By John Alberts

Executive Director of Educational Services

John F. Kennedy once said, “a rising tide lifts all boats.”

Gifted education can be that rising tide, and Austin Public Schools provides an annual professional development opportunity that helps parents, teachers, and administrators learn the newest practices in the field of gifted education that ultimately can be used to help all students succeed.

From June 18 through 20, Austin Public Schools, in conjunction with the Minnesota Department of Education and the Hormel Foundation, will be hosting the 11th annual Hormel Foundation Gifted and Talented Symposium at Austin High School.

Experts in the field of gifted and talented education from across the country and world share the latest research and practices in the field. In the past, there have been more than 300 attendees from as far away and Turkey, Hong Kong, and Kenya.

Thanks to the generosity of the Hormel Foundation, Austin residents and school staff can attend the symposium at no cost. This year’s keynote presentations include “Increase the Public’s Urgency to Support the Needs of Gifted Children” by April Wells, from Illinois School District U-46; “4 Words That Changed My Life: How a Teacher of Science and Gifted Became a Policy Leader” by Stephen L. Pruitt, Ph.D, President of the Southern Regional Education Board; and “In the Age of Gifted Education for All, What Works for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment”  by Dr. Joyce VanTassel-Baska, from The College of William and Mary.

Additionally, Dr. Susan Daniels from California State University, San Bernardino, will be giving the keynote, “A Doodle for Your Day,” at the Wednesday night banquet at the Historic Hormel Home.

For more information on the symposium and to register, visit www.gtsymposium.org. Information can also be found on Facebook at @gtsymposium.