GT Academy Newsletter

The first quarter of the 2026-2027 school year is in the books! In this edition of the GT Academy Newsletter, we highlight field experiences, our visit with the Gifted Guru, Texas Performance Standards Project kick-off, and incredible students.

With new learning opportunities ahead, students are reminded that growth happens when we challenge ourselves. Embracing productive struggle, learning from mistakes, and persevering through challenges helps us become stronger, more confident learners.

A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

It is important to stay organized, complete assignments on time, participate actively in class, and ask for help when needed. Small, consistent habits make a big difference!

⭐Take a look at Seth Perler's tips in the link below and scroll down to the end of the newsletter for more helpful resources for students and parents.

By exploring new places and engaging with professionals, students deepen their understanding, spark new interests, and discover possibilities for their future. These experiences encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and meaningful connections between what students learn and how they might apply their knowledge to make a difference.

Questions students might ponder include:

• How did this experience help me understand my own interests or strengths better?
• Whose perspective or story did we learn about today?
• How does this place serve or impact a community?
• What new concepts or skills did I encounter today?
• What patterns, systems, or big ideas did I notice?

Lisa Van Gemert, also known as "The Gifted Guru" works with gifted youth, their parents, and educators around the world. In addition to being a highly sought-after keynote speaker at gifted conferences and an expert consult to television shows, she is the author of "Perfectionism: A Practical Guide to Never Good Enough," Living Gifted: 52 Tips to Survive and Thrive in Giftedland," and "Gifted Guild's Guide to Depth and Complexity."

We were thrilled to have Lisa visit the GT Academy to work with parents, teachers and students October 6-7. She introduced us to the different types of perfectionism:

• Academic Overachiever
• Aggravated Accuracy Assessor
• Risk Evader
• Controlling Image Manager
• Procrastinating Perfectionist

If you missed her session on "Taming Perfectionism" or want to dive deeper into what she presented at her parent or student session, consider reading her book or checking out her website linked below.

The Texas Performance Standards Project (TPSP) is designed to provide differentiated learning experiences for gifted and talented students. It emphasizes independent research, critical thinking, creativity, and the application of knowledge to real-world problems. Through TPSP, students explore topics of personal interest, develop expertise, and demonstrate their learning through authentic products and presentations. This year, students continue the GT Academy tradition of excellence as they begin the TPSP process.

• 5th grade students are learning the seven steps of the Independent Investigation Method (IIM) so that they are able to confidently choose a topic and develop guide questions in the next two weeks. Check out the "The Kid Should See This" link at the end of the newsletters for interesting topic ideas!
• 6th grade students will review IIM and select a country, topic, and group for their "Culture Shock" project.
• 7th grade students have been introduced to this year's "Passion to Action" project and are in the process of choosing a topic that they are excited about.
• 8th grade students will work independently this year and can choose a topic related to "What's the Diagnosis", "Sudden Impact", or "Civics Solutions."

Although students work on this project during the school day, parents are encouraged to support the process.

• Remind students to pay attention to checkpoints and deadlines.
• Assist students in finding appropriate sources for their topic.
• Ask about the topic.
• Help gather materials needed for product.
• Encourage perseverance when things get difficult.

The TPSP presentation for 7th and 8th grade is linked below and was shared with parents on October 5th. The presentation for 5th and 6th grade parents will be October 27th in the Sablatura Library 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Pearland ISD recently announced the news that twenty four students have been named National Merit Semifinalists this year.

Being a National Merit Semifinalist is a prestigious academic distinction awarded to high school students who perform exceptionally well on the preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). It means a student scored among the highest-performing PSAT test-takers in their state, earning an opportunity to compete for National Merit Scholarships and recognition for academic excellence.

We are proud to say that nineteen of these twenty four outstanding scholars were GT Academy students!

Students - if being a National Merit Scholar is a goal you have set for yourself, consider signing up for the Baylor TIP Indicator of Academic Readiness (IAR) assessment. It aligns with the SAT and ACT, assessing knowledge and skills that are predictive of success in post-secondary education, specifically math, science, reading and writing. Mrs. Mueller and a Baylor TIP representative will host an informational meeting for parents via Zoom on December 7th.

Sablatura students, led by Mrs. Hart, showed their support for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by participating in Go Gold! Students dressed in gold and came together to raise money for Candlelighters, an organization that provides emotional, educational, and practical suppport to children with cancer and their families. Now students are eagerly waiting to find out which homeroom raised the most money for this worthy cause.

🏆 The Socktober sock drive is happening now! Send in new adult size socks, dark colors preferred, today and they will be donated to the Pearland Neighborhood Center and Lord of the Streets. Socks will be counted on October 31 to determine which GT Academy campus will win the bragging rights and golden sock trophy!

• October 14 - 8th Grade to Alley Theatre
• October 15 - Oregon Trail mini course to George Ranch
• October 16 - Reading Rainbow mini course to The Guilded Page
• October 17 - Socktober!! We are collecting socks through October 31st.
• October 19 - GTAB Meeting @ Sab Library 7:00 p.m.
• October 27 - 5th & 6th Grade TPSP Parent Session @ Sab Library 6:00 p.m.
• October 30 - 5th Grade Monster Bash 4:00-6:00 p.m.

• November 5 - AMC 10 Exam (PJHW) 4:00 p.m.
• November 12 - 5th Grade to International Quilt Festival
• November 12 - GTA Information Night (for prospective GTA families) 6:00-7:00 p.m.
• November 16 - GTAB Meeting @ PJHW Library 7:00 p.m.
• November 20 - 7th Grade to Alley Theatre
• November 23-27 Thanksgiving Break
• November 28-29 GTAB Deck the Door @ The Harbor

• December 2 - PJHW Spelling Bee
• December 5-6 GTAB Deck the Door @ The Harbor
• December 7 - Baylor TIP Info Meeting (Zoom @ 6:00 p.m.)
• December 8 - Sab Field Experiences (5th grade)
• December 10 - Sab Field Experiences (6th Grade)
• December 11 - Sab Spelling Bee

Congratulations to - Abigail Liang, Harry He, Daniel Ma, Annabelle Yang, Gloria Zhang, Alice Huang, Amber Nguyen, Claire Liu, Sopha Meza, Hannah Nguyen, Grace Liu, Lydia Hea, and George Wang - and the art department on winning Ft. Worth Stock Show in the Classroom Division again for a second year in a row. This statewide contest recognizes the art of students and the quality of their work and the classroom program as a whole. On October 24th, Mrs. George, Mrs. Kessler, and students will be recognized at a ceremony in Ft. Worth and awarded $5,000 for the classroom to continue the great work. Grace Liu is a finalist for her individual painting entry that will possibly be auctioned at the Ft. Worth Rodeo!

Grace Besser was recognized as a top writer for the 2026 I Am Texas Writing & Art Contest. This competition invites students to express their connections to Texas through creative writing and visual art. It is associated with The Bryan Museum, which preserves and shares the history of Texas and the American West. Students explore Texas history, culture, personal experiences, and identity through original work. Grace's essay was titled "What Lies Behind the Bride." She wrote about how a particular work of art made her think more deeply than she had expected. She analyzed the bride's expression, her white dress, and the quiet feel of the painting, pointing out that art "doesn't tell you exactly what to feel , but it helps you understand your own feelings a little better."

Mia Gao traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina last week for the fifteenth Pan American Wushu Championships. Over 900 athletes participated, featuring modern Wushu and traditional Kung Fu disciplines. Mia has been learning Kung Fu since first grade and started Wushu in third grade. She earned a spot on the USA national team last winter. We are proud of you, Mia!