students in PreK-Grade 2 at school & home

Speakers

Dr. Jenna Cramer

Board of Directors

I am foremost a mom to a son who is gifted; he is my inspiration for joining this organization. As a former educator who has taught in a variety of school districts (urban, suburban, and rural), I am passionate about meeting all students' needs. My love for learning has earned me... Read More →

Mary Pape

Monday October 7, 2024 10:35am - 11:35am CDT
Tundra A

Program Development & Evaluation

10:35am CDT

Success in Cluster Grouping: How to Make it Work!

Monday October 7, 2024 10:35am - 11:35am CDT

Sandstone 3

Many schools say they cluster group for gifted services, but few say they do it successfully. Dr. Brulles will address the inherent challenges and suggest ways schools can overcome common obstacles when cluster grouping. Participants will learn how to create a fair and equitable system for serving gifted students by incorporating cluster grouping into school and district initiatives. She will discuss methods for making student placements, supporting cluster teachers, monitoring success, and building community support.

Speakers

Kim Lansdowne

Executive Director, Herberger Young Scholars Academy

Monday October 7, 2024 10:35am - 11:35am CDT
Sandstone 3

Program Development & Evaluation

2:00pm CDT

GT 101 for Preservice Teachers Part 2 of 2

Monday October 7, 2024 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT

Sandstone Ballroom

Please note this is PART TWO of this session.

This session includes: WI GT laws, 5 areas of giftedness, strengths and challenges of gifted children, intensities, Du Four's BIG question, advocacy and programming options.

Speakers

Cathy Schmit

Past president, WATG

Monday October 7, 2024 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Sandstone Ballroom

Program Development & Evaluation

3:15pm CDT

Imagining a State that Champions Gifted and Talented Students

Monday October 7, 2024 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT

Sandstone 8

What do YOU imagine it would look like to have classrooms, schools, districts, and a state that all champion gifted and talented students? Join members of WATG's Government Action Committee to share your own stories about what's happening on the ground, learn about WATG's past and future advocacy actions, create your own personal advocacy statements in a supportive environment, and take away a "toolbox" of strategies to advocate for gifted children at the local and state level!

Speakers

Dr. Pamela Clinkenbeard

Professor, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Pamela R. Clinkenbeard, Ph.D., is Professor of Educational Foundations at UW-Whitewater. She teaches courses primarily in educational psychology, educational research, and the psychology and education of gifted and talented students. Dr. Clinkenbeard completed her master's and... Read More →

Jennifer Neuman

Monday October 7, 2024 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Sandstone 8

Program Development & Evaluation

10:15am CDT

Building from the Ground Up: Leveraging Community Partnerships to Grow Programming in the Five Areas of Gifted Identification

Tuesday October 8, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

Tundra B

This hands-on workshop is designed for all who are interested in discovering how to build their gifted program from the ground up. Participants will embark on a journey to develop programming in the five essential areas of Gifted Education: General Intellectual, Specific Academic, Creativity, Leadership, and the Arts. Through hands-on activities and collaborative brainstorming, attendees will gain practical strategies and insights to tailor programming to the unique strengths and interests of gifted students.
The workshop will emphasize the importance of leveraging community resources to expand and enrich programming. Participants will explore innovative ways to establish partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and professionals to provide authentic learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom.

Speakers

Michelle Burch

Gifted & Advanced Coordinator, Racine Unified School District

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I currently have been an educator for 20 years. This year, in my new role, I am a coordinator of gifted and advanced., I am responsible for maintaining the structure of the comprehensive K-12 Gifted and Advanced Program. I develop, coordinate... Read More →

Nikki Radcliffe

Gifted & Advanced Coordinator, Racine Unified School District

Hi there! I'm Nikki Radcliffe and have been working in the Racine Unified School District for a year and a half. Prior to this, I worked as a 5th-grade teacher in Glendale and at various schools around Milwaukee. I'm very passionate about our gifted learners because I was one myself... Read More →

Tuesday October 8, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Tundra B

Program Development & Evaluation

10:15am CDT

¡Sí Se Puede! Understand, Recruit, and Retain Gifted Latino Students

Tuesday October 8, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

Tundra EF

This session will focus on attaining a deeper understanding of being Latino and gifted in the American educational system. Increasing gifted Latino representation and retaining them in your school’s gifted is a missed opportunity that will enrich the diversity in the gifted population. Research continues to show there is a considerable disparity of Latino students being identified and retained in gifted programs. To address this, we will present three parts: 1. Developing a deeper understanding of key cultural considerations that are unique to Latino students; 2. Reflect on current practices which may exacerbate representation and retention in gifted programs and services; and 3. Learn effective strategies to help main stakeholders meet the social and cognitive needs of gifted Latino students.

