Friends of PAGE  –

As spring continues to fully bloom across Pennsylvania, I find myself thinking about all of our PAGE stakeholders.   I think about our kids who are finishing up their school year and starting to look forward to next year…Some with excitement and some with nervous apprehension.  I think about our parents who are trying to figure out what to do this summer, hoping to find the right balance between nurturing their child’s mind and just enjoying some lazy days.  And I think about our teachers… Who aren’t even done teaching this year and are already beginning to plan for their future students.

It is certainly a formidable time to be in education.  Beyond the day-to-day challenges that we are dealing with, we must continue to grapple with the challenges facing gifted education in Pennsylvania, as well as the challenges to the educational establishment as a whole.  I take comfort knowing that here in Pennsylvania, we have a governor who values education.  I would just love it a little more if Governor Shapiro would permanently fund Gifted Education by creating a $76 million line-item in the State Education budget!  With more and more federal resources for education being stripped away, it is paramount that we continue to research, develop, and fund strategies that will help schools and districts throughout Pennsylvania identify as many students as possible who would benefit from Gifted Education.

I am so proud of the work that PAGE has done to reach parents, educators, and stakeholders over this past year.  Lauren Almlof and her team have hosted 9 successful teacher-to-teacher events that have covered topics like Gifted Basics, Acceleration (featuring Dr. Ann Lupkowski-Shoplik), and Social-Emotional Learning. PAGE has continued our monthly parent-2-parent events, free for everyone, thanks to Deanie Gauntlett, our Community and Affiliate Director.  Our last session of the year will focus on social-emotional learning (Register Now).  All p2p events are recorded and available to PAGE members at no cost.  We are able to offer a library of nearly 30 recorded resources to PAGE members to expand their knowledge!

Looking ahead, I remain energized and excited for the upcoming year.  Pennsylvania is proudly hosting the NAGC Convention in Pittsburgh this coming fall from November 13 – 16.  This is an amazing opportunity to learn the latest research and strategies to support gifted students.  

Be sure to visit: http://nagc.org/NAGC25 to learn more and register.   I hope to see you there!

With Gratitude and excitement for what’s ahead,
 

Dave Mendell
PAGE President