The 31st Annual AGATE Conference  was held February 24-26 at Peabody Hotel in Little Rock.  The theme was: Beginning a Decade of New Horizons-Unlocking Tomorrow's Doors of Potential Today. There were over 80 sessions, 30 plus  exhibitors, as well as several fun events. There was a Parent and an Administrator Institute on Thursday as well as the  annual Advanced Placement  Day on Friday chaired by Dr. Alicia Cotabish,  and Debbi Jones ,Conway.

There was the  Student Showcase on Thursday. Other activities included:  An  Artist Showcase featuring Mission House Recording Artist- Alex Edmonds, an Author's Showcase and book signing featuring Carla Killough McClafferty ,and an Editor's Showcase featuring Dr. Brownlyn MacFarlane and Dr. Tamra Stambaugh who edited the Prufrock Press book : Leading Change in Gifted Education. 

There were breakout sessions which featured G/T  teachers. Romona Sawyer  was  Conference Chairman.  Patti Thompson, Conway Schools, was Awards Chairman.  GT Teachers from Conway, Greenbrier, Mayflower,  Quitman , Bigelow, Danville, Western Yell, Hector, Pottsville, Russellville,and Morrilton attended.  Robin Clark, Greenbrier Schools, is president of AGATE . Marilyn Larson and Marilyn Nabholz, Coway, represented the Governor's Advisory Council for Gifted and Talented Education. Jodie Mahony was remembered as a friend of not only Gifted Education but of Arkansas Education.  Governor Mike Beebe received the 2010 Agate Award of Excellence.   Marion Berry received Agate's Special Presidential  Award for his works with Advanced Placement.  Polly Bakker, GT Supervisor  at Arch Ford Education Cooperative , presented Agate Scholarships to Carolyn Ann Henthorne and Sarah Jerry from Greenbrier.

Christina Leonard , Sothside Bee Branch,received the Parent/Community Award.Claire Allensworth, Greenbrier, received the Youth Challenger Award.Betsy Hays, Atkins, was awarded the Challenger Awardand Jane Conley, South Conway County Schools, received an Agate Educator Award. Betsy Hays andKathy Whittington, Atkins, were honored with a Curriculum award as was Kolby Snellenberger, Russellville Middle School.  Atkins affiliate group received an Affiliate award presented by Affiliate Director, Laura Binz, Russellville Schools.

The History of Advanced Placement in Arkansas

Program Summary

The G/T Supervisor provides local gifted and talented teachers with consulting and training services through meetings, visits to schools, and staff development in-services. She also makes sure school records are accurate and that G/T action plans and budget are in compliance, and serves as liaison with the ADE-G/T office and AGATE.

What's Happening at Arch Ford
by Polly Bakker

We will have a busy 2009-20010 at Arch Ford. Our activities will include: workshops, meetings; conferences; student activities; preparation for monitoring; and writing curriculum.

Coordinator meetings and our activities are: Quiz Bowl, Chess Tournament, Destination Imagination, and Elementary Science Fair.

Our work includes: Secondary Course Content, Pre-AP and Advanced Placement.

Workshops will be: Gifted Boys; GT Affective Curriculum, Raising Test Scores,Quiz Bowl Training, and Destination Imagination presentations by students.

Several of our schools will be monitored by ADE/GT and premonitored by Polly . We will attend AAGEA Fall Conference and the AGATE Conference in February at the Peabody in Little Rock and NAGC in St.
Louis.

We welcome the following new Coordinators: Amanda Brogdon at Heber Springs; Shannon Rowley at Shirley, Julianna Yeatman at Bigelow, Cathy Drake at Mt. Vernon-Enola, and Linor Thomas at Quitman.

We have a great year planned for GT at Arch Ford Co-op!

2009-2010

December 10
GT Coord. meeting at Arch Ford 9:00-12:00
Meeting Coaches/Officials Elem Quiz Bowl 1:00-3:00

February 5
Arch Ford Area Quiz Bowls

February 24-26
AGATE Conference, Peabody Hotel, LR

March 11
GT Coord. meeting at Arch Ford

March 12
Co-op Elem Quiz Bowl Finals (Conway)

March
Regional Destination Imagination

April
State Destination Imagination

May 3
Elem Chess Tournament & GT Coord. Meeting at Arch Ford

May
Elem Science Fair - Arch Ford

June, July, August
Workshops at Co-op, CIV ADE, AP, Secondary Course Content Workshops

TBA:
Jr. & Sr. Governor's Academic Quiz Bowl, 7-12, CAAS-Chess