Speakers

Dr. German Alonso Diaz Cardenas

Teacher, Milwaukee Public Schools

My name is German Diaz. Currently, I work as a Javits Teacher-coach in the Milwaukee Public School District (MPS). I am a native of Colombia who is passionate about education, social justice, and multiculturalism. I have been working with the district for about fourteen years. My... Read More →

Dr. Martha Lopez

Gifted & Talented Program Support Teacher, Milwaukee Public Schools

Tuesday October 8, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Tundra EF

Program Development & Evaluation

1:00pm CDT

GT Professional Development Tools and Resources to Take Back to Your District Part 1 of 2

Tuesday October 8, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

Sandstone 9

Bring the WATG conference back home with you! You will leave with the necessary tools (including a power point on a flash drive) to mentor your district staff on Gifted 101. This session includes: WI GT laws, 5 areas of giftedness, strengths and challenges of gifted children, intensities, Du Four's BIG question, advocacy and programming options. Participating schools with more than three conference attendees will receive one-on-one coaching with WATG consultants.

Please note this is PART ONE of TWO.

Speakers

Cathy Schmit

Past president, WATG

Tuesday October 8, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Sandstone 9

Program Development & Evaluation

1:00pm CDT

How Much of the Teacher is in Teacher Rating Scales?

Tuesday October 8, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

Sandstone 3

Teacher rating scales or behavior checklists are a common data point in making gifted identification decisions. But some of what these scales measure stems from the person doing the rating as opposed to the student being rated. This session will share new research from >50,000 students who were all rated with one of five different rating scales. We will share what we found and recommendations for how to decrease rater effect and increase the validity of the data derived from these instruments.

Speakers

Scott Peters

Senior Research Scientist, NWEA

Scott J. Peters, Ph.D. is a Senior Research Scientist with the Center for School and Student Progress at NWEA, a division of Houghton-Mifflin-Harcourt (HMH). Prior to joining HMH he served as a Professor of Assessment and Research Methodology at the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater... Read More →

Tuesday October 8, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Sandstone 3

Program Development & Evaluation

2:15pm CDT

2e Milwaukee Project Journey

Tuesday October 8, 2024 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT

Sandstone 8

To respond to the needs of gifted students with disabilities, the 2E Milwaukee Project is responding through the implementation of comprehensive systems that include culturally responsive, research-based practices that have been shown to a) increase the ability of educators to use culturally effective tools and assessments to identify and serve 2e students from underrepresented populations; b) increase gifted identification rates among students with special needs; c) increase access to Gifted and Talented (GT) services for 2e student through enrichment opportunities in and out of the regular school day. This session shares the different paths and learning of this project’s journey and invites participants' input.

Speakers

Martha Silva-Krieger

Tuesday October 8, 2024 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Sandstone 8

Program Development & Evaluation

2:15pm CDT

GT Professional Development Tools and Resources to Take Back to Your District Part 2 of 2

Tuesday October 8, 2024 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT

Sandstone 9

This is PART TWO of this session.

Bring the WATG conference back home with you! You will leave with the necessary tools (including a power point on a flash drive) to mentor your district staff on Gifted 101. This session includes: WI GT laws, 5 areas of giftedness, strengths and challenges of gifted children, intensities, Du Four's BIG question, advocacy and programming options. Participating schools with more than three conference attendees will receive one-on-one coaching with WATG consultants.

Speakers

Cathy Schmit

Past president, WATG

Tuesday October 8, 2024 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Sandstone 9

Program Development & Evaluation

2:15pm CDT

Measuring Growth for Advanced Learners

Tuesday October 8, 2024 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT

Tundra EF

How do you know if advanced learners are growing academically? How much growth is enough? What are growth norms? Measuring growth for advanced learners can be difficult. This session will explore growth of grade-level and above-grade-level assessments, review best data practices using NAGC standards, and discuss the most useful approaches to understand advanced learner growth and impact of services and instruction.

Speakers

Melissa Hinshaw

Assessment Director, Northwestern University

Melissa Hinshaw is the Assessment Coordinator at Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Development. Throughout her thirty-year career as an education professional, she has served as a classroom teacher, administrator, consultant and Account Manager for NWEA. You can find recent... Read More →

Tuesday October 8, 2024 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Tundra EF

Program Development & Evaluation