Our friend Ann Smith [1] recommends CAG’s Northern California Symposium in Napa County on Sat 11/3. This sounds like a good parent-education opportunity with some best-of-breed presenters. (homepage , flyer , workshops)

“Unlocking Potential and Reaching for Excellence:
A Northern California Symposium for Educators and Parents”
Saturday November 3, 2012, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
American Canyon High School
3000 Newell Drive, American Canyon, CA 94503 (map)

Full Day Rate including catered lunch: $50 for CAG members, $75 for non-members
Register online or use the flyer

UPDATE: To advance MVGATE’s and the District’s shared goal of effective in-school differentiation within the new Common Core curriculum model, MVGATE will sponsor six Mill Valley teachers to attend the CAG Symposium.

The Symposium focuses on differentiation for advanced learners within Common Core, which CAG is embracing as a way of advancing classroom differentiation in the post-GATE-budget era. We’d like to help spread such thinking among interested teachers, and we’ve offered the District multiple scholarships, one per MVSD school. The Symposium is being held at what is said to be a very cool, brand new ultra-tech high school, and the program is highly focused on Common Core.

MVSD principals and teachers interested in attending with our sponsorship, please notify Director of Student Support Services, Andee Abramson.

[1] Ann is the Bay Area Region Parent Representative for the California Association for the Gifted, and the Director of the Gifted Support Center in the peninsula.