Louisburg High School
and Louisburg Middle
School Gifted Newsletter
OCTOBER 2022
When gifted students return
from fall break, the QUEST
classes will begin our first
semester Problem-Based
Learning Project. The topic will
be revealed early next week
during class.
The first step will be
introducing students to the
problem, which will be an
authentic problem facing
people in our world,
community, or school.
The second step will be
identifying an authentic
audience to whom this
problem-solution project will
be directed. Students will
collaborate to brainstorm the
direction they want to take
their research and action
steps by dividing in
conquering over a period of
several classes.
Finally, they will present their
solution to an authentic
audience in the format of a
“Shark Tank” panel.
QUEST Independent Research Projects
The QUEST students at LMS just
wrapped up their first quarter IRPs, and
the LHS students are midway through
their projects, and I’m excited for what
they’ve put together!
At the high school level, this
semester’s projects include topics
ranging from college and scholarship
applications to ACT prep to personal
topics of enrichment. Students have
chosen to research areas that are either
looming in the near future (post high
school) or topics of personal interest.
One student is engaging in a job
shadowing opportunity at the USD 416
elementary schools, and another is
working on producing and recording
original music. Other students are
researching their favorite music, creating
artistic masterpieces, exploring their own
personalities, and learning about real
estate investments. At the end of the
this issue
QUEST IRP’s P.1
Academic Mindset Workshop P.2
The QUEST Class P.3
Trends & New Software P.4
semester, they will present their growth
as a part of their final exam for the
QUEST class.
The middle school QUEST students
have also had some great projects. At
LMS, these students will do a new IRP
each quarter. Their topics included
researching the racehorse industry, the
thorny devil (pictured above), the stock
market, why people are attracted to
certain brand names, and the history of
computers. One student engaged in an
exploration of herself through various
personality assessments, while another
composed and recorded an original song
on Google Music Lab. The final products
students have created include
animations, slideshows, sculptures, and
one student is working to help Mrs.
Hesser and the FBLA club to put on a
career fair next semester.

During each gifted student’s
annual Individualized
Education Plan (IEP)
meeting, we will discuss their
present levels. Part of this
discussion includes my
analysis based on prior
observations and interactions
with each student. I prepare a
“pre-evaluation” for students
to help set our baseline for
the academic year. A
“baseline” is a measurement
taken at the starting point to
be used for later
comparisons.
I complete a pre-evaluation
for each student prior to the
end of the first quarter, and
these rubrics are sent home
as attachments with the first
quarter progress reports.
These rubrics consist of
eleven soft skills that will
enable future success in
whatever areas our students
choose to participate. Each
skill is rated on a scale of 1
(Emerging) to 4 (Exemplary),
and a simple math formula is
used to find the pre-
evaluation score. At the end
of the school year, a post-
evaluation will be completed
to help students and parents
analyze the growth over the
course of the school year.
“Winning Mindset” is a
program started by brothers
Gene and Jeff Zannetti to
help individuals and teams
reach their full potential in
sports, school, and life.
Gene Zannetti earned two
advanced degrees in
psychology, and the
Winning Mindset program
has expanded to include
not only sports, but also
academics.
I learned of the Academic
Mindset program several
years ago, and I’ve been
including many of their
materials over the years
with my gifted classes. LMS
students may remember the
“Monday Motivation”
discussions and the
“Toughness Tuesday”
challenges.
I’ve started each year’s
workshop series with the
Academic Mindset
workshop for a specific
reason. I feel that it is vital
to address mindset training
not just for our athletes, but
September’s
Academic Mindset
Gifted Workshop
A Systematic Program to Win
in Academics, School, & Life!
also for our academics. control, and not the things
they cannot control. We talk
This year’s workshop
about finding the positives
explored several modules,
in our daily situations so
including mindset “red
that we can practice a
flags,” self-knowledge,
grateful mindset.
relaxing under pressure,
focusing on the present Finally, we concluded the
moment, motivation, and workshop by analyzing the
confidence. concepts of success and
failure. Students wrote their
One of my favorite topics of
own personal definitions of
mindset training is the idea
these two words, and they
of a “reset button” that
also redefined their views
students can use when they
on making mistakes or
encounter adversity such as
errors.
disturbing comments,
difficulty concentrating, The Academic Mindset is
answering questions based upon four key
incorrectly, forgetting principles:
important materials, and
• I am thankful for the
more.
opportunity to learn.
We also discussed the • I am confident and
importance of relaxing consistent.
before major tests – both • I have no fear of failing
the time leading up to the or making mistakes.
test and during the test. • I never give up.
One of the biggest benefits
to this mindset training is
the fact that it helps
students learn to focus on
the things within their
 LMS gifted students will
have the chance to travel to

Osawatomie High School on

Thursday, November 10, for
the annual Hubbard Math

Competition!

