 | |  | |  |
| ECAP Academy Faculty Valerie Weeks, ECAP Academy Founder and Director Jennifer Worford, Co-Director and Gifted facilitator, preparatory diagnostic classroom ECAP Academy Program Consultants J. Christine Gould, Ph.D., ECAP Academy Consultant
school in Salt Lake City for many years. She began her university teaching at Fort Hays University in Kansas. She is currently the director of the network for gifted children and Associate Professor of Teacher Education at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, where she teaches a variety of courses in classroom management and exceptional education in both special and gifted education. She also coordinates a gifted summer practicum and two outreach programs in gifted education for children – College Days for Kids, and Youth in College at UW-WP. Joan Franklin Smutny, Ph.D. ECAP Academy Consultant
of the National Association for Gifted Children (NASG), co-chair of the NAGC Membership Committee, and winner of the NAGC Distinguished Service Award for outstanding contribution to the field of education. Dr. Smutny directs programs for gifted children and teaches courses on gifted education for graduate students. She is editor of the Gifted Children Journal, contributing editor of Understanding Our Gifted and Roeper Review for gifted education professionals, and a feature writer for the Gifted Education Communicator. Strengths at School and at Home (Free Spirit Publishing, Inc., 2001); Differentiating Your Classroom for All Learners (Fastback, Phi Delta Kappa, 2003); Differentiating for the Young Child (Corwin Press 2004); Designing and Developing Programs for Gifted Children (Corwin Press 2003); and Above and Beyond: Applied Acceleration K-4 (Corwin Press, 2006). Other credits include Underserved Gifted Populations (2003); Differentiated Instruction (2003), Gifted Education (2003). |
Val founded ECAP Academy in 2007 in order to better serve the young gifted children of Kansas. She
has been teaching gifted education since 1988 and co-created the Early Childhood Accelerated
Program (ECAP) in research partnership with the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. Val received
her Bachelor of Art Education from Oklahoma State University in 1981. Since then, she has earned 12
graduate hours toward her Masters Degree in Gifted Education from Wichita State University. Val has a
number of professional accomplishments and published articles to her credit, including:
has been teaching gifted education since 1988 and co-created the Early Childhood Accelerated
Program (ECAP) in research partnership with the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. Val received
her Bachelor of Art Education from Oklahoma State University in 1981. Since then, she has earned 12
graduate hours toward her Masters Degree in Gifted Education from Wichita State University. Val has a
number of professional accomplishments and published articles to her credit, including:
- Published article “Science Starts Early” for the book Science Education for Gifted Students as
published by Gifted Child Today magazine – 2005 - Co-founded the only program for potentially gifted 3-5 year old children in Kansas
- Co-created a skills checklist (Weeks/Gould Structures Interview Identification Process) for
potentially gifted 3-5 year old children - Co-authored “An Accelerated Program” in Educational Leadership magazine – November, 2001
- Authored “First Start in Art,” an article soon to be published in Joan Smutny's new book, Teacher
to Teacher and will also appear in the Illinois Journal for Gifted Educators and Parents published
by Joan Smutny, 2008 - Spoke before the Kansas Board of Education regarding Gifted Education, 1998-1999
| Leading the way in Identification and Individualized Instruction Through Independent and Emergent Thinking |
| I've seen enough! I want to nominate my child now. |
| ECAP Academy • 5620 E 21st St N • Wichita, KS 67208 • 316-618-0370 • Copyright © 2008 ECAP Academy • All Rights Reserved |
Jennifer's education background began with studies in and related to early childhood education. She is
currently working on her degree on gifted provisional at Wichita State University. Jennifer has been
instrumental in preparing classroom curriculum related to math and phonics for teachers in both private and
parochial schools in the area. She has a good working knowledge of the early childhood accelerated program
having assisted in preparation of ECAP math and writing models. Jennifer has invested six years in the
program after putting three of her children through ECAP. She provides a strong knowledge and support
system to past and potential parents in the ECAP program. Jennifer is currently working on the art curriculum
for the upcoming Camp ECAP in the summer of 2009.
Jennifer also leads as the medical advisor at the ECAP Academy. She has worked in the nursing field for the
past eight years for a neurosurgery clinic. She is in charge of first aide or medication needs of the children.
She will monitor all health related forms and will provide informational literature related to childhood illnesses or
diseases.
currently working on her degree on gifted provisional at Wichita State University. Jennifer has been
instrumental in preparing classroom curriculum related to math and phonics for teachers in both private and
parochial schools in the area. She has a good working knowledge of the early childhood accelerated program
having assisted in preparation of ECAP math and writing models. Jennifer has invested six years in the
program after putting three of her children through ECAP. She provides a strong knowledge and support
system to past and potential parents in the ECAP program. Jennifer is currently working on the art curriculum
for the upcoming Camp ECAP in the summer of 2009.
Jennifer also leads as the medical advisor at the ECAP Academy. She has worked in the nursing field for the
past eight years for a neurosurgery clinic. She is in charge of first aide or medication needs of the children.
She will monitor all health related forms and will provide informational literature related to childhood illnesses or
diseases.
Kay Officer, Para educator
Kay is currently a student at Wichita State University to complete a teaching degree. She has six years of
experience of coaching and teaching young children. She has several years of office experience and is very
knowledgeable in business communications which will provide a strong support system to current and potential
parents.
Kay is currently a student at Wichita State University to complete a teaching degree. She has six years of
experience of coaching and teaching young children. She has several years of office experience and is very
knowledgeable in business communications which will provide a strong support system to current and potential
parents.
Paige Academy -