Judy O’Neal serves as our Director of Advanced Academics and comes to us with over 30 years of experience in education as a classroom teacher, campus administrator, district Gifted and Talented education facilitator, and most recently as an advanced academics specialist at the regional level.
To serve advanced academics populations, we are proud to offer teacher professional development as well as technical assistance for campuses and districts to improve their advanced academics offerings.
Professional Development Offerings
Texas state law requires all teachers of gifted and talented students to obtain 30 hours of initial professional learning and 6 additional hours each year. To support this legal requirement, we offer the following workshops on a contract basis.
Required 30-hour Professional Learning
- Exploring the Nature and Needs of Gifted Students (6 hours)
- Assessing and Identifying Gifted Students (6 hours)
- Differentiating for the Gifted Student (6 hours)
- Using the Elements of Depth and Complexity to Increase the Rigor for the Gifted Student (6 hours)
- Developing Creativity in all Students including the Gifted (6 hours)
Options for 6-Hour Annual Updates
- Understanding the Social and Emotional Needs of the Gifted Student
- Learn all About the Texas Performance Standards Project
- Review for the TExES Supplemental Certification Test
- Differentiation Essentials for Advanced Students
We also support campuses and districts in evaluation of their services for Gifted and Talented students, including helping districts understand their accountability requirements under HB3 that relate to Gifted and Talented services.
- HB3 Guidelines
- SBOE Approved 2019 Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted and Talented Students
- Program Evaluations
- Strategic Planning for Improving Programs
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- Elementary Gifted
- Secondary Advanced Academics
