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Newsletter - February 1999 - Issue 2
Dear Parents of Challenge and Honor Program Students,

On Thursday, March 4 at the Hiatt Administration Center the Challenge Program Parents Group will host a program on "Parenting Gifted Children." Jan Adams- Byers, a doctoral candidate in Family Counseling and Gifted Education at Purdue University will make a brief presentation and then open the floor for questions and discussion from parents. If you have a specific topic you would like addressed please call Barb Knott at 449-3660 and the request will be passed on to Jan. Please plan to join us on March 4, at 7:00 p.m. at Hiatt Parenting Challenge /Honor students is a challenging experience itself at times and the insight of professionals can be helpful.

The Broad Based Planning Team will meet for the second time this year on March 17, 3:30 p.m. at Hiatt. As parents you are welcomed and encouraged to join the discussion with teachers and administrators about Challenge Program issues. Please call Barb Knott (449-3660) if you plan to attend.

Parents, teachers and administrators from the middle schools convened to discuss the evolution of the Challenge Program at the middle school level. After several meetings that included brainstorming, discussion, and more discussion, two considerations were passed on to Dr. Eiler. Neither consideration carried an endorsement from the assembled group. The considerations were: a) Maintain the middle school Challenge Program at both sites but change the identification criteria. b) Convert the present middle school configuration from grades 6, 7 & 8 at two sites to an Upper Middle School (grades 7&8) and a Lower Middle School (grades 5 &6), with a Challenge section at each grade level. The appointed corporation-wide Task Force will make final recommendations to the school board.

On many of the half school days this academic year the Secondary (grades 6-12) level Challenge/Honor/AP teachers have attended in-services sponsored by the Challenge Program grant. Presentations include: Characteristics and Needs of Gifted Learners at the Secondary Level, Problem -Based Learning, Strategies for Teaching Gifted Students, Technology for Gifted Learners, and Developing Integrated Curriculum at the Secondary Level. The presenters are from Ball State University's Center for Gifted Studies and Talent Development.

If you have any questions, please call Edgelea, 449-3660.

Sincerely,

Dr. Vicki Vaughn

Mrs. Barb Knott


FYI

Elementary News:

Grades 2 & 5 will test during March 8-12. These grades will take the CTBS Terra Nova.

CHESS TEAM: Mr. Bruce Celiz-Hagen, an Edgelea parent, has started a chess program at Edgelea. Currently Mrs. Weist's second graders, a student from Mrs. Redd's kindergarten and ten students from Grades 3-5 practice and play. Several students in grade 2 have participated in tournaments in Terre Haute, Anderson and Indianapolis. Eleven students won individual trophies. At the Indianapolis tournament , the students won Second Place in a K-3 team competition. Mr. Hagen hopes to expand the instruction to other interested students in the near future. His time and commitment are greatly appreciated.

Middle School News:

Tecumseh : Eighth graders- Jeff counselors will visit Tecumseh, March 4 & 5, to enroll for grade 9 high school classes. The Jeff counselors will have the procedure and papers for screening for Honors classes. All students interested in honor classes must complete screening papers even if they are presently in Challenge classes. Parents are encouraged to check guidelines and deadlines. Screening papers should be turned in at Tecumseh when completed. Tecumseh will send the information to Jeff High School.

High School News:

Senior's parents applying for financial aid must have the FAFSA form turned by March 1.

Up coming SAT testing dates:
Jeff High School site.

Registration deadline:       Test date:

March 26                     May 1
April 29                     June 5
Next testing is in early fall.

The LSC Challenge Program is participating in a study by Dr. Sidney Moon, Director of the Gifted Education Resource Institute, School of Education, Purdue University. The "FY 98 Survey of Post-High School Gifted and Talented Students" involves students that were in the self-contained program at the elementary level and graduated in 1996 from high school. The purpose of the study is to: a) gather evaluation data to improve future programming and b) to gather information that will be helpful to the field of gifted education about the effectiveness of elementary gifted and talented programming. We are pleased to have an opportunity to participate and look forward to the information gained by this study.


Class of 1999

Top Seniors

Our congratulations to the Senior Class of 1999 and especially to those students in the "Top Seniors" list. You deserve the accolades that will be bestowed upon you in future weeks for your efforts and accomplishments. To the parents of these students, our congratulations for all of your efforts and contributions to your student's successes. And to the teachers in LSC that have had the opportunity to add to these students' educational experiences, your efforts are appreciated. To you all -----Job well done !!! Please keep in touch. Let us know where you plan to go next and what you plan to study. Our best wishes go with you.

1. Anne Williamson - Valedictorian
1. Noah Wohlert - Valedictorian
3. Leighanne Burke - Salutatorian
4. Jesse Janowiak
5. Samuel O'Connor
6. Andrew Lantz
7. Micah Chibana
8. Tim Adams
8. Emily Etmer
10. Carla Johnson


" What greater gift can we offer the republic than to teach and instruct our youth" - Cicero