October Gifted & Talented News

Where has the time gone?! How is it already the end of October?

It’s been a busy and exciting month for our gifted learners! Here’s a peek at what students are exploring across grade levels:

2nd grade:
In reading, students have been analyzing Junior Great Books stories and have started reading The Chocolate Touch, comparing it to the fable The Midas Touch.

3rd Grade:
Our identified readers have been learning how to annotate articles using the Depth and Complexity and Content Imperative icons. We just began reading the novel The Castle in the Attic!
During Monday SEL sessions, students wrapped up a unit on recognizing that their high potential is a gift. Now, they are discovering how colors can represent character traits and will be designing personal flags that reflect who they are through color and design.

4th Grade:
Students are diving deep into the novel By the Great Horn Spoon! They are using the Depth and Complexity icons to guide rich discussions, exploring figurative language, and analyzing how the main character changes throughout the story.
During SEL time, students are using Venn diagrams to explore their own color-based character traits. They’re learning how two “colors” can blend to create a unique personal dynamic—and how diverse and vibrant every group becomes when we combine our individual strengths.

5th Grade:
Students are currently analyzing a story about perfectionism and reflecting on their own tendencies—learning how to recognize and manage this part of their personality.

In reading, all fifth graders are enjoying the novel Where the Mountain Meets the Moon as they build skills in analysis, symbolism, and thematic understanding.

6th grade:
Students are working in their classes on SEL lessons focused on middle school preparation and our schoolwide traits of integrity and responsibility.

Warmly,

Rebecca

Douglas County Gifted Education Advisory Council (DCGEAC)

The Douglas County Gifted Education Advisory Council (DCGEAC) is seeking members with a variety of backgrounds and expertise!

The mission of the DCGEAC is to gather, communicate, and disseminate information to stakeholders, as well as advocate, influence, support, and ensure accountability for quality programming for gifted learners in Douglas County School District.

This year, DCGEAC will continue to focus on elementary, middle, and high school gifted programming in alignment with both DCSD’s newly launched Strategic Plan and the Gifted Education Monitoring (GEM) collaboration with the Colorado Department of Education (CDE).

If you are a parent/guardian of a student identified for gifted services OR a high school student who has been identified as gifted, please consider joining us by completing the DCGEAC Self Nomination Form.

DCGEAC meets quarterly throughout the year. This year's in person meetings:

DCSD’s Legacy Campus

10035 S Peoria St

Parker, CO 80134

Room 241

Wed. October 29, 4:30 - 6:00pm
Wed. December 10, 4:30 - 6:00pm
Wed. February 25, 4:30 - 6:00pm
Wed. May 6, 4:30 - 6:00pm

We seek representation from elementary and secondary for every feeder and region of charter schools. We currently have openings in the following areas:

Chaparral HS Feeder: elementary and secondary

Castle View HS Feeder: elementary and secondary

Douglas County HS Feeder: currently represented

Highlands Ranch HS Feeder: elementary

Legend HS Feeder: elementary

Mountain Vista HS Feeder: currently represented

Ponderosa HS Feeder: secondary

Rock Canyon HS Feeder: elementary

ThunderRidge HS Feeder: elementary

Charter: Castle Rock

All meetings are open to the public. See this flier for more information. Please send us an email at gifted.education@dcsdk12.org if you have any questions.

Supporting Emotional Needs of Gifted

SENG Exclusive:

“The Budding CEO-Unlocking Your Child’s Potential through Business & Belonging”

November 6, 2025 *NOTE: Registration closes November 2, 2025*

Link

Time: 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm PST

Location: This session meets virtually via Zoom.
Live event only (no recording).

About the Event
This session is designed for parents of gifted and twice-exceptional children—especially out-of-the-box thinkers and independent learners eager to engage beyond school. In a lively conversation and Q&A with award-winning entrepreneur Chris Folayan, discover how entrepreneurship can become a playful, hands-on family activity that strengthens bonds through collaboration, communication, and shared purpose. Parents will also receive a preview of The Gifted Family Startup Guide, developed exclusively for SENG, which offers practical tools to spark creativity, leadership, and resilience at home.

