The Gifted Corner

Welcome to 2012!  It’s hard to believe that 2011 has passed so quickly, but it was a year filled with exciting changes and wonderful programs for our gifted students.  It has been a great pleasure to meet and work with so many of you.  I look forward to continued relationships in the new year to come.

Stay tuned for important announcement soon to come, including:

• Spring 2012 workshop schedule
• Summer enrichment opportunities
• Differentiated Opportunity Logs
• Ongoing book club meetings and selections

Warm wishes for a great start to 2012!

Monday, October 3, 2011 our elementary students had the opportunity to meet Caroline Burrow, NIC Advanced sign language interpreter from New York City.  Caroline shared the history and development of American Sign Language.  Students also learned about deaf culture, sign language, and opportunities for continued study in our community.  It was a great way to kick-off our year of workshops.

Lots of workshops and important events for all ages are upcoming.  Be sure to check in on the school division’s webpage for schedule and sign-ups.

https://sites.google.com/a/salem.k12.va.us/scsdiv/instruction/gifted-and-talented

A new section has been added to our blog:  Upcoming Events.  Check here for community events and resources such as those offered at Roanoke College and through Roanoke Valley Reads.

Enjoy!

Hunter Routt

k-12 Gifted Coordinator

Welcome back to school!

I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself.  I am Hunter Routt, new Gifted Coordinator for the City of Salem Schools.  I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work alongside Kevin Simms as we kick off the new school year.

Much like Mrs. Gibson before me, I plan to use this blog space to keep you updated on gifted opportunities, upcoming events, and important happenings in the world of gifted education.   I look forward to posting the 2011-2012 calendar of events as soon as it is finalized.   Please check back often for updates and don’t hesitate to contact me with questions or comments.

Wishing you a great start to the school year,

Hunter Routt
Coordinator of Gifted Programs
City of Salem Schools
Salem, Virginia

Dear Parents,

I would like to take a moment to thank those of you who attended our Annual Gifted Parent Meeting.  We received a lot of great feedback from each of you, and we plan to keep this feedback in mind as we plan for the future of our Gifted Programs. 

If you did not have the opportunity to attend our Annual Gifted Parent Meeting, and would like to share a suggestion(s) with us, please feel free to leave a comment here, or e-mail me. 

If you were unable to attend the meeting, and would like to see Our Annual Gifted Parent Meeting Gifted Programs Year at a Glance PowerPoint, it is available for you to see in the “My Handouts” section of the Gifted Corner.” 

Kind regards,

Amanda G. Gibson

Attention Parents, Students, and Teachers:

Recently, our elementary students  in the gifted program were able to spend some time with our very own city mayor, Mr. Randy Foley.  In one of our in-school workshops, Mr. Foley kept our elementary students actively engaged in learning about how our local government works in the City of Salem and how it works in other cities across the country. 

Mr. Foley did an excellent job, and our students learned first hand how our local government works through role play and lively debate to name a few of his engaging teaching and learning techniques. 

Mr. Foley had the students woring in small groups acting as ”Mini” city councils making critical decisions about current situations being debated at the City Council Level. 

The students had great ideas, and enjoyed debating with one another.  As always, I was amazed by the students’ ideas and debating skills! 

 Thank you, Mr. Foley for coming and sharing your expertise and love for local governemnt with our students.  You were inspiring to them, and they learned a great deal from you in a fun and engaging way!

I am looking forward to Mr. Foley coming and working with our middle and high school students receiving gifted services in April.

Kind regards,

Amanda G. Gibson

K-12 Gifted Programs Coordinator