Denise Kuchta  

Coordinator for Gifted, and Mathematics Instructional Coach at Queen Bee School District 16

Goals for the IAGC

My passion in gifted education stems from life-long giftedness and the unique path students will take from the K-8 system to high school and into adulthood. I am committed to the needs of underrepresented learners and providing opportunities that facilitate life goals. I am also an advocate for educating the parents of gifted children – as well as parental involvement in education.

Yvette Stahl

Gifted Coordinator for St. Charles CUSD 303

This is my 26th year in public education. My unique path started with 8 years in the middle school classroom teaching a variety of core subjects, but primarily math, science and technology. I transitioned to administration as a junior high assistant principal, then principal in Palatine and Schaumburg for a total of 5 years before shifting to teaching Math and Science in the Infinity Gifted Magnet Program in St. Charles for 7 years, which allowed me to spend time raising my children. As I had more time to commit to my career, I spent the last 4 years as a middle school Instructional Coach at Wredling Middle School. This year, I am stepping back into instructional leadership as the Gifted Coordinator for the St. Charles School District.

I attained my Gifted Endorsement in 2014.

Team Leader for Infinity Gifted Magnet Program.

I actively participated as a member of the District 303 contract negotiation team 2021-2023.I have been a long-standing member of the MTSS committee in District 303.I have co-authored and taught district-wide professional learning courses. I have extensive experience facilitating professional learning in large and small groups. I currently focus on improvement planning around Accelerated Placement throughout our system, including AP, Acceleration, Whole-Grade Acceleration and Academically Talented/Gifted Curriculum implementation.

Goals for IAGC 

At a time when legislation and the needs of our gifted children are intersecting, my hope is that IAGC can continue to champion the unique needs of the gifted learner, advocate for the best possible educational outcomes for those students, and provide continued resources and support for families of gifted/talented students. I would like to be an active part of the local, state and national dialog around giftedness, which is why I have chosen to pursue an elective track through my current master's program at Johns Hopkins that allows me to learn deeply about gifted identification, pathways and supports.

Lindsay Sudol 

Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning / East Maine School District 63

I have over 17 years of experience as a teacher of gifted and talented learners in a variety of programs and settings. This includes managing a K-5th grade gifted center in St. Petersburg, FL, working with bilingual gifted students in Pilsen, teaching advanced readers in 4th-8th grade in Skokie, and teaching 5th and 6th grade gifted learners in a self-contained program in Schaumburg. I also spent several years teaching in Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Development program. In addition to teaching, I am the parent of a gifted learner. Currently, I am working to support, improve, and enhance the opportunities for all learners in East Maine School District 63 as the Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning.

I have always prioritized taking an active role in the school communities in which I taught, including facilitating clubs to challenge gifted and talented students in all areas (drama, student ambassadors, Lego League). In addition, I served on committees to promote positive psychology, positive behavior supports, innovative learning, and equity, diversity, and inclusion in the classroom and beyond. I am the busy parent of 3 boys in Arlington Heights, IL. and an active member of our local PTA. In my free time, I enjoy exploring the natural world, swimming, and reading (and discussing) great books.

Goals for IAGC 

1) Continue to examine the intersection of equity, diversity, and inclusion and the continuum of services for the gifted and talented. As an employee in a diverse district with 45% multilingual learners, I have a keen interest in continuing to research and refine methods to equitably identify, support, educate and challenge advanced learners from all backgrounds.

2) Promote methods and strategies for vertical differentiation in the general education setting. The Accelerated Placement Act has promoted the use of acceleration as a means of meeting the needs of gifted and talented learners. However, teachers in most districts continue to have a range of instructional levels in their classes. IAGC should continue to expand opportunities for educators to learn and apply research-based strategies in the classroom.

3) Promote parent/guardian-school-community partnerships to support gifted and talented learners. So often, the divide between schools and parents of gifted and talented learners is established out of preconceived assumptions. IAGC can help to solve this problem by supporting parents and families with tools to proactively and positively advocate, as well as providing schools with education and understanding of the unique needs of gifted and talented learners.

4) Increase the number of educators obtaining the Gifted Endorsement. Gifted and talented learners are often misunderstood by educators. The knowledge, tools, and strategies one acquires through the Gifted Education Seminars demystify this population and increase the capacity of teachers to effectively differentiate for all learners.

Fabiola Alexander

Dual Language REACH Teacher with Elmhurst School District 205

  Previous IAGC Involvement

This will be my third year attending the IAGC conference. I will be presenting for the first time. I have also attended the gifted education modules.

Career Highlights, Education, Activities, and Awards

Master of Arts in Education, Principal Endorsement, Northern Illinois University (DeKalb, IL)
Master in Curriculum and Instruction, ESL Endorsement, Concordia University (Chicago, IL)
Master of Arts in Education, Aurora University (Aurora, IL)
Bachelor of Science, Family Consumer Science/Spanish, Western Illinois University (Macomb, IL)

Curriculum Development: Adjust the 3rd and 4th grade REACH (gifted) curriculum to fit the needs of dual language learners. Serving as the first in the district to provide Spanish and English instruction in the REACH program. Develop deep technical topics and work with subject-matter-experts to research, scope, and design learner centered curricula for math and English/Spanish language arts.
Subject-Matter Expert: Serve as resource for REACH program, helping to educate both teachers and parents and identifying students who qualify for the program. Provide teacher mentorship and guidance for the creation of lesson content while promoting higher-level thinking.
Distance Learning: Created hybrid-learning curriculum during 2020-2021 school year, providing instruction online and in-person simultaneously. Implemented technology to actively engage students in both areas.
Teacher Leadership: Serve as D205 University Facilitator, providing professional learning opportunities for staff and sharing collective knowledge and practice to improve instruction.Bilingual Education Teacher License, ESL Endorsement, IL Teacher Evaluator Certification, KIDS Training

Remote Learning and Technology Integration Professional Development, Elmhurst School District 205 (2020 – 2021)
Assessment for Learning Professional Development, 2017
KIDS Assessment Training, 2017
Kindergarten Conference, 2017-2018
Bilingual Conference, 2016, 2019
Ongoing Training with Center for Teaching for Bi-literacy, 2013 – Present
Remote Learning and Technology Integration Professional Development, Elmhurst School District 205 (2020 – 2021)
Assessment for Learning Professional Development, 2017
KIDS Assessment Training, 2017
Kindergarten Conference, 2017-2018
Bilingual Conference, 2016, 2019
Ongoing Training with Center for Teaching for Bi-literacy, 2013 – Present

Goals for IAGC

Passionate and experienced in Education offering 10+ years of experience in design and delivery of quality curriculum, instruction, and training for staff and students alike. Strong background in working with underrepresented populations and providing access to equitable services. Empathetic and solution-focused with a drive to assist students and faculty through program coordination, improved instruction, curriculum development, and community engagement. Devoted advocate of inclusion known for building a positive team dynamic and creating welcoming communities for learners, their families, and staff. Specialized knowledge of instructional best practices, diverse populations, and learning differentiation. Bilingual English/Spanish.

Goals for IAGC

Support school and district leaders in creating and maintaining equitable, inclusive, standards-aligned, research-based programming to support all students with gifts and talents.
Provide professional learning opportunities in all facets of gifted education (students, best practices, current research, MTSS, acceleration, etc.) to stakeholders.
Engage, educate, and support families of children with gifts and talents.
Be an advocate for the priorities of the organization at the state and local levels.