Welcome
What is the Hormel Foundation Gifted & Talented Education Symposium?
The annual Hormel Foundation Gifted and Talented Education Symposium provides an opportunity for educators, counselors, administrators and parents to gain greater understanding of the unique needs of gifted and high potential learners. Participants attend in-depth sessions focusing on foundational knowledge, creativity, curriculum strategies, and social/emotional needs of gifted and high potential learners provided by the field's finest regionally, nationally and internationally recognized presenters. All are welcome to register and attend the symposium.When is the Symposium?
The Symposium runs from June 12th through the 15th with a Pre-Conference on June 11th, a Leadership Academy on June 12th, and a Parents Day on June 13th.Where is the Symposium held?
All symposium activities, with the exception of Sunday's pre-conference session and the evening dinners, will be held on the campus of Austin High School, 301 Third Street NW, Austin, MN 55912. The Pre-Conference, on June 11, will be held at the Austin Holiday Inn and Conference Center, while Wednesday's Dinner and Program will be held at the Hormel Historic Home. Austin, Minnesota, has a population of 24,000 and is located in southeastern Minnesota approximately 12 miles north of the Iowa border and approximately 90 miles south of the Twin Cities metro area. Austin is also 35 miles southwest of Rochester, Minnesota, home of the famous Mayo Clinic. For more information about Austin and area sites of interest, visit the Austin Convention and Visitor Bureau.Keynote Speakers
Susan Johnsen
Time To Differentiate
Michelle Borba
The 9 Essential Habits that Unlock the Power of Empathy
Mary Slade
Practicing What I Teach: Lessons Learned
Michael Oleska
Cross-Cultural Communication
Susan Johnsen, PhD.
Time To Differentiate
Monday, June 12
Knowlton Auditorium @ Austin High School
8:30 - 10:00 AM
Have you ever wondered where you might find enough time to personalize your learning activities for each student? This keynote will not only describe the top ten evidence-based
differentiation practices but will also organize them into those that take the least amount to the most amount of time to implement. Specific examples will be provided to help educators
address individual differences among students with gifts and talents.
Susan K Johnsen, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where she directs the PhD program and programs related to gifted and
talented education. She is editor of Gifted Child Today and coauthor of Identifying Gifted Students: A Practical Guide, the Independent Study Program, RTI for Gifted Students, Using the
National Gifted Education Standards for University Teacher Preparation Programs, Using the National Gifted Education Standards for PreK-12 Professional Development and more than 200
articles, monographs, technical reports, and other books related to gifted education. She has written three tests used in identifying gifted students: Test of Mathematical Abilities for
Gifted Students (TOMAGS), Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (TONI-4) and Screening Assessment Gifted Students (SAGES-2). She is past president of The Association for the Gifted (TAG), Council
for Exceptional Children and past president of the Texas Association for Gifted and Talented (TAGT). She has received awards for her work in the field of education, including NAGC's
President's Award, TAG's Leadership Award, TAGT's President's Award, and Baylor University's Investigator Award, Teaching Award, and Contributions to the Academic Community. She may be
reached at Department of Educational Psychology, Baylor University, One Bear Place #97301, Waco, TX 76798, USA or Susan_Johnsen@baylor.edu.
Knowlton Auditorium @ Austin High School
8:30 - 10:00 AM
Have you ever wondered where you might find enough time to personalize your learning activities for each student? This keynote will not only describe the top ten evidence-based
differentiation practices but will also organize them into those that take the least amount to the most amount of time to implement. Specific examples will be provided to help educators
address individual differences among students with gifts and talents.
Susan K Johnsen, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where she directs the PhD program and programs related to gifted and
talented education. She is editor of Gifted Child Today and coauthor of Identifying Gifted Students: A Practical Guide, the Independent Study Program, RTI for Gifted Students, Using the
National Gifted Education Standards for University Teacher Preparation Programs, Using the National Gifted Education Standards for PreK-12 Professional Development and more than 200
articles, monographs, technical reports, and other books related to gifted education. She has written three tests used in identifying gifted students: Test of Mathematical Abilities for
Gifted Students (TOMAGS), Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (TONI-4) and Screening Assessment Gifted Students (SAGES-2). She is past president of The Association for the Gifted (TAG), Council
for Exceptional Children and past president of the Texas Association for Gifted and Talented (TAGT). She has received awards for her work in the field of education, including NAGC's
President's Award, TAG's Leadership Award, TAGT's President's Award, and Baylor University's Investigator Award, Teaching Award, and Contributions to the Academic Community. She may be
reached at Department of Educational Psychology, Baylor University, One Bear Place #97301, Waco, TX 76798, USA or Susan_Johnsen@baylor.edu.
