Parent Academy Meeting Tuesday Night
The next Parent Academy meeting, Tuesday, September 12 from 6:30 – 7:30 PM. If Tuesday will not fit into your schedule, the power point presentations will be uploaded to our website under the “parents” tab.
For the first half hour (6:30 – 7:00) We will be hosting a presentation by licensed marriage and family therapist, Guinnivere Bohnsack:
Title: Bringing Awareness to the Emotional Health of Gifted Adolescents https://youtu.be/i1PMsqbhtos
1. Introduction
a. About me and why I’m passionate about increasing awareness of the unique emotional needs of the gifted adolescent.
2. Revealing the Emotional World of Gifted Adolescents
a. Susceptible to depression, anxiety, social isolation, fragile self-concept, suicide
b. What mechanisms create these emotional challenges for the gifted
3. What Research Reveals
a. Controversy as to whether gifted people experience emotional variances like depression, anxiety, and suicide more than non-gifted people
b. Gifted people’s emotional health is often overlooked and why
c. The conditions that increase the prevalence of emotional challenges can be addressed
4. How To Recognize Signs of Distress
a. Depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, isolation, fragile self-concept
b. Why these signs might be more difficult to notice in the gifted
5. How to Respond to Your Child If Signs Are Noticed
a. Create and environment of care and support
b. What to say/ What NOT to say
6. How To Take Action
a. Steps to take next if your child or another person’s child needs help
– Seeking Therapy
– Involving the school
– Keeping communication open
– Immediately reduce stress
7. Conclusion and Question/Answer
In the second half hour (7:00 – 7:30) Kaci Conetzkey from DMACC will be discussing a new process to help students align their dual credit courses to earn Associate degrees from DMACC.
DMACC Associates Degrees in High School: https://youtu.be/enwtMggoaTI
A lot of Academy students earn college credits for classes they take at Academy. But typically, the courses are not strategically selected to earn the Associates Degree (2 year college degree). DMACC is working to make it easier for Academy students to figure out which courses they have and which courses they still need to obtain an Associates Degree. DMACC is also introducing other practices that will allow students to use their college credits earned in high school towards an Associates Degree even after graduating high school. Learn more with Kaci at 7:00!
Also on hand:
IB Diploma Programme Option, Isaac Pedelty, IB DP Coordinator, will have a table to discuss the Diploma Programme of concurrent, advanced learning for juniors and seniors at Academy. Students apply to the program in their sophomore year. Learn how IB DP is different from AP and how to apply for admission.
Mark your calendar for other evening events this semester which include:
October 12 & 17: Parent Teacher Conferences Discuss your child’s progress in Academy classes with teachers between 3:30 – 7:30 each night.
November 14: Unity through Diversity Student Political Forum. A student-conceived and student-led civil discussion of important political topics from the entire spectrum of views. Student panelists, representing a range of conservative to liberal views, will discuss important topics of our day with the support of their research teams and moderated by a student moderator.
December 12: Parent Academy: Topics to be announced. Expected to include choosing courses for 2018-2019 and earning High school credit as a middle school student.
See you Tuesday night!