SENGconnect

Link

November Topic: Helping Your Twice-Exceptional Child Enjoy the Holidays

Event Date: November 5, 2025 (Wed)

Time: 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm PST

Guest: Dr. Gayle Bentley, SENG President

Host: Melissa Marsh, SENG Board of Director

"Giftedness Beyond Cognition"

Link

Event Date
November 4, 2025 (Tuesday). *NOTE: Registration closes October 31, 2025*

Time
4:30 pm – 6:00 pm PST

About: Why do some gifted individuals embrace their abilities and take pride in remarkable accomplishments, while others deny their giftedness, develop physical and psychological symptoms, and undermine their potential through self-defeating behavior? Drawing on over 40 years of psychiatric practice, Dr. Jerald Grobman examines how cognitive and extracognitive elements of giftedness can both fuel achievement and intensify struggle. A dramatic case study and interactive discussion offer clinicians, educators, and families multiple strategies to foster healthier relationships with giftedness.

Gifted and ADHD

What a Character! New Children’s Books Starring ADHD Protagonists

Link

Whether they are fighting imaginary zombies or finding ways to avoid laundry, the relatable characters in these picture books and YA novels will speak to your child with ADHD.

13 Slogans for Navigating Life with ADHD

#5: Do It Now or Write It Down. Tasks tend to happen in two time zones with ADHD: now or not now (which often means not at all). When you make an intentional decision to accomplish something later, add it to your calendar. | See all the slogans »

Neurodiversity Podcast

Episode 287: Beyond the Lesson Plan: Vulnerability Builds Bridges

Emily Kircher-Morris sits down with Tom Rademacher, an award-winning educator and author, to explore the nuances of creating affirming educational environments. They discuss the importance of vulnerability in teaching, the impact of neurodivergence on learning, and how personal experiences shape educational philosophies. Tom shares thoughts about his book series "Bucket and Friends," which teaches the power of embracing one's uniqueness and the role of agency and optimism in education.

TAKEAWAYS

There are always opportunities to improve a supportive learning environment.
Expressing vulnerability as a teacher can vastly improve relationships with students.
Personal experiences can and will influence teaching philosophies.
"Bucket & Friends" emphasizes the importance of embracing uniqueness.
Agency and optimism have high value in an education context.

Gifted and Distractible

Parents:

Prolonged screen time alters children’s cognitive functions, study says Read the Article

My goal with this free guide, as well as with all of my resources, is to help make your journey of parenting a 2e kid less stressful and more rewarding.

2e Parenting Toolbox

Bright and Quirky

Each year, we put together a list of the gifts, tools, and experiences that truly light up bright, uniquely wired minds — the things that spark creativity, learning, calm, joy, and connection.

We’d love your help!

If you’ve delighted in something special — for you, or for your bright and quirky child or teen — we’d love to include it.

Share your favorite thing here!

Thanks for sharing your favorites! As soon as we gather all the gift ideas, you’ll be one of the first to know!

Warmly,

Debbie & The Uniquely Bright Team

Podcasts, Videos & Webinars

“Help! My Child’s Self-Esteem is Terrible and I Don’t Know What to Do”

(TiLT Parenting Podcast)

“Through the Spiral: Understanding Twice-Exceptionality with Dr. Karen Arnstein”

(Exceptionally Speaking Podcast)

“Managing Child Anxiety with Dawn Friedman” (Exceptional Girls Podcast)

“When Working Memory Looks Like Defiance"

(Raising Lifelong Learners)

“Nurturing Giftedness and Overexcitabilities in the Classroom (authenticity & inclusion)”

(Positive Disintegration Podcast)

“How Does Perfectionism Affect Motivation In Gifted Students?” (Special Education Learning)

Byrdseed Resources

Related to last week's rock alphabet, Erica sent me a link to letters on the moon.

Turnips were the original Jack o' Lanterns. Here's how to carve one.
The Oregon Zoo shares x-rays showing animal skeletons! Lots of great pause and predict moments here.
How about some Halloween candy art? A rainbow created by dissolving Skittles with hot water.
A timelapse of a pumpkin growing from seed to 2,480 pounds!