Prior to becoming the LMS

and LHS gifted teacher, I had
never heard of Hubbard Math.

W HAT HAPPENS DURING QUEST CLASS ? What I’ve learned about this
30-year tradition is that it
We are fortunate at LMS and LHS (somewhat) witty and (barely) get the chance to being an involves participants from
to be able to offer an elective class humorous dad joke, followed by a environment where they feel Louisburg, Central Heights,
for our gifted students. The primary “Cognitive Cardio” game. Students comfortable, can make choices for Anderson County, Paola, and
goal of this course is to serve then break out on their own to set, themselves about how to manage Osawatomie. It’s a blend of
gifted students as they work pursue, and reflect on their short- their time, and, on occasion, academics and competition.
toward individual educational goals term goals. engage in a fun game with each
The general idea is that
in an independent study manner. other and the teacher.
From time-to-time, however, we
teams of 3-4 students are
We also get to collaborate and If you have any questions about
have the chance to engage in
given a math solution and
engage in both formal and informal discussions over current events or the QUEST class, please be sure
must develop an appropriate
discussions about topics of all topics that are pressing on the to reach out to me, and I’d be more
formula for it. With each
kinds. than happy to talk!
students’ minds. It’s a relaxing
successful answer, some
Most days, the class begins with a environment where gifted students
restrictions are enacted to
make it more challenging. The
final team to successfully
Lateral Thinking Riddles
develop a formula wins the
round.
1) The Landlubber: A man around the world
in a ship. Yet he was always in sight of Teams are placed into one
land. How come? of two round-robin brackets
As a boy, I grew to love lateral thinking 2) Disconnected: A horse walked all day. based on age. Last year, the
riddles and logic puzzles. Now that I’m in Two of its legs traveled 21 miles and two LMS team “We Are Groot”
the teaching position I’m in, I love to legs traveled 20 miles. How come? were the Pool 1 Champions
share these riddles with my students. 3) Luigi’s: Luigi’s is an excellent restaurant and the LMS team “We Are
Often, they are a part of the daily with a fine reputation. However, one day, Inevitable” were the Pool 2
“Cognitive Cardio.” Here are a couple all the people who had lunch there were Champions. A third LMS team,
riddles for your enjoyment! sick. There was nothing wrong with the “Friends From Work,” finished
(ask your students for help solving!) food. What happened? in 4th place in Pool 2.
 Fall 2022 Gifted Workshop Series

Each year it gets more and more difficult to brainstorm effective, enjoyable,
and relevant workshops for my gifted students, and I really appreciate the
suggestions and feedback that I get from students and parents alike.
The link to the Fall 2022 Gifted Workshop teaser video will be included with
the progress reports. Here are the workshops being offered this semester:
September: The Academic Mindset, a hands-on and interactive workshop to
help students strengthen their mindsets for the school year.
Anyone involved in
October: Maya Exhibition at Union Station, a field trip to explore the Mayan
education at any level has
culture and its wonderful history.
been introduced to the model
of Bloom’s Taxonomy (or November: Handling Finances with special guest speaker Craig Holtzen, a
one of its derivatives). workshop addressing investing, eliminating debt, and entrepreneurship.
December: Local Civics with special guest speaker Pat Apple, a workshop in
Each year with the LMS
QUEST class, we begin the which students will explore local government and leadership, as well as
class by exploring Bloom’s how our local systems work.
Taxonomy (see
https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guid
es-sub-pages/blooms-
taxonomy/ for more
information) through the
medium of Legos. It’s as
though the creators of Legos
had this taxonomy of
educational objectives in
mind as they invented these
timeless building blocks (I
still assert that one is never
too old to build with Legos…
notice I didn’t use the word
“play”?).

Pictured above are three

LMS QUEST students and
their Lego creation as we
explored the Synthesis level
of Bloom’s.

Wildcat Gifted Quarterly Issue 2 October 2022