CGA Spring Events: Mark Your Calendar

For Spring 2010, CGA programming is focusing on real world skills: creativity, problem solving, and organization. We also have thrown in a few parties to celebrate the accomplishments of our gifted students and writers.

January 2010
Jan 22& 23: MOSAIC Creative Problem Solving

• For 4th and 5th graders. CGA members only.
• Small groups of students will use the powerful tools of Creative Problem Solving in this fun, hands-on weekend experience, guided by CISD educators. Participants will learn how to utilize time-tested techniques to reach a resolution using teamwork, creativity and imagination.

February 2010
Feb (stay tuned for date): “What you need to know before Middle School and High School” A CISD Panel Discussion on navigating a new school, CHS at 7pm.

• For 5th graders and 8th graders and their parents (and all others who like to know what’s coming).

Feb 18: “Developing Your Child’s Creative Thinking Ability” with Dr. Juntune, CHS at 7pm.

• Creative and innovative thinking are valued as skills in the workplace. Creativity also provides an important and necessary outlet for gifted children. What can parents do to make the development of creativity a natural part of family life? Join us and learn ways to have fun as a family while becoming better creative and innovative thinkers.

March 2010
Mar 10: Party with special guest, KidProv, at CHS at 6pm.

• Elementary gifted kids and their parents
• Kidprov will make you laugh. Each person can display a different gift or ability, but they all laugh in the same way, with the same results. Come join in all the fun as we celebrate the elementary GT program.

Mar 31: “Dealing with Clocks and Your Stuff: Time Management and Organizational Skills” with Carla Crustinger of Brainworks.

• In 1981, Carla Crutsinger created the Brainworks Educational Center in response to her search for a facility which could address the needs of her highly intelligent, gifted ADD son who was not reaching his maximum level of achievement in school. Since then, Brainworks has helped over 1,000 clients with a variety of issues from learning disabilities to motivational problems to organizational difficulties. In addition to her many responsibilities at the center, Carla presents workshops and staff development sessions on a wide variety of educational topics for school districts, parent associations, and other groups across the country.

April 2010
Apr 8: CGA Creative Writing Competition book release party, CHS at 6pm.

• Over 200 young authors from CISD and beyond entered the 2nd annual Creative Writing Competition. Currently, judges are reviewing and ranking all the entries. The finalists will be published in a book that will be released at the party. Books will be available for pre-order in March. Everyone is welcome to come to the party and celebrate the talent of these young authors.

Summer
June 7–11, 2010 and August 2-6, 2010: MOSAIC Summer Classes

• Several courses will be offered this summer on topics such as creative writing, engineering, chess, money, and puppetry. These courses are for kids who want to explore the subject matter more deeply and are not limited to gifted students. MOSAIC is being taught by CISD teachers or other subject matter professionals and held at Coppell Middle School North.