8:00 – 9:00

Registration & Continental Breakfast

9:00 – 9:20

Welcoming Remarks

Rita Ostrager

9:20 – 10:10

Parenting Journey: Manual Not Included

Dr. Elinor Bashe, Psy. D

For parents of highly gifted children, it may actually be easier to provide our children with opportunities for intellectual stimulation than to ensure their social/emotional well-being. How do we help them embrace their giftedness? How do we combat potential isolation (theirs and ours)? How do we maintain our own sense of adequacy in the face of the challenges of raising our children? In this session, Elinor Bashe, Psy.D. will speak to these questions and address your own.

10:10 – 11:00

Beyond The Classroom

Dean Sarolta Takacs, Ph.D.

A successful education is measured by more than just grades and scores. Join Dean Takacs as she explores the benefits and pitfalls that await young students on campus.  Discover mentorship opportunities and synergies between the SAS Honors Program and HEROES.

11:00 – 11:20

Morning Break

11:20 – 12:10

CHOICE OF THREE OPTIONS

Working With Schools

Denise Dwyer

Developing an appropriate educational program requires a good working relationship between parent and school.  Education advocate and attorney Denise Dwyer and gifted education teacher Loretta Kumpf will discuss how to build a good working relationship with schools and options that can be considered when those efforts are not successful.

Applying to Colleges: Making the Right Match

Nancy Pullen

How can parents help their children find the right college to match their needs and interests?  What are the benefits and draw-backs to entering early?  early decision? and following the traditional application and enrollment schedule?  How can parents and students evaluate various choices of colleges and majors to make the right match?  Rutgers’ Director of Recruitment and Enrollment, Nancy Pullen, will address these issues from the perspective of a student, parent and admissions counselor.

On-line and Home School Resources Swap

Dr. Michelle Muratori, Ph.D.

Whether you home school or supplement your child’s more traditional education with on-line resources you are invited to bring information on your favorite groups, programs, tutors, on-line courses and other resources to share with other parents.  Dr. Michelle Muratori of Johns Hopkins’ Study of Exceptional Talent will guide this parent networking session.

12:10 – 1:00

Changing Gifted Education in New Jersey

Elizabeth Hough

The National Association of Gifted Children ranks New Jersey as one of the worst in the nation in terms of gifted education.  New Jersey provides no state funding, no mandated standards and no place in the state for teachers to be trained in educating the gifted.  Rutgers Director of Summer/Winter Programs, Elizabeth Hough will discuss steps that Rutgers is taking to address some of these issues.

1:00 – 2:00

Lunch

2:00 – 3:00

Writing for College: What Every Parent Should Know

Michael Goeller

Are high schools really preparing students to succeed at college writing? Or are they too focused on achieving the low standards set by high school writing tests? The fact that over one third of college students need remedial writing instruction suggests that high schools are not doing enough. This workshop, conducted by the administrators directly in charge of first-year writing at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, will discuss what students need to know to succeed at college writing and how they can work to address the shortcomings of many high school programs

3:00 – 4:00

Resources Fair

Find out how your student can continue pursuing the topics that they explored during the day and find out about other programs by visiting the resource fair.

Undergraduate Research Poster Session

Meet several undergraduate researchers to talk to them about their work and their experience in the research lab.

One-on-One with the Experts

Meet with Elinor Bashe, Denise Dwyer or Loretta Kumpf to discuss your individual situation.  You may sign-up for a meeting when you register or at the conference.