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Supporting the education, growth, and development of gifted students in the Wilson School District.
Wilson Gifted Education Network (WGEN) is the parent support organization for the Gifted Education program at Wilson. We support parents through informational presentations and students through enrichment activities. Our meetings and newsletters keep parents informed about important changes to Wilson gifted support services. If your child is enrolled in the Gifted Education program at Wilson please Click Here to add your name to our email list.
Email list: Click Here to learn more about Wilson Gifted Education!
WGEN 2022-23:
Hello all,
Wilson Gifted Education Network (WGEN) is the parent support group for children enrolled in the Gifted Program here in the Wilson school district. Like many other groups, WGEN has had to curtail its activities over the past two years. But we are still working to fulfill our three core missions, supporting gifted students through social activities, supporting the parents of gifted students by keeping you informed, and supporting the gifted teachers.
Sincerely,
David Hinkle WGEN, President
Lori Hu, WGEN, Vice-President
WGEN Past Events:
Wilson Gifted Education Network (WGEN) Meeting
WGEN Meeting : Wednesday, April 10, 2019 7:00 PM
If Gifted Education at Wilson is a program that is important to you, please join us on April 10 at our WGEN Meeting. Share your ideas, ask your questions, and together we can help ensure that Gifted Education at Wilson remains a strong and vibrant program for all our students.
WHEN: Wednesday, April 10, 2019 @ 7PM.
WHERE: Wilson Administration Building, 2601 Grandview Blvd. (2nd floor), Pre-Board Room A-618
Agenda:
(1) WGEN Kids' Night Out Event summary
(2) Gifted Education update (Dr. Kate Long, Director of Pupil Services at Wilson)
(3) Open Discussion on Gifted Education
(4) Ideas for future WGEN events (Escape room, Electron Microscope visit)
This meeting is open to all who are interested in supporting Gifted Education in the Wilson School District.
WGEN is a network of parents dedicated to supporting the Wilson Gifted Education program. This is WGEN’s seventh year helping to make Gifted Support a strong and vibrant community for our students, teachers, and parents! At our meetings we plan enrichment activities for our gifted students, get updates on what is happening at Wilson with respect to gifted support services, and discuss our experiences with gifted education.
If you have any questions please send us an email. Thank you for your support of Gifted Education at Wilson!
WGEN STEM event: “CSI-Astronaut Edition” at the Reading Public Museum (RPM)
We are organizing a Kids’ Night for our gifted students at the Reading Public Museum. This event provides an opportunity for our gifted students to interact and form friendships outside of the classroom.
This night is just for your kids! For one night, gifted students will have exclusive access to the Reading Public Museum (RPM). Join us for an intergalactic crime solving adventure! Spend the evening learning about forensic science, practice gumshoe techniques, and help solve the case of the missing meteorite. Learn about DNA extraction, try your hand at handwriting analysis, practice fingerprint identification, and explore RPM’s latest traveling exhibit: Astronaut. It is bound to be a stellar evening of crime solving activities! Pizza dinner and an evening snack are included!
This is for students in 2nd through 8th grade. Students will be divided into groups based on grade level. (We have a limited number of slots for gifted High School students who are interested in volunteering to help the younger students.)
Event: WGEN “CSI-Astronaut Edition”
Date: Saturday, February 23, 2019 (snow date: Saturday, March 16, 2019)
Time: 5:00-9:00 pm
Location: Reading Public Museum, 500 Museum Rd, Reading, PA 19611
Cost: $30 per child
To register for the WGEN “CSI-Astronaut Edition” event, please fill out the Registration Formor contact Coleen at 610.371.5850 ext 227 or via email at: coleen.mikucki@readingpublicmuseum.org Advanced registration is required. You will receive an email confirmation once your registration has been processed.
If you have any questions about the WGEN “CSI-Astronaut Edition” event please email us. If you want to add your name to our email list, please Click Here.
