gdp's Comments

Daily Camera.com: : Boulder Valley to launch new programs for gifted students - Boulder Daily Camera

Sun, 9 May 2010 02:08:10 +0000

As an advocate of gifted education, I must address some of the concepts in yeahnook's comment. The idea that gifted children cannot be identified until third grade is a myth. Although there are many illustrative examples, when a five-year old child is reading dramatically above grade level and is largely self taught, as gifted children do in some cases, the odds of the child being typical are pretty low. Enrolling this type of child in a traditional classroom can do real harm to the child. Giftedness doesn't happen because of an enriching experience at home. Sure, a child can be hurt by a lack of enrichment and stimulation as a baby and beyond, but an enriching environment, even a super enriching environment does not cause a gifted child. I don't believe for a minute that a professionally administered test is highly flawed and biased. Yet, to be clear, the average classroom teacher is not a trained psychologist capable of administering a real IQ test. So, the process of selecting children for TAG can be biased. For example, it may be very hard for a dyslexic child to be selected for TAG, even though his/her IQ might be in the gifted range. Dyslexia and other learning disabilities are present in gifted children and can make it more difficult for them to reach their ultimate potential. Leaving them in traditional classrooms is hardly the way to address their challenges – which can be overcome – so they can reach their potential. So, it is fair to say not every gifted child is in TAG and not every TAG child is gifted. I find the comment suggesting parents will find a test that "shows 130 points or higher" pretty amazing. These professionally administered tests cost a few hundred dollars. My experiences have only introduced me to parents looking for the truth for the betterment of their children, not a special score.

Daily Camera.com: : Private school considering Boulder campus for gifted - Boulder Daily Camera

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 05:02:43 +0000

Relevant Links for more information... http://mackintoshboulder.wordpress.com/ http://www.mackintoshacademy.com

Daily Camera.com: : Continued sales tax drop for Boulder in most recent report - Boulder Daily Camera

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:34:02 +0000

This picture probably tells the story. (Photos are great!) I would be interesting to see an analysis of the relative performance of Pearl Street vs. other areas to confirm the adverse impact of the electric metrics. I wonder if the Parking gods and the Sales Tax gurus can collaborate without establishing a commission or task force that is sure to require staff support, public hearings and newspaper advertisements. I remember a time, before the new machines were installed, that a Pearl Street merchants' association actually put a quarter in my meter as it expired. They even left a nice note to thank me for shopping on Pearl Street. What a pleasant surprise when I returned with two pairs of shoes which had provided gross profit to the merchant and sales tax receipts. What an impossibility now. See you all in Broomfield.

Feld Thoughts : Trying to Help AT&T Get Better in Boulder

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:24:01 +0000

So in Gunbarrel - near Jay & 75th the coverage is really bad. My neighbor returned an iPhone and dropped AT&T. I can talk on the second floor of my house when I have to. On the other hand, when I had Verizon service I was confident enough to lead conference calls from my office in the basement. The bad coverage continues from my home all the way down Jay Road to the Diagonal Highway and into Boulder. I start to experience reliable calls at Iris and 28th. If I stay on 28th Street to Pearl it seem to be safe. My office on the Pearl Street Mall has good coverage.

Daily Camera.com: : Boulder Valley team: Reject charter school for gifted - Boulder Daily Camera

Tue, 8 Dec 2009 16:44:21 +0000

It is open enrollment, plain and simple.

Daily Camera.com: : Boulder Valley team: Reject charter school for gifted - Boulder Daily Camera

Tue, 8 Dec 2009 16:38:19 +0000

That is actually a good question. The recent studies are interesting. I am not convinced focusing on the national average is useful. In Colorado, charter schools do better than traditional schools. CREDO, associated with Stanford University, reports that Colorado is one of five states (in a study of 16 States) with "...significantly higher learning gains for charter school students than would have occurred in traditional schools..."

Daily Camera.com: : Boulder Valley team: Reject charter school for gifted - Boulder Daily Camera

Tue, 8 Dec 2009 16:25:52 +0000

The conversion comment from the BVSD recommendation body is at best a red herring to inspire fear, uncertainty and doubt in the community and to help protect the entrenched bureaucracy. The founder of the the failed school is not part of the initiative or the steering committee. The failed school is in fact closed and the students have scattered.

Daily Camera.com: : Boulder Valley team: Reject charter school for gifted - Boulder Daily Camera

Tue, 8 Dec 2009 16:16:42 +0000

What you're describing is asynchrony. It some cases, the weakness falls to the level of a learning disability. This type of student is then categorized as twice exceptional. This is exactly the type of problem public schools are challenged to address.

Daily Camera.com: : Boulder Valley team: Reject charter school for gifted - Boulder Daily Camera

Tue, 8 Dec 2009 16:13:49 +0000

This is untrue. The administration of the failed school is not connected to this initiative. The admissions process is called open enrollment.