Michelle Borba, Author and Educational Psychologist
The 9 Essential Habits that Unlock the Power of Empathy
Tuesday, June 13
Knowlton Auditorium @ Austin High School
8:30 - 10:00 AM
The "Selfie Syndrome" is leading to an empathy crisis in youth. Teens today are 40% less empathetic than just a generation ago; narcissism has increased 58%. This isn't just a crisis of
character. Dr. Borba explains why cultivating empathy is essential to creating caring children, compassionate schools, just communities and a civilized society. She shares her nine-step
"raise successful, happy kids who are also kind, moral, courageous and resilient. You'll also learn that our exclusive focus on grades, scores and fat resumes is destructive to children's
mental health and robbing their potential to lead a happy and fulfilling life. By putting empathy at the core, we'll raise children that become the citizens we hope they'll be.
Dr. Michele Borba is an internationally recognized educational psychologist and expert in bullying, social-emotional learning, and character development and has spoken to over one million
participants on five continents. She is a Today Show contributor, appearing over 140 times, and featured as an expert on Dateline, The View, Dr. Phil, NBC Nightly News, CNN, MSNBC, Dr. Oz,
Dr. and The Early Show, among others and regularly quoted in national media from New York Times, TIME, Boston Globe, Washington Post. Dr. Borba has authored 24 books; her latest are
UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About Me World. and The 6Rs of Bullying Prevention.For more information see: micheleborba.com, Facebook:Facebook.com/drmicheleborba/ and
Twitter @micheleborba.
Knowlton Auditorium @ Austin High School
8:30 - 10:00 AM
The "Selfie Syndrome" is leading to an empathy crisis in youth. Teens today are 40% less empathetic than just a generation ago; narcissism has increased 58%. This isn't just a crisis of
character. Dr. Borba explains why cultivating empathy is essential to creating caring children, compassionate schools, just communities and a civilized society. She shares her nine-step
"raise successful, happy kids who are also kind, moral, courageous and resilient. You'll also learn that our exclusive focus on grades, scores and fat resumes is destructive to children's
mental health and robbing their potential to lead a happy and fulfilling life. By putting empathy at the core, we'll raise children that become the citizens we hope they'll be.
Dr. Michele Borba is an internationally recognized educational psychologist and expert in bullying, social-emotional learning, and character development and has spoken to over one million
participants on five continents. She is a Today Show contributor, appearing over 140 times, and featured as an expert on Dateline, The View, Dr. Phil, NBC Nightly News, CNN, MSNBC, Dr. Oz,
Dr. and The Early Show, among others and regularly quoted in national media from New York Times, TIME, Boston Globe, Washington Post. Dr. Borba has authored 24 books; her latest are
UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About Me World. and The 6Rs of Bullying Prevention.For more information see: micheleborba.com, Facebook:Facebook.com/drmicheleborba/ and
Twitter @micheleborba.
Mary Slade, PhD.
Practicing What I Teach: Lessons Learned
Wednesday, June 14
Hormel Historic Home
Banquet 6:00 - 8:30 PM
Administrators, support personnel, psychologists, school board members, and teacher educators alike have typically spent some time as a classroom teacher or played a similar role in
the school building at early in their career. The experience shapes how they fulfill their educational responsibilities in jobs that ensue. As time passes, education evolves as policy,
legislation, and empirically based knowledge change. Before long, many of us find ourselves removed from what is currently happening is schools, and as a result, our impact on schooling
is limited. I spent 25 years preparing teacher educators, administrators, and other school personnel in gifted education. Recently, I returned to the elementary school as a gifted
education teacher for 18 months in order to "practice what I teach." Please allow me to share the lessons I learned.
