PACE Weekly Newsletter - June 4,  2007

 
We have 5 items to share with you this week.
 
1) Urgent - Please contact Representative Tom Cross today:  Line item for $5 million for gifted funding did not pass.  Our hope this year is for Rep. Tom Cross to add it as a line item in the final state budget when he meets with Governor Blagojevich, Speaker Madigan, and Speaker Jones.
 
Legislators adjourned for the weekend and will be back in Springfield on Tuesday.  Today, Monday, is a good day to call or email his Springfield or Plainfield office.
Email address is tom@tomcross.com
Phone number is (217) 782-1331 in Springfield and (815) 254-0000 in Plainfield
 
Rep. Tom Cross on April 18th, IAGC's Springfield Day, stated to families from Illinois that he will do everything he can to help us with our efforts.  Please ask him for his help.  The $5 million we're asking is only half of 1% of the proposed $9.5 Billion state education budget!
 
2) Great opportunity to learn about your child's education -
Attend Board of Education's Curriculum Committee meeting:
 
Monday, June 11, 5:30pm - 6:45pm, at Oswego High School's main office conference room. Enter door #1 by tennis courts, turn left, and main office is located end of hallway.
 
This is meeting between administrators and Board's Curriculum Committee and is held in public.  Here, parents have an opportunity to listen and learn about their children's curriculum and education.  Following is on the agenda:
- NWEA Testing Results (MAP computerized testing)
- Reading 180 Program
- Planning for the Future - Middle School
 
3) Great Opportunity to learn about and impact your child's education - Elementary Pyramids of Enrichment strategy group, part of the District 308's 5 year strategic plan, met twice in May and will resume meeting in early fall to look at research based  best practices in gifted education and how we can implement these practices (within the constraints of budgeting) in our school district.  This strategy group is made up of administrators, AT pull out teachers, classroom teachers, and parents.  If any of you are interested in joining either the Elementary or the Secondary Pyramids of Enrichment strategy group, please let me know ( boldridge@comcast.net ), and I will pass your name on.  The Secondary group should meet early next school year.  Contact me now, during the summer, or beginning of school year.
 
4) Looking for a tutor? - Contact the district office at 636-3080, and find tutors for various grade levels and subject areas.  Parents can call during summer or school year.
 
5) Cool website - Check out www.Cogito.org an online community for academically talented youth.  It has an amazing assortment of information from Young Scientists in the News, Summer Programs, Academic Competitions, Webcasts, to Podcasts.  If you like, add it as a Favorite website