Daily Camera.com: : Boulder Valley to consider charter school for gifted students - Boulder Daily Camera

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:37:28 +0000

Roloc help me understand the facts that lead you to the conclusion that it does anything but address them? These children have a tendency to be very complex. Many demonstrate extremes that challenge their parents and their teachers. Not to mention the frustrations this trigger in the child. I wish this issue were as simple as being smarter. It is not. The blessed child who is simply smarter in every subject and blessed with social intelligence, sports prowess and good looks may be the prom queen, class valedictorian and a Rhodes Scholar probably does not need a gifted school. This is wonderful for this child. Unfortunately, many children are not blessed with this well rounded set of traits. And these other kids need more than a regular school. A gifted school will not protect them from the diversity that is our world. They will get that experience in Little League, on the swim team, on the soccer team, in the Girl Scouts program, at summer camp, in the neighborhood, in high school, in college, in the workplace. Are we too stuck in our ways to offer a more supportive setting to some of our K-8 children through our public school system? Some of these kids are born to families that can afford to provide private education and some are not. The equitable solution is to create a charter school that is accessible without tuition payments.

Daily Camera.com: : Boulder Valley to consider charter school for gifted students - Boulder Daily Camera

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:28:09 +0000

In the Charter Application, which is part of the School Board Agenda that is posted at the BVSD website, Smart School is identified as operating Grand Traverse Academy in Traverse City, Michigan. GTA is a K-12 charter school. Smart Schools provided two members of this organizing committee - Dr. Steven J. Ingersoll and Peter Svahn.

Daily Camera.com: : Boulder Valley to consider charter school for gifted students - Boulder Daily Camera

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:59:35 +0000

It is easy to offer this comment. Yes, parents as a group may have a tendency to see the best in their children. Shame on those advocates of their kids. Now the reality. As 2468 points out below, gifted kids are not always "good kids". In fact, gifted kids can be very challenging, and it is a very complicated issue. I submit, parents of gifted kids don't "think" they have a gifted kid, they "know" it. Unless of course they have not discovered the reality of their situation. In this case, they just know they have a challenging kid who demonstrates moments of brilliance.

Daily Camera.com: : Boulder Valley to consider charter school for gifted students - Boulder Daily Camera

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:50:37 +0000

Interesting that you acknowledge that Peak to Peak forced improvement of Lafayette school. It is sad that competition has to work its magic in our public schools, but it does. Let the competition grow.

Daily Camera.com: : Boulder Valley to consider charter school for gifted students - Boulder Daily Camera

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:45:29 +0000

Smart School is a name that gets used by more than one organization. The Smart School associated with this charter application is not the one you found and reference. It is not a internet-based school.

Daily Camera.com: : Boulder Valley to consider charter school for gifted students - Boulder Daily Camera

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:38:15 +0000

Congratulations to the steering committee for presenting this excellent charter to BVSD. The entire application is included in the agenda for tomorrow's meeting which is available through the link provided below. http://agendapublic.bvsd.org/meetings.aspx

Daily Camera.com: : Boulder County open space measure appears headed for defeat - Boulder Daily Camera

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 05:20:31 +0000

Conniesz you are probably right. In the meantime, I'd like to see the County Commissioners develop a comprehensive and honest assessment of all the infrastructure needs facing Boulder County. How are we going to keep County roads safe and competitive with neighboring counties? Are we properly funding our long-term pension and health care obligations? Are we adequately addressing the maintenance and development of existing Boulder County assets? Are we adequately addressing the human service needs of our citizens? Don't ask me to support this kind of tax without a comprehensive assessment of Boulder County responsibilities. We might need this tax dollars for more important priorities.

Daily Camera.com: : Boulder County open space measure appears headed for defeat - Boulder Daily Camera

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 04:41:52 +0000

IIweed great question. The County Commissioners need to hear from the citizens about this and the other issues that triggered this "about face". The County Commissioners need to learn to listen and then serve the citizens of the county. It is time for the "establishment" to continue to be challenged.

Daily Camera.com: : Boulder County open space measure appears headed for defeat - Boulder Daily Camera

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 03:49:13 +0000

Does anyone know the last time an Open Space tax failed in Boulder County? This seems like it could be a big story. Are the citizens suggesting a change in county priorities?

Daily Camera.com: : Colorado Supreme Court won\'t hear BVSD charter suit - Boulder Daily Camera

Tue, 6 Oct 2009 17:54:24 +0000

With Charter Schools, the ultimate power is in the consumers who have to take the affirmative step to enroll in the program instead of the local school district's standard offering. So, the bureaucrat, and more importantly the Charter School, actually answers to the marketplace -- not to a school bureaucracy that is and has been delivering lackluster results across our nation. If Boulder is so innovative, why doesn't BVSD become a laboratory embracing change. The reality is our neighbors are moving to more innovative school districts in the region.

Daily Camera.com: : Colorado Supreme Court won\'t hear BVSD charter suit - Boulder Daily Camera

Tue, 6 Oct 2009 17:43:11 +0000

The real issue is maximizing the achievement level of all students. So, it is not simply about better schools, it is about better schools for each child. If BVSD would embrace Charter Schools, maybe we would have more choices. The problem we have today is a homogenous instructional methodology and unique learning styles. So, yes we might have more self-selected students in Charter Schools, but that is the point if we just don't have enough choices.