Mary Slade is Professor and Chair of the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy at the Richard W. Riley College of Education at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC. Mary has taught in
higher education since 1990 focusing teaching and scholarship on gifted education. Previously she taught in elementary, middle, and high schools as a fourth-grade, gifted education,
and English teacher. Dr. Slade served several terms on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Gifted Children and received the Early Leader Award from the organization.
Over the past 25 years Mary has presented over 200 inservice sessions to educators in pre-K-12 education, as well as more than 175 professional papers. Mary has published widely
including more than 25 articles, book chapters, and reports as well as three books.
Hormel Historic Home
Banquet 6:00 - 8:30 PM
Administrators, support personnel, psychologists, school board members, and teacher educators alike have typically spent some time as a classroom teacher or played a similar role in
the school building at early in their career. The experience shapes how they fulfill their educational responsibilities in jobs that ensue. As time passes, education evolves as policy,
legislation, and empirically based knowledge change. Before long, many of us find ourselves removed from what is currently happening is schools, and as a result, our impact on schooling
is limited. I spent 25 years preparing teacher educators, administrators, and other school personnel in gifted education. Recently, I returned to the elementary school as a gifted
education teacher for 18 months in order to "practice what I teach." Please allow me to share the lessons I learned.
Mary Slade is Professor and Chair of the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy at the Richard W. Riley College of Education at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC. Mary has taught in
higher education since 1990 focusing teaching and scholarship on gifted education. Previously she taught in elementary, middle, and high schools as a fourth-grade, gifted education,
and English teacher. Dr. Slade served several terms on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Gifted Children and received the Early Leader Award from the organization.
Over the past 25 years Mary has presented over 200 inservice sessions to educators in pre-K-12 education, as well as more than 175 professional papers. Mary has published widely
including more than 25 articles, book chapters, and reports as well as three books.
Rev. Dr. Michael Oleska
Cross-Cultural Communication
Thursday, June 15
Knowlton Auditorium
8:30 - 11:30 AM
What's a culture? What's your culture? Do you have a culture? Everyone does. The best definition of culture is "the way you see the world." But you can't SEE the way you see the world. Your
own culture is always invisible to you. We can look at other people's cultures and not how they differ from our own, but we can't articulate our own very well. Cultures are "ways of seeing."
Rev. Dr. Michael Oleksa' s presentations are devoted to a discussion of cultures and how they effect us all, how our own culture focuses on certain aspects of reality and neglects others.
He speaks internationally on how cultures influence the way we understand each other and how to deal with this in a reasonable and appropriate way. His four-part PBS television series,
Communicating Across Cultures, has been widely acclaimed.
Knowlton Auditorium
8:30 - 11:30 AM
What's a culture? What's your culture? Do you have a culture? Everyone does. The best definition of culture is "the way you see the world." But you can't SEE the way you see the world. Your
own culture is always invisible to you. We can look at other people's cultures and not how they differ from our own, but we can't articulate our own very well. Cultures are "ways of seeing."
Rev. Dr. Michael Oleksa' s presentations are devoted to a discussion of cultures and how they effect us all, how our own culture focuses on certain aspects of reality and neglects others.
He speaks internationally on how cultures influence the way we understand each other and how to deal with this in a reasonable and appropriate way. His four-part PBS television series,
Communicating Across Cultures, has been widely acclaimed.
Schedule
General Information
Pre-Conference
Leadership Academy
Symposium
Center for Talent Development Camps
Parents' Day
Sessions
The Symposium features 30 different three-day sessions in addition to the keynotes. Attendees choose three of the sessions to attend during the same time slot on each day. With sessions from The Talent Development Model in K-12 Program and Curriculum Design to Practical Differentiation to Meet the Needs of All Students, there's sure to be a session that fits your needs. For a complete list of available sessions, please click here.Registration
Register Here
REGISTRATION CLOSES JUNE 5, 2017!
