Advisory Councils
The Gifted Education Strategic Plan calls for a Site Advisory Council in each building and a District Advisory Council.
Site Advisory Council
The formation of a site advisory council gives each school an integral part in the districtwide plan for Gifted Education Services. The Gifted Education Site Advisory Council may be made up of one or two staff, two parents representatives, the Gifted Ed Resource Teacher, and the principal. They meet as necessary to discuss issues related to Gifted Education in the school. The purpose of the Site Advisory Council is:
- to provide a communication link between the school, parents, and community
- to be supportive of GES, its staff, and regular classroom teachers
- to assist in planning all-school enrichment
- to encourage involvement of parent and community volunteers in activities such as:
- recruiting community members to serve as mentors to students who are involved in advanced level research, investigation, or creative productions
- reviewing television guides, academic competitions, summer programs, science fairs, publishers who accept children's work, and participation in hobbies, theater, and local historical societies
- creating learning centers/stations
- serving as a clearing house for visiting speakers, field trips, etc.
Site Advisory Council parent representatives are also on the Gifted Education District Advisory Counci and act as the main means of communication between their local Site and the District. The Site Advisory representatives report at the District Advisory Council meetings what their Site is doing, any Site concerns they might have, and feedback from parents.
To get insights and suggestions from the students themselves, each of our middle schools has a Student Site Advisory Council, and the High School Site Advisory Council includes student members along with staff and parents.
District Advisory Council
The Gifted Education District Advisory Council meets several times during the school year. The District Advisory Council is made up of two site representatives from each building, the Edina Council for Gifted and Talented (ECGT) president and vice president, and the Gifted Education Coordinator. The purpose of the Gifted Education District Council is to provide information and perspectives to Gifted Education staff to be utilized in its planning and decision-making related to student services. The role of its members is as follows:
- to represent the needs of students in all areas of service, including curriculum-based and student-based
- to be supportive of Gifted Education Services, its staff, and regular classroom teachers
- to act as liaison and build positive partnerships between school, teachers, gifted education staff, district administration, and parents in advocating for comprehensive services
- to provide a communication link between the district, Site Advisory Council members, parents, and ECGT membership and Board
- to provide a united voice in advocacy for the needs of students, recognizing their specialized needs for affective, academic, and talent development