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Join fellow educators, parents, and education professionals from across Illinois for the 30th Annual IAGC Conference on October 27 & October 28 at the Northern Illinois University Conference Center in Naperville. Sharpen your skills and fill your resource tool bag with best practices, recent updates, and inspiring student experiences that support learning opportunities for gifted and advanced students in Illinois.
Monday October 27 and Tuesday October 28, 2025 8:00 am - 3:45 pm
NIU Naperville Conference Center
Monday Keynote Presenter Genein Letford Tuesday Keynote Presenter Brian Housand 5 hrs PD credit per day
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Conference strands include:
- Evidence-Based Curriculum and Instruction
- Effective Program Leadership
- Addressing Opportunity Gaps
- Acceleration and Identification
- Social-Emotional Learning and Support
- Effective Use of Technology
- Parent Focus
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Look for: - A 1-day virtual ticket includes 5 pre-selected sessions on Monday (including the Keynote presentation) for those who are unable to travel to Naperville. Attendees will be required to sign in / sign out of each session in order to receive 5 PD credits.
- NEW!! EARLY-BIRD Pricing through September 21.
- A gourmet box-lunch provided by NIU catering, included with registration. In addition, we are scheduling two lunch sessions into each day. We hope this will allow for less crowding and a more comfortable lunchtime experience for everyone.
- An Exhibitor Resource "Diving Expedition" to allow our attendees to benefit from the many experts and vendors who support gifted children and their families and teachers.
- A Monday Celebration and Social Hour in the NIU Ballroom immediately following the last breakout session, including a meet and greet with our Keynote Presenters and Sponsors, refreshments, raffle prizes, and fun / challenging games!
- A Tuesday SENG Strand and a Closing Featured Speaker.
REGISTRATION OPENS MAY 28
GENEIN LETFORDNeuroSomatic Creativity: Producing Pearls of Possibility for our Gifted Learners
As the 2015 CA Charter Teacher of the Year and 2010 Grammy Museum Museum Educator Award winner, Genein is a national thought leader and creator of the concept of ‘Intercultural Creativity®, NeuroSomatic Creativity®’ and Prismatic Leadership®. She is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of CAFFE Strategies, Inc which is a consulting, coaching and training company that trains corporations, educational leaders and educators to create sustainable creative and inclusive strategies, based on neuroscience, while unleashing their innovative thinking for themselves and in their businesses and classrooms. Pulling from her twenty years of working with creative students, her unique curriculum utilizes neuroscience, metaphorical strategies, heightened observation techniques and the creative arts to reawaken intuitive thinking. She served as the GATE coordinator and educator for over ten years at her California elementary school. She recently published her third children’s book, My Brain, My Brain, My Beautiful Brain', and I AM CREATIVE! with her 6-year-old son, Shawn Letford to show how creative thinking develops in the brain. Her latest book, The Future Classroom Of Intercultural Creativity®: Building Students Who Connect and Create Together has been labeled groundbreaking for education in the 21st century. Genein believes creative thinking paired with brain health and cultural competency are critical 21st Century skills. She is often called ‘America’s Creativity Coach’ for her work in reigniting Intercultural Creativity® and in our youth and in our workforce.
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Monday October 27 Keynote Presenter
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Tuesday October 28 Keynote Presenter
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DR. BRIAN HOUSAND
Cultivating Pearls of Potential: From Unseen Grit to Unforgettable Brilliance
Dr. Brian Housand believes learning should always be an adventure. As Coordinator of the Academically or Intellectually Gifted Program at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, he helps educators challenge gifted learners both intellectually and emotionally. A frequent speaker at national and international conferences, Brian explores creativity, gifted education, and the power of play. His latest book, SEED: Silverquicken Episodes for Enrichment and Diagnosis, blends immersive storytelling with puzzle-based learning designed to instigate cognitive and affective growth. A longtime classroom teacher, gifted specialist, and professor, he also co-authored Using the Schoolwide Enrichment Model with Technology and wrote Fighting Fake News!. When not teaching or presenting, Brian proudly embraces his geeky passions for Star Wars, Disney, video games, and fonts. Find him at brianhousand.com or on social media @brianhousand.
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CONFERENCE TICKET PRICING
| TICKET |
Early Bird Pricing |
After September 21 |
| Member 1-day |
$310 |
$340 |
| Member 2-day |
$550 |
$580 |
| Non-Member 1 day |
$350 |
$380 |
| Non-Member 2 day |
$620 |
$650 |
Virtual (One-Day Live) |
$250 | $250 | | | |
REGISTRATION OPENS MAY 28
BECOME A MEMBER HERE
Membership Registrations may not be combined with Conference Registrations.
No refunds will be issued after September 15, 2025. Tickets may be transferred, with approval from IAGC office.
All tickets purchased after October 10th must be paid for via credit card at time of registration.
Purchase Orders:
- are only accepted for ticket orders over $1000
- are not accepted after October 10, 2025
- must be paid within 60 days of registration
- Contact office@iagcgifted.org to arrange for purchase order or group registrations.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
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