Email: WilsonGiftedEdNetwork@gmail.com
WGEN 2018-2019 Meet the Teacher Nights:
We are started the year off with an effort to let more parents know about the wonderful Gifted Education Program in the Wilson School District. Specifically, WGEN members attended all the elementary school "Meet the Teacher" nights to reach out to new parents who may not be aware of Wilson's Gifted Education Program. If you feel your child is academically gifted we encourage you to talk to your child's teacher and your school's psychologist to decide if testing is right for your child. The process typically starts off with a parent requesting that their child be evaluated to determine if they would benefit from the gifted education program. If your child is enrolled in the gifted education program, in addition to the regular academic curriculum, they typically participate in an enrichment program with your school's gifted support teacher.
Our organization, WGEN, is a network of parents who have children enrolled in Wilson's Gifted Education Program. If you have any questions about the gifted program that we, as fellow parents, might be able to answer, please send us an email: WilsonGiftedEdNetwork@gmail.com
WGEN Event: April 3, 2018 7:00 PM
Special Presentation: Effective Strategies for Parents of Gifted Children
Wilson Gifted Education Network (WGEN) is proud to sponsor a special presentation by Kel Wetherhold entitled: "Effective Strategies for Parents of Gifted Children."
Are you trying to find new ways to engage and motivate your gifted student? This presentation is designed to provide parents with an innovative way to view gifted education: Learner Agency. The primary objective of Learner Agency is to get your child to think for themselves. That is, to promote independent thought, autonomous action, a recognition that learning is actually going to make a difference for them, and an awareness of the consequences for choices they make.
We will discuss progressive strategies in three key categories: understanding learner agency, using technology to personalize learning, and how to manage disillusionment. The objective is to provide you, the parent, with tips, tools, and strategies to help your child become a better learner and to foster their resilience. There will be a Question and Answer session after the presentation to help you personalize the ideas presented to your child.
WHAT: Effective Strategies for Parents of Gifted Children
WHO: Kel Wetherhold, PAGE Educator of the Year
WHEN: Tuesday, April 3, 2018, 7:00 PM
WHERE: SPECIAL Location: Wilson High School Library, 2601 Grandview Blvd
The meeting will be held in the Wilson High School Library. Enter the Wilson High School building from the Grandview Blvd entrance, (2601 Grandview Blvd, Reading, PA 19609). RSVP is helpful, but not required. Please RSVP using the link: https://goo.gl/forms/bIb1tTT7vZRQj12U2
Kel Wetherhold has worked for the Salisbury Township School District as the Gifted Coordinator and English teacher since 1999. He developed the gifted program at the middle school level and continues working with gifted students ranging from grades 6 through 9. He has won numerous awards including the prestigious Pennsylvania Association Gifted Education's Educator of the Year award in 2011, and in 2017 was named an Apple Distinguished Educator. In addition to his work as a teacher, he is an adjunct faculty member at Seton Hall University, and he is an education consultant for both gifted students and the parents of gifted students.
Special Event : The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth SCAT Test
(This event is for pre-registered student only.)
Who: The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth
What: SCAT Test
Where: Room Assignments: (To Be Announced) Wilson High School, 2601 Grandview Blvd
When: January 6, 2018 at 10:00 AM
RSVP: Registration closed December 13, 2017
The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) is a wonderful organization which provides extensive education and enrichment opportunities for gifted students. CTY offers everything from intensive online classes, to week long summer camp programs, to enriching family programs on subjects ranging from Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and the Arts. The key to having your child admitted to The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth is a testing process known as Talent Search. Wilson Gifted Education Network (WGEN) and the Wilson School Administration have arranged for CTY administer the SCAT test here at Wilson. This is a great opportunity for our gifted students to qualify for CTY and the many opportunities the program provides.
