|
PC-TAG kicked off the 2019-20 school year with a Fall Membership Coffee.
0 Comments
Texas Senate Bill 2145 De-Funds Gifted Education
Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 18 at 9:00 a.m., Chairman Larry Taylor and the members of the Senate Education Committee will be holding a hearing to discuss Senate Bill 2145 (relating to the public school finance system). This proposed bill seeks to REPEAL the Gifted and Talented Student Allotment. If this is something you would like to weigh in on, you may contact the senators on the Senate Education Committee and tell them the importance of the G/T weight and allotment, explain that it was created to support gifted students for a reason, and voice your concerns about how detrimental it would be to revoke the allotment. Members of the committee: Chairman Larry: http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=11 Don Huffiness: http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=16 Paul Bettencourt http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=7 Donna Campbell http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=25 Bob Hall http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=2 Bryan Hughes http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=1 Kel Seliger http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=31 Van Taylor http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=8 Carlos Uresti http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=19 Royce West http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=23 Sample letter: Dear Chairman Taylor and Members of the Senate Education Committee: Senate Bill 2145, which seeks to repeal the Gifted and Talented Student Allotment in the public school finance system (§ 42.156 of the Texas Education Code), would have a direct negative impact on the educational opportunities afforded to our gifted and talented students in the Highland Park Independent School District. I am a member of PCTAG, a non-profit 501(c)(3) parent organization for individuals interested in improving the education of talented and gifted children in HPISD schools. Gifted students from every cultural background are unique in the way they process information in and out of school, and thus require differentiated curriculum and instruction to accommodate those differences. These students have the potential to greatly impact the future of Texas, from medicine to the arts. Being identified as gifted and talented is not a badge of honor, nor a reward for good behavior. It is an educational diagnosis requiring gifted program services that will encourage gifted and talented students to reach their full potential. Allocating specific support to the gifted and talented students in Texas is vital to promote their intellectual development in a challenging educational setting. I strongly OPPOSE the repeal of the Gifted and Talented Student Allotment set forth in § 1.79 of SB 2145. The loss of funds will negatively impact more than 400,000 students identified as gifted across the state of Texas. Our gifted learners need opportunities to cultivate their strengths, to better understand and accept themselves, and to make positive contributions to the world. I urge you to OPPOSE SB 2145 and continue to support the education of gifted students in Texas. Sincerely, xxx Please take action today. On Feb 18, fifty-two 4th graders across all four HPISD Elementary Schools met at MIS for a taste of middle school and a "Honky Tonk Takedown" murder mystery social event. This event was organized by PC-TAG's Elementary Campus Representatives. The tour was led by Daley Hilton (Explorations 5th/Creativity 6th) and several MIS/HPMS TAG students: Lindsey Haag (7th), Ellie Stager (7th) and Chloe Haag (5th). During the social event which followed after the MIS tour, students got dressed up for their randomly chosen characters and were asked to find the culprit. Congratulations to Nicholas from Hyer the lucky winner randomly selected among all who answered correctly! He received a custom printed T-shirt sponsored and designed by Big Frog of Park Cities. MIS Tour
 On August 21, PC-TAG hosted the annual HPHS Teacher & Staff Appreciation Breakfast. We are so fortunate to have such wonderful people educating and supporting our students every day! Thank you to Carolyn Greaves, Natalie Davis, and Letty Spicer for organizing the event. Click Read More to see lots of pictures from the event.
On October 31, several 6th and 7th grade students attended the TEDxKids event. Katrina Csaky, MIS 6th grader, was selected to do a performance of her original poem. She did an incredible job!
To see Katrina's performance, click HERE (look for Session 2 video, starting at time 17:36).
 The PC-TAG Board recently held a retreat to plan for the 2014-2015 school year. The retreat's featured speaker was Janet Hale, one of PC-TAG's founders.
PC-TAG began 22 years ago, and continues in its original mission to advocate for gifted children in HPISD. PC-TAG Parents Book Club -- The Perfect Score Project: Uncovering the Secrets of the SAT (Sept 25)8/17/2014  PC-TAG Parents' Book Club meets on Thursday, September 25 at 7:00 pm at Christine Goff’s home, 3933 Wentwood Drive, 75225.
Our September book is The Perfect Score Project: Uncovering the Secrets of the SAT, by Debbie Stier. It all began as an attempt by Debbie Stier to help her high-school age son, Ethan, who would shortly be studying for the SAT. Aware that Ethan was a typical teenager (i.e., completely uninterested in any test) and that a mind-boggling menu of test-prep options existed, she decided – on his behalf -- to sample as many as she could to create the perfect SAT test-prep recipe. Debbie’s quest turned out to be an exercise in both hilarity and heartbreak as she took the SAT seven times in one year and in-between “went to school” on standardized testing. Here, she reveals why the SAT has become so important, the cottage industries it has spawned, what really works in preparing for the test and what is a waste of time. |
