Blue Valley Parent Advocates for Gifted Education
Due to privacy laws, BVPAGE is not notified when a child is identified as gifted. Please join our email distribution list to receive monthly emails.
2019-2020 Calendar of Meetings & Events
Take note:
Be sure to check dates and times carefully, as our meeting format has changed! Please note that our evening sessions now have a $5 fee for general members, paid at the door in cash or check (please try to bring exact change if you can), to help us cover the cost of the facilities and professional speaker. There is no charge for anyone who is a Friend of BVPAGE.
If the meeting is at Hilltop, we recommend wearing layers. The temperature fluctuates significantly.
Please note that locations vary and event dates and locations are subject to change. This will always be the the most updated information. To receive updates when information is posted, subscribe to the BVPAGE feed.
Meeting Minutes and all presentation/hand out materials will be published on the Meeting Archive page whenever possible.
2019-2020 BVPAGE Events:
August
Grant Delivery to Gifted Teachers
Tuesday, August 13th
BVPAGE presents Grant Checks to Gifted Teachers at their gathering at the beginning of the year. Grants are made possible with funds from the Summer Robotics Camps. Teachers are allowed to spend the money for anything for students in their classroom that is outside of their budget or carry over one year to buy something bigger for their classroom. It's our favorite time of the year!
BVPAGE Morning Coffee Meet Up
Friday, August 23rd - 9:00 a.m.
Pilgrim Coffee
12643 Metcalf Avenue (in the strip mall on the NE corner of 127th and Metcalf). We have reserved their semi private room.
Informal Topics: New to the Blue Valley School District or the gifted program? Think your kid is gifted and not sure what to do next? Have questions about the changes to BVPAGE this year? Join us for our first morning coffee chat!
September
BVPAGE Daytime Meeting
SENG preview and sneak peak at our new, one-day format!
Friday, September 6th - 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Hilltop Campus, Conference Room B (Northwest entrance near Rec Center)
7700 W 143rd Street, OP, KS 66223
Topic: Join us for a discussion of the upcoming SENG seminar and see what the hype is all about! Our new format is going to be great for both new parents and those looking for a refresher as their kids continue to grow and change.
SENG Accelerated! Parent Group
Saturday, September 28, 2019 - 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
JOCO Blue Valley Library Meeting Room
9000 W 151st Street, Overland Park, KS 66221
Fee: $40, collected the day of the event.
BVPAGE presents a one-day accelerated SENG (Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted) Model Parent Group. Trained SENG facilitators will introduce and explore topics from James T. Webb’s book, A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children. It will be helpful (but not necessary) to read the book in advance. The book is available from Great Potential Press, Amazon or at the JOCO Library. Groups of parents will exchange ideas and experiences in a confidential and supportive environment. Space is limited, so register early! Questions? Contact us at BVPAGE.SENG@gmail.com.
October
BVPAGE Evening Meeting ($5 fee for general members, no fee for Friends of BVPAGE)
Intensities and Anxieties
Karen Jordan, a licensed psychologist in Overland Park who specializes in the assessment of gifted children, will be focusing on tangible takeaways to help manage the wide variety of intensities and anxieties that many of our kiddos navigate on a daily basis. She will address questions like: "What tools can I give my child to navigate the swings between what feels like higher highs and lower lows than other kids?"
Thursday, October 10th - 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Hilltop Campus, Conference Room A (Northwest entrance near Rec Center)
7700 W 143rd Street, OP, KS 66223
KGTC 2019 Annual Conference
Sunday October 13, 9:30 a.m. – Monday, October 14, 4:00 PM
K-State Alumni Center
1720 Anderson Ave
Manhattan, KS 66502
Kansas Association for Gifted, Talented and Creative is a not-for-profit advocacy group in the state of Kansas dedicated to promoting identified gifted and other high achieving students. Information about the conference and registration is located here.
November
BVPAGE Daytime Meeting
Finding the Gray in a World of Black and White
Is it justice central at your home? Is there only right or wrong and no possibility of something in between? A group of Blue Valley school counselors from elementary, middle, and high schools will have tips on helping our kids see that the world isn't always black and white..They will also touch on other common hallmarks they see in gifted students and how they help them manage them in classroom and social settings. Friday, November 1st - 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Hilltop Campus, Conference Room B (Northwest entrance near Rec Center)
7700 W 143rd Street, OP, KS 66223
December
BVPAGE Morning Coffee Meet Up
You decide the topics! Come and share whatever is on your mind... and maybe some ideas for holiday gifts as well!
