Portland Parents

Interested in a smaller preschool that shows dedication to the 2-5 year olds? Chrysalis Home School, a small, home-based preschool is having an informational meeting for parents who may be interested in enrolling their child for fall 2010.

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With Dr. Karen Rogers, author of Re-Forming Gifted Education: How Parents and Teachers Can Match the Program to the Child ( See cover to the right ).

Dr. Karen Rogers will present the keynote address at the annual conference of the Oregon Association for Talented and Gifted on Saturday, September 27th from 9:00 to 4:30 at Wilson High School, 1151 SW Vermont St., Portland OR.

The conference theme is “What Works for Talented and Gifted Students?” The conference will include break-out sessions for parents and educators on this topic.

In conjunction with the conference, there will be a Community Organization Fair of non-profit organizations providing services of interest to talented and gifted students and families..

Dr. Karen Rogers is Professor of Gifted Studies in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota and a board member of the National Association for Gifted Children. She has also published a Menu of Options for Grouping the Gifted (2006) and The Educational Planner for Families and Schools (2004) as well as many articles. She co-edited Talent in Context: Historical and Social Perspectives (1998). She
has served as Director of Research at the University of New South Wales in Australia, where she was named Honorary Professorial Fellow and has been a Visiting Scholar at Oxford University. She has been awarded Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Colorado Educators of the Gifted and the Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented. She received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and
Instructional Systems from the University of Minnesota and holds Master’s degrees in Special Education of the Gifted and in Psychological Foundations of the Gifted.

Conference information is available on the OATAG website Early Admission starts at $25.00 for members, $35.00 for non-members

OATAG is a non-profit, non-discriminatory, statewide organization of parents and educators interested in promoting growth opportunities for talented and gifted children in Oregon. OATAG is the state affiliate of the National Association of Gifted Children. OATAG advocates for the needs of talented and gifted children; serves as a resource for families, educators, and communities;
and provides direction for excellence in education.

Nike is sponsoring a 5K walk/run that gets money for our local schools physical education programs. It’s June 7th and the entry fee is $20 ( until May 28 ). Fifteen of this goes to your chosen school and the other five is a tee-shirt fee. There’s also a 1K walk option recommended for kids under 12. All kids will get a participation medal and a gift bag.

Sounds like a great way to get some exercise and to support our schools’ physical education programs?

More information and signup.

As a follow up to the Tinkering School post recently, it was brought to our attention that the Tinkering School was also written up by the openeducation.net staff; openeducation.net link.

Bob Compton, an Indianapolis venture-capitalist-turned-filmmaker, has produced a controversial new documentary called “2 Million Minutes” that looks at how American education falls short in today’s global economy.

What I saw in the K-12 schools absolutely shocked me in both India and China. … I became very concerned about the competitiveness of my own daughters’ education. ( Bob Compton on Good Morning America )

Sounds like the film is an interesting look, but it does have its critics.
source

A.K.A. Science (All Kids are Scientists) is a fun, hands-on after school science program for children in grades K-8. Our playful, yet structured activities encourage observation of the world through exploration, and help dispel the myth that science is difficult or uninteresting.

Classes meet once a week for one hour, in eight week sessions. The small classes (11-15 students) are taught by schoolteachers, parents, and other volunteers who receive complete training in each subject.

Our next semester begins in April, with students studying Weather and Natural Disasters. Please check the website for more information!

And congratulations to Shelley Clark!

The Wells Fargo Celebrity Spelling Bee held on Thursday, January 31st raised a total of $189,000 in vital funding for Schoolhouse Supplies, the award-winning Free Store for teachers in Portland. More than 500 guests gathered to watch Mayor Potter, James Jones, Stephanie Stricklen and other Portland celebrities spell their way to the top. All participants gave it a great effort, but it was 14-year-old Shelley Clark, the ’06 and ’07 Portland Tribune/Comcast Regional Spelling Bee Champion, that out-spelled Stephanie Schneiderman of Dirty Martini with the winning word “eupepsia” and took home the championship trophy.

The Schoolhouse Supplies site!

Portland Public Schools is having a celebration highlighting more than 100 schools, their staff, students and programs! It’s Feb 2, from 1 to 5 PM and at the Expo Center.

Highlights include: Neighborhood school information and resources, student performances, enrollment, transfer information, the transition years and an art exhibition!

The Montessori Institute Northwest is hosting a Parent Education Series
“Positive Parenting: What You Can do as a Parent” presented by Ginni Sackett.
February 13, 20, 27, 2008 from 6:30-8:30pm. Come to one or all.

Visit their website for details or call 503.963.8992.

Some people have asked me about getting their kids more contact with other kids their age and getting them involved in some “socialization” processes.

I read an interesting article on this topic recently.

If you homeschool in Portland, how do you help your kid get “friends their age?”