The Gifted Education Cooperative (GECO) serves Clarendon Hills, Hinsdale, Burr Ridge and Oak Brook.                                      

Update from Friday, February 3, 2012

See below, under Additional Information, for handouts/slides from some recent events!

District 181 Information

GECO encourages you to attend the District 181 school board Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday, February 13, at 7 pm at CHMS to hear further discussion regarding gifted programming in the district.

Update(2/3): The consultants have now submitted their final report with appendices.

For the preliminary report from the consultant presented at the 1/23/12 board meeting, click here. For a summary of that meeting and GECO's position on this report, click here. For a follow-up letter to parents from the district, click here. For a brief history of the gifted program in the district, click here. 

How can you get involved in GECO's efforts to advocate for the children?

• Join GECO if you have not done so already. We will be communicating regularly to members throughout this process. GECO is open to all in the community. We have always taken an inclusive approach. Members of GECO do not always share the same opinion but the dialog is constructive and informative. Click here for a link to the membership form.
• Email the board and superintendent at boe@d181.org
• Start coming to GECO planning meetings, as this is not likely to be resolved quickly.
• Get involved in GECO to learn more about gifted issues, research, and best practices. Our programming includes book discussions, topical issue forums, parent coffees, and expert guest speakers.

GECO Upcoming Events

Friday, February 10, 2012 - 9:15 to 10:45 AM, Hinsdale Public Library

GECO Coffee: How Do We Give Our Kids a Growth Mindset: Read Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck, then join us to discuss its implications on parenting and schooling. Dr. Martha Henrikson, Assistant Principal at Hinsdale Middle School, will be joining us for this fascinating discussion. A limited number of copies of the book are on "book Club Hold" at the circulation desk of the Hinsdale Public library if you are interested.  As always, bring your favorite morning brew. Open to all.

Sunday, February 5, 2012: 12-4 pm:

IAGC Convention Parent Program: "Understanding, Assessing and Supporting Your Gifted and Talented Child's Potential" led by Andy Mahoney, one of the pioneers in the field of counseling the gifted, and "Start Early-Start Smart: Why Early College Major & Career Planning is Essential for Gifted Students" led by Paula Kosin, Marketing Manager and Career Consultant of Career Vision of Glen Ellyn. See additional details here. Registration required.

Monday-Tuesday, February 6-7, 2012

IAGC Convention: Classroom teachers, gifted coordinators, administrators, and parents will be attending the Seventeenth Annual IAGC Convention to experience presentations in the areas of program development, specific subject areas, social and emotional issues, parents, and diverse gifted populations. See additional details here. Registration required.

Friday, February 24, 2012 - 9:15 to 10:45 AM, Hinsdale Public Library

GECO Coffee: Discuss Gifted Education with District 181 Superintendent Dr. Renée Schuster.  Dr. Schuster will join us for an informal discussion about educating bright children in our district As always, bring your favorite morning brew. Open to all.

Thursday, April 12, 2012: 7:00 – 8:00 PM at Hinsdale Middle School
Barbara Rinella in a dramatic interpretation of Cleopatra: A Life. Presented by GECO and the Dsitrict 181 Foundation, Barbara Rinella offers a one-woman show in which she enthusiastically and energetically personifies Cleopatra. This program is designed to be an entertaining and educational event for the entire family. Recommended for ages 9 and up, but all are welcome to attend. It is not necessary to read the book. Tickets are $5 per family, available in advance and at the door. Click here for more information.

Friday April 20, 2012: 9:15 to 10:45 at Hinsdale Public Library **tentative**
GECO Coffee: Let's Talk About Middle School Heard all the middle school stories from the parents of older kids? Wondering how your child will cope? Come to our discussion on what to expect. If you are a middle school parent, bring your knowledge to share with others; if you are an elementary school parent, bring your questions. This should be a lively discussion! As always for our coffees, bring your favorite morning brew. Open to all.

Check back soon for additional interesting events for parents and children!

Have some ideas for GECO events or interested in getting involved? 

All are encouraged to attend monthly planning meetings.  Please email GECO@ArvaMont.com for this month's location. All meetings begin at 12:30 pm.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Additional Information:

Information from the "Gifts for the Thinking Child" coffee on 12/1/11:

   Recommended by coffee attendees. Click here

   Toy ratings/awards and catalog/online sources, click here

   Challenging games recommended by teachers, click here

Looking for Dr. Ellen Fiedler's powerpoint on “Organizationally Challenged? How Developing Executive Function Can Help the Gifted" that she presented on 10/20/11? Click here.

Did you miss the 10/21/11 presentation on "Gifted 101- A primer on the special parenting needs of gifted children"? Click here for the agenda from the meeting, which includes links to relevant websites and articles.

Also see the GECO Events page for other resources provided by our speakers and other sources.