Tuesday, December 3rd - 9:00 a.m., Pilgrim Coffee
12643 Metcalf Avenue (in the strip mall on the NE corner of 127th and Metcalf)
January
BVPAGE Evening Meeting ($5 fee for general members, no fee for Friends of BVPAGE)
Executive Skills Part II - Practical Strategies with Diane McLean
Thursday, January 30th - 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Hilltop Campus, Conference Room A (Northwest entrance near Rec Center)
7700 W 143rd Street, OP, KS 66223
February
BVPAGE Morning Coffee Meet Up
Tuesday, February 4th - 9:00 a.m., Pilgrim Coffee
12643 Metcalf Avenue (in the strip mall on the NE corner of 127th and Metcalf)
BVPAGE Summer Opportunities Fair
Thursday, February 6th - 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Open house format.
Hilltop Campus, Conference Room B (Northwest entrance near Rec Center)
7700 W 143rd Street, OP, KS 66223
BVPAGE connects vendors offering gifted and high ability summer camps and programs with students and families in a single location. Drop in to visit with vendors and get information about offerings. To find out more about volunteering, visit the Volunteer section of BVPAGE.org. To suggest a vendor, contact the Summer Opportunities Chair.
March
BVPAGE Daytime Meeting
Understanding the Elementary Report Card: Standards Based Grading Q&A
Learn more about Standards Based Grading and how it impacts gifted students with Kelly Ott, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, and Jennifer Luzenkse, Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Please RSVP here.
Friday, March 6th - 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Hilltop Campus, Conference Room B (Northwest entrance near Rec Center)
7700 W 143rd Street, OP, KS 66223
April
CANCELED BVPAGE Brain Blizzard Trivia Contest ($5 fee/child for general members, two kids free for Friends of BVPAGE)
Saturday, April 4th, 10:00 AM – Noon
Scheels Training Center
6503 W. 135th Street, Overland Park, KS
Brain Blizzard is BVPAGE’s Knowledge and Trivia Contest for Blue Valley 7th & 8th grade gifted students. Kids get to know each other before high school and bragging rights are awarded to the winners. Teams and individuals welcome. To find out more about volunteering, visit our Volunteer page. Visit the camp registration link under Items of Note on Events and Announcements page for details and to register.
CANCELED BVPAGE Evening Meeting ($5 fee for general members, no fee for Friends of BVPAGE)
Maintaining Sanity in a Tech-Saturated World
Join us for an evening with START (Stand Up and Rethink Technology) to learn about screen time strategies and helping our kids become responsible technology users.
Thursday, April 9th - 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Hilltop Campus, Conference Room A (Northwest entrance near Rec Center)
7700 W 143rd Street, OP, KS 66223
May
CANCELED BVPAGE Morning Coffee Meet Up
Tuesday, May 5th - 9:00 a.m., location TBD
June
BVPAGE Summer Robotics Camps
June 8 - 12, June 22 - 26
Aubry Bend Middle School
12501 W 175th St, Overland Park, KS 66221
Camp Session Time 2019-2020 Grade Level
WeDo AM Session: 9 am - 12 pm 1st, 2nd, & 3rd
EV3 PM Session: 1 pm - 4 pm 4th, 5th, 6th, & 7th
Half day camps are run by LEGO education trained, experienced, retired teacher instructors. Gifted IEP is not required, but material is geared to high ability learners. WeDo does not change week to week, but EV3 can be taken both weeks and students can choose to focus on different challenges. Visit the camp registration link under Items of Note on Events and Announcements page for details and to register. Contact bvpage.robotics@gmail.com for questions not answered at the camp details link.
Camp registration will open by mid-February and will be announced to Friends of BVPAGE first, and then on our website, Facebook, Twitter, and by email to all members. If you aren't on our mailing list, subscribe now.
There are also volunteer opportunities for high school students to help at camps. Volunteer registration information for high school students will be sent through high school gifted teachers shortly after Spring Break. To find out more about what volunteering entails, visit the Volunteer section of BVPAGE.org.
Participation in BVPAGE Summer Robotics Camps allows BVPAGE to provide monetary grants to Gifted Teachers for classroom/student needs outside of their allotted budgets. Thanks for your support!