Gifted Jaguars and Eagles

On Monday Dr. Jennifer Gerz-Escandon gave the following remarks at the Bloomington Senior Achievement night .  I really enjoyed them so I asked her to share them with me.  I think she has some great advice for our students.   Bloomington High School Achievement Ceremony Remarks ( April 2017 ) Jennifer Gerz-Escandón , PhD Kennedy High School Class of ‘83 Thank you Meredith for the kind introduction.  Thank you Bloomington Public Schools for always welcoming me home.  Congratulations Kennedy and Jefferson seniors on your achievements!  You've gained impressive lift off and now it's time to start looking beyond high school to find ways to continue making an impact. What can you do during the next four years to set the foundation for a lifetime of achievement? As a former professor and current Honors College administrator, I encourage students to consider this question every day. By show of hands, how many of you are headed for college? Who's t...

It is not too late to sign up for the  Practice   ACT  Test, a fundraiser for Jaguar DECA. It will take place  Saturday, February 4th , at  8:00 a.m .  at Jefferson High School.   Students will take a full  ACT   practice  test (no written portion), including an extra reading section to gauge the students reading speed.  Sylvan Learning has found that reading speed is a large indicator on how well students do on the  ACT .   The tests are scored so students know how they did, including a diagnostic report and access to SylvanPrep.com. On  Monday, February 13th , at  6:30PM , Sylvan Learning will hold a results meeting in the cafeteria.  Students will get their results, learn how to read them, and get general information on how to improve their  ACT  score.  This meeting is designed for students and/or parents. Students can sign up for the  ACT   Practice  Te...

Ex-Harvard interviewer shares the questions she typically asked in the interview - Business Insider How to conquer the dreaded college application essay - The Washington Post COLLEGE COUNSELOR: Shy Student’s Guide to Getting A Teacher Recommendation | News | gazettes.com https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/how-to-conquer-the-dreaded-college-application-essay/2016/11/09/63fc2476-875e-11e6-ac72-a29979381495_story.html

This week is Gifted and Talented Awareness week in the state of MN.  To bring awareness around the social emotional needs of GT kids I shared this article today with the JHS staff.   “Helping Gifted Students Move Beyond Perfectionism” is from the November issue of Teaching for  High Potential.   It is a short and helpful article that addresses an i ssue I frequently hear about from teachers - how to support gifted  perfectionists.  The article does a good job of explaining that merely  saying “Chill out” isn’t helpful (just like telling a depressed  student to “Just be happy” wouldn’t work).  Last week Lori Schultz and I were at the National Association for  Gifted Children Conference in Florida and we are excited to work with  you and our students with our new ideas.  Feel free to ask us about our  experience at the conference and the sessions we went to!  

Check out these recent articles: The 4 Biggest Mistakes Students Make When Applying to College from the Washington Post Make Sure You Get Best College Recommendation Letter

Students who are interested in earning an Honors Diploma at graduation should stop by C20 or the Career Center to pick up an application and a flyer.  There will be an information meeting for seniors during homeroom on November 16th in room C20 .  I am taking Honors Diploma applications through the end of trimester two.  Students can apply at any time during their time at JHS.  If you want more information go to this link  to read about the Honors Diploma program and to get the application form or you could watch this video about our Honors Diploma program.  

Early application deadlines are approaching!  I know many of you are working on your essays with Mr. Levi ski. Two more articles with advice for writing college admissions essays: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/five-underutilized-ways-to-give-yourself-an-advantage-with-your-college-essay/2016/10/09/56d1c156-8dd6-11e6-875e-2c1bfe943b66_stor y.html http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/education/collegeconnection/2016/10/09/ways-make-college-application-essay-stand/91784442/ Good luck and may the force with you!