The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) is a gifted education program for school-age children founded in 1979 by psychologist Julian Stanley at Johns Hopkins University. It was established as a research study into how academically advanced children learn, and became the first program to identify academically talented students through above-grade-level testing and provide them with challenging learning opportunities. CTY offers summer, online, and family programs to students from around the world and has nearly 30,000 program enrollments annually. CTY is accredited for students in grades K to 12 by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
Wilson Gifted Education Network (WGEN) Meeting
Special WGEN Meeting : Guest Speaker: Christy Stewart of The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth
Who: The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth
What: Information session
Where: Staff Development Room (also known as the Board Room), Wilson High School, 2601 Grandview Blvd
When: Nov 29, 2017 at 7:00 PM
RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/CTYatWilson
The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) is a wonderful organization which provides extensive education and enrichment opportunities for gifted students. CTY offers everything from intensive online classes, to week long summer camp programs, to enriching family programs on subjects ranging from Science, Mathematics, Medicine, and the Arts.
The key to having your child admitted to The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth is a testing process known as Talent Search. Wilson Gifted Education Network (WGEN) and the Wilson School Administration have arranged for Christy Stewart of CTY to give an informational presentation on Nov 29, 2017 at 7:00 PM at the Wilson High School. Mrs. Stewart will discuss all of the exciting opportunities available for your child through CTY. The Talent Search testing process will be explained and application forms will be distributed. This is a great opportunity for our gifted students to qualify for CTY and the many opportunities the program provides.
We encourage the parents of all gifted students in 2nd grade through High School to come to this information session and learn more about The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth gifted education program.
The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) is a gifted education program for school-age children founded in 1979 by psychologist Julian Stanley at Johns Hopkins University. It was established as a research study into how academically advanced children learn, and became the first program to identify academically talented students through above-grade-level testing and provide them with challenging learning opportunities. CTY offers summer, online, and family programs to students from around the world and has nearly 30,000 program enrollments annually. CTY is accredited for students in grades K to 12 by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
This meeting is open to all who are interested in supporting Gifted Education in the Wilson School District.
WGEN is a network of parents dedicated to supporting gifted education throughout the Wilson School District. This is WGEN’s sixth year; we are very pleased with the events we had this year, and are busy planning our events for the 2017-18 school year. At our meetings we plan enrichment activities for our gifted students, get updates on what is happening at Wilson with respect to gifted support services, and discuss our experiences with gifted education.
If you have any questions please send us an email. Thank you for your support of Gifted Education at Wilson!
Wilson Gifted Education Network (WGEN) Meeting
WGEN Meeting : Tuesday, Sept 12, 2017 7:00 PM
WHEN: Tuesday, Sept 12, 2017 @ 7PM.
WHERE: Wilson Administration Building, 2601 Grandview Blvd. (2nd floor), Pre-Board Room A-618
RSVP: https://goo.gl/forms/0ZXNxh4u3xB99CAF3
Agenda:
· Review of minutes
· Financial Summary
· District Update-- Dr. Long
· Reading Public Museum STEM event synopsis
· Feedback Loop
This meeting is open to all who are interested in supporting Gifted Education in the Wilson School District.
WGEN is a network of parents dedicated to supporting gifted education throughout the Wilson School District. This is WGEN’s sixth year and we are very pleased with the events we have had so far, and are busy planning our final events for the 2017-17 school year. At our meetings we plan enrichment activities for our gifted students, get updates on what is happening at Wilson with respect to gifted support services, and discuss our experiences with gifted education.
If you have any questions please send us an email. Thank you for your support of Gifted Education at Wilson!
WGEN Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) EVENT:
Forces and Motion
at the Reading Public Museum
This night is just for your kids! For one night, our gifted students will have exclusive access to the Reading Public Museum (RPM). They will spend the evening experimenting with forces and motion in RPM’s latest traveling exhibit and through hands-on activities. In Hot Wheels™: Race to Win™ they will play with speed, power, and performance as they get a behind-the-scenes look at the racing world. In addition to exhibit time, kids will also build and test a catapult as they try to breach a castle wall, work in teams to precisely power a blimp jet, and construct their own marble roller coaster. Pizza dinner and an evening snack are included!