Registration is not considered complete until payment is received. An email confirmation will be sent to you upon successful completion of the online registration process. If you do not receive an email confirmation, you are NOT registered.GENERAL SESSIONS June 12 - 15
The general sessions registration fee is $200 and includes: daily keynote presentations and sessions, all conference materials, tote bag, breakfast Monday through Thursday, lunch Monday through Wednesday, break refreshments, Monday evening buffet dinner reception at a TBA location, and a Wednesday evening banquet at the Hormel Historic Home. Pre-registration is required. Session DescriptionsTWO KEYNOTE PACKAGE
A session that includes dinner and a keynote on Wednesday, June 14 along with entrance to the extended keynote on Thursday, June 15. Wednesday's evening keynote presenter is Mary Slade, PhD. Thursday's extended keynote presenter is Rev. Dr. Michael Oleska. Registration cost is $75 and pre-registration is required. Registration includes Wednesday dinner and Thursday breakfast and break refreshments. Participants who attend Administrator Day, the Pre-Conference, Parent Day and General Symposium must register for each separately.PRE-CONFERENCE June 11, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Patti Drapeau will present Gifted Spatial Learners on Sunday, June 12 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Austin Holiday Inn and Conference Center. Registration cost is $50 and pre-registration is required. Check-in and refreshments for the pre-conference begins at 1:30 p.m.LEADERSHIP ACADEMY DAY June 12, 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
A one-day session for school leaders will be held on Monday, June 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Leadership Academy Day presenter is Susan K. Johnsen, PhD. Registration cost is $75 and pre-registration is required. Registration includes breakfast, lunch, break refreshments, and materials. Participants who attend Administrator Day, the Pre-Conference, Parent Day and General Symposium must register for each separately. Leadership attendees are invited to select a general session of their choice at 2:45 p.m. Additional information is available on the Leadership Day schedule and flyer.PARENT DAY June 13, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
A one-day session for parents will be held on Tuesday, June 13, from 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Dr. Michele Borba will speak on The 9 Essential Habits that Unlock the Power of Empathy at 8:30 a.m. Parents will then proceed to a workshop with Dr. Tracy Ford Inman on Parenting Gifted Children 101. Registration cost is $50 and pre-registration is required. Registration includes breakfast, lunch, break refreshments, and materials. Participants who attend Leadership Academy, the Pre-Conference, and General Symposium must register for each separately. Additional information is available on the Parent Day schedule and flyer.STUDENT CAMP
The Center for Talent Development at Northwestern University will run an onsite day camp for gifted students during the symposium. Click here to register your child!ACADEMIC CREDIT - Onsite registration only
Symposium participants may register for academic credit from Hamline University. Course information and registration forms will be available during onsite registration Monday, June 12 from 7:15 to 8:15 a.m. and at Command Central throughout the symposium. Fees for graduate or undergraduate credit will be in addition to the symposium registration fee. Credit Option Information and ApplicationPAYMENT
Credit Cards and purchase orders are accepted at the online registration site only. After registering, please mail purchase order along with copy of email confirmation to: Austin Public SchoolsAttn: Barb Spurling
401 3rd Ave NW
Austin, MN 55912 If you have questions throughout your registration process, contact Barb Spurling at barb.spurling@austin.k12.mn.us or call 507-460-1912 for assistance. Registration fees for all sessions are waived for Austin Public Schools employees and Austin residents; however, a refundable deposit of $50 is required to reserve a space at the symposium. Send or drop off the $50 deposit checks to Barb Spurling in Educational Services. For Cancellations, please contact Amanda Barber at amanda.barber@austin.k12.mn.us. Cancellations and refund requests must be received by May 23, 2017. Cancellations due to illness or emergency after May 23, 2017, will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Cancellations made after May 1 are subject to a $25 cancellation fee.
Travel & Lodging
Travel & Lodging
University Credit Option
Symposium participants may register for academic credit from Hamline University. Course information and registration forms will be available during onsite registration Monday, June 12 from 7:15 to 8:15 a.m. and at Command Central throughout the symposium. Fees for graduate or undergraduate credit will be in addition to the symposium registration fee. Credit Option Information and ApplicationContact
General Information:
Amanda Barber - amanda.barber@austin.k12.mn.us Registration Information:
Barb Spurling - barb.spurling@austin.k12.mn.us Program Information:
Wendy Behrens - wendy.behrens@state.mn.us
Amanda Barber - amanda.barber@austin.k12.mn.us Registration Information:
Barb Spurling - barb.spurling@austin.k12.mn.us Program Information:
Wendy Behrens - wendy.behrens@state.mn.us
