Winter 2007

Dear Friends,

As I step down as president of AGATE, it seems only fitting to reflect on the past six years. I have had the opportunity to meet and interact with so many wonderful people, from keynote speakers and politicians, to administrators, educators, psychologists, parents, students, and a host of others related to our cause. Each has had a lasting effect – on me and on AGATE.(UFT).

One of my goals was to increase the visibility and impact of AGATE, and I’m pleased to report that we have made some important gains. The number of AGATE chapters has increased in recent years, and parents have reported some success in advocating for change within their local school districts. I would have liked to celebrate the passing of legislation to mandate gifted program’s for New York’s most able students and to require that all teachers be educated in how to meet the needs of gifted students. Unfortunately, this legislation has been stalled and remains in the Assembly Education Committee. We have been successful, however, in having New York State institute the requirement that teachers of the gifted earn a Gifted Certificate Extension. To qualify, teachers must complete 12 credits of graduate courses in gifted education and must pass the Gifted Content Specialty Test. In the past, few colleges offered courses in gifted education. Today classes are increasingly available on campuses and online.

By varying the location of our annual conference, we have made it accessible to educators across the state. We also have strengthened our partnerships with NY colleges. A prime example is the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University, which not only hosted one of our conferences but also has expanded its Long Island University Center for Gifted Youth. In addition to excellent programs for gifted students, the center now offers courses for teachers and serves as a wonderful resource for parents. We are delighted that C.W. Post will host our conference again in 2009.

I cannot count the number of parents and educators who have contacted me over the years. Many were relieved to have finally reached someone who could provide understanding and information. Others were happy just to be able to say how bright and talented their children were and hear a supportive, encouraging voice instead of being criticized for bragging about their talented child. Parents who had been told that their child had ADD were hopeful that it might actually be a high IQ or a combination of giftedness and a learning disability.

The accomplishments of the past six years reflect the talent and commitment of the AGATE Board members with whom I had the privilege to serve. I am grateful to each of you and, even more important, New York’s gifted children and their parents are grateful, too. As Audrey Dowling takes the helm with several new board members, I look forward to an increasingly stronger AGATE and continued progress.

My thanks to all of you who have made my term in office an incredible ride.

Sincerely,

Mary-Ellen Seitelman, President