Event: WGEN “Forces and Motion”
Date: Saturday February 4, 2017 (snow date: Saturday February 11)
Time: 5:00 PM (Drop off) to 9:15 PM (Pickup)
Location: Reading Public Museum
Cost: $25 per child
To register for the WGEN Forces and Motion event contact Jacquelynn at 610.371.5850 ext 227. Advanced registration is required. You will receive an email confirmation once your registration has been processed.
Wilson Gifted Education Network (WGEN) is the parent support organization for Gifted Education at Wilson. Please email us WilsonGiftedEdNetwork@gmail.com if you have any questions about the WGEN Forces and Motion event. If you want to add your name to our WGEN email list click here to sign up.
Wilson Gifted Education Network (WGEN) Special Meeting!
WGEN Meeting : Tuesday, November 29, 2016 7:00 PM
WGEN is pleased to announce that Stacey Stoudt, Wilson’s new Director of Assessment, Data, and Analysis, and the former Principal at Green Valley Elementary, will be giving a presentation on a new teaching method called “Guided Math” at our Tuesday, November 29, 2016 meeting. “Guided Math” is being piloted at Green Valley and some of the other elementary schools this year.
We encourage all parents of elementary age students to come to the meeting and hear directly from Mrs. Stoudt about this important change to your child’s math program.
WHAT: Presentation on “Guided Math”
WHO: Stacey Stoudt, Wilson’s Director of Assessment, Wilson School District
WHEN: Tuesday, November 29, 2016, 7:00 PM
WHERE: Wilson High School Library (SPECIAL LOCATION!)
The special meeting will be held in the Library of the Wilson High School campus, (2601 Grandview Blvd, Reading, PA 19609). Please RSVP (Yes, No, or Maybe) using the link: http://goo.gl/forms/G5QlS31Pki
This meeting is open to all who are interested in supporting Gifted Education in the Wilson School District.
WGEN is a network of parents dedicated to supporting gifted education throughout the Wilson School District. This is WGEN’s sixth year and we are busy planning our events and activities for the 2016-17 school year. At our meetings we plan enrichment activities for our gifted students, get updates on what is happening at Wilson with respect to gifted support services, and discuss our experiences with gifted education.
If you have any questions please send us an email. Thank you for your support of Gifted Education at Wilson!
WGEN EVENT: Jingle Arrgh the Way!
The countdown to the holidays is upon us and what better way to celebrate than with Santa himself… and pirates?!
WHAT: Jingle Arrgh the Way!: A Christmas Pirate Musical and Workshop
WHO: Workshop led by: Beverly Houck, Director
WHEN: Saturday, Dec 3rd, 2016 at 10:00 AM (Please arrive at 9:45 AM)
WHERE: Yocum Institute for the Arts (1100 Belmont Ave, Wyomissing)
COST: $8 for WGEN Members, $10 for non-members
This Christmas season the Yocum Institute for the Arts is presenting a terrific new show “Jingle Arrgh the Way!: A Christmas Pirate Musical.” This delightful, family-friendly musical features the characters we know and love from “How I Became a Pirate,” great songs, and a trip to the North Pole to find You Know Who!
WGEN is pleased to announce that, in conjunction with the Yocum Institute for the Arts, we will be hosting a post-show workshop for Wilson School District gifted students with the show’s director, Beverly Houck. This event is a great opportunity for our gifted students to interact and form friendships outside of the classroom.
Click the link to reserve your tickets today! http://tinyurl.com/WGEN-Jingle-Aargh-the-Way
Events from 2016-17 School Year
Enrichment/Social Events
We had two social events for our gifted students this year. These events provided an opportunity for gifted students to interact and form friendships outside of the classroom. We held an arts based workshop, held in conjunction with a performance by the Yocum Institute for the Arts, and a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) themed event in conjunction with the Reading Public Museum. In addition we held an information session with Mrs Stoudt on a new teaching method, Guided Math.
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Wilson Gifted Education Network
Contact: WilsonGiftedEdNetwork@gmail.com