They'll Be Fine

Educator, curriculum designer, parent, and community builder, Leslie Kerner is the COO and co-founder of Silverquicken. She’s spent the last 25 years developing K-12 education products and services. At Amplify, she worked closely with teachers and administrators around the country to bring them solutions that help their students succeed. At Silverquicken, she’s designed, developed, and implemented programs for gifted students, including direct instruction with K-8 students and teacher training for gifted and general education teachers.Teacher, author, and curriculum developer, Chris Ryan is CEO and co-founder of Silverquicken. He spent 15+ years growing an education startup to the world’s largest provider of GMAT test-preparation services, after close to a decade of consulting and teaching high school chemistry/physics. He’s authored, co-authored, and edited numerous nonfiction books, and is working on a middle-grade novel. At Silverquicken, he builds puzzles, games, and stories to help awaken the curiosity and wonder of learning.Links:Silverquicken www.silverquicken.comSilverquicken Instagram: www.instagram.com/silverquickenSilverquicken Facebook: www.facebook.com/silverquicken

Michelle Lourcey is a Director of the NC Advanced Placement Partnership, State and District Partnerships, through the College Board. During her 34 years in education, she has served as a high school English teacher -- both face-to-face and online -- as well as a curriculum specialist, high school administrator, and the Chief Academic Officer of the NC Virtual Public School. She is dedicated to strengthening teacher practice as teacher practice directly impacts student learning. Brian Barnes is a Senior Director at College Board and leads the North Carolina AP Partnership. A former school principal, teacher, and basketball coach, he brings a school leader’s perspective to expanding access to rigorous coursework and strengthening college and career readiness across North Carolina. In his role, Brian works closely with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, district and school leaders, and statewide partners to build practical, sustainable structures that support strong instruction and long-term student success.College Board: https://www.collegeboard.org/

Dr. Emily King is a Child Psychologist and former School Psychologist who has worked with neurodivergent children and teens for over 20 years. She received a Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she worked at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute and the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities. She began her career as a School Psychologist in Houston, Texas specializing in providing school-based mental health in K-12 public schools. Emily now works in private practice in North Carolina supporting the mental health needs of neurodivergent youth, their families, and their teachers.You can find more of her on the Learn with Dr. Emily Substack, where you can find her workshops, blogs, and podcast.You can also find her professional development offerings for teachers here.She is also the creator of The Neurodiverse Classroom, a professional development curriculum for educators. And her new book, THE NEURODIVERGENT LEARNER, will be available for presale in early 2026!https://www.learnwithdremily.com/https://www.learnwithdremily.com/teachershttps://www.learnwithdremily.com/parents@emilywkingphdNCAGT Blogs on this topic:https://www.ncagt.org/post/winter1https://www.ncagt.org/post/winter2https://www.ncagt.org/post/winter3https://www.ncagt.org/post/2elearners

Summer Cowick is an educator and founder of Brilliant And Then Some who specializes in supporting gifted students, particularly those with Dabrowski's Overexcitabilities (OEs). Her work focuses on managing and leveraging these five intensities—emotional, imaginational, intellectual, psychomotor, and sensual—to help gifted children and families understand and nurture their unique needs in educational and home environments. She offers practical strategies and insights through presentations, workshops, and her coaching organization, aiming to transform teaching and learning by addressing the authentic needs of gifted individuals.Brilliant and Then Some"Mellow Out," They Say. If I Only Could (2013) by Michael PiechowskiFact Check: 85% of gifted have one overexcitability

Monica Simonds, M.Ed., is a Strategist for K-12 Assessments at Riverside Insights. In this role, she works closely with educators across the U.S. to help them gain greater insight and utility from their assessment data with a specific focus on best practices for identifying and serving gifted and talented students. Monica is the 2017 recipient of the NAGC Gifted Coordinator award and the 2019 TAGT Administrator of the Gifted award. On this episode, she shares resources on how to support gifted students after they receive their Cognitive Ability Test score.https://riversideinsights.com/

Andi is the owner and gifted education consultant for A Meaningful Mess, LLC. A recognized thought leader in the field, she was named one of the Top People in Education to Watch by the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences in 2016. Andi is dedicated to helping educators engage and empower today’s learners through practical strategies that foster creativity and student-driven learning.She is the author of several publications, including Genius Hour: Passion Projects that Ignite Innovation and Student Inquiry, A Meaningful Mess: A Teacher's Guide to Student-Driven Classrooms, Ready-to-Use Resources for Genius Hour in the Classroom: Taking Passion Projects to the Next Level, and Designing for Depth: A Framework for Purposeful Differentiation. Andi continues to advocate for gifted learners and strives to make teaching strategies both innovative and accessible.

Emily Mofield, Ed.D., is an Associate Professor at Lipscomb University with more than two decades of experience in gifted education as a teacher, district leader, and researcher. She’s passionate about helping educators challenge and support gifted and high-potential students through meaningful curriculum design, differentiation, and social-emotional learning. Emily is the co-author of several award-winning books, including Collaboration, Coteaching, and Coaching in Gifted Education —named NAGC’s 2021 Book of the Year—(with Vicki Phelps) and Vertical Differentiation for Gifted, Advanced, and High-Potential Students. She’s a frequent keynote and featured speaker for gifted organizations and works with school districts across the country to deepen rigor and create learning experiences that stretch student thinking.Dr. Vicki Phelps is Executive Director/Head of School for Quest Academy, a school for gifted learners in Palatine, IL. She has been involved in gifted education for over 25 years, including teaching and leading gifted services at both the elementary and secondary levels as well as serving as an assistant professor of education. She regularly keynotes and presents at gifted conferences and is the recipient of the 2021 NAGC Book of the Year (with Emily Mofield) for Collaboration, Coteaching, and Coaching in Gifted Education. In addition to her published research and various other articles, she is also the author of Strength-Based Goal Setting in Gifted Education (with Karah Lewis), Coaching in Gifted Education (with Emily Mofield), and Successful Online Learning with Gifted Students. She is excited about her new project with Routledge: The Power of Purpose in Gifted Education: An Instructional Decision-Making Framework for Student-Centered Learning. Dr. Phelps is Chair for NAGC’s Special Schools & Programs and serves as a reviewer for articles, books, and proposals.

UNC Honors Carolina is a premier undergraduate academic program at the University of North Carolina and today we have Jason Clemmons, the Director of Curriculum, Recruitment & Operations for Honors Carolina. In this episode, Jason provides an overview of the program, including its distinctive offerings to these Honor students such as small, faculty-led courses, career and professional development support, priority registration, first-year housing, and an extensive selection of global travel opportunities. He emphasizes how Honors Carolina forms a close-knit community within the larger university, fostering intellectual curiosity and offering students a multitude of opportunities for learning and personal growth.

In this episode of They’ll Be Fine, we speak with Todd Roberts, the Chancellor of the North Carolina School of Science and Math. NCSSM was the first school of its kind, a public residential high school where students study a specialized curriculum emphasizing science and mathematics. Annually, NCSSM serves 11th and 12th grade students in its Residential program across two campuses, plus additional North Carolina students in the NCSSM Online program and through other distance education offerings. NCSSM also provides science and math enrichment opportunities for K-12 students, course content, and professional development for teachers throughout North Carolina.Dr. Todd Roberts was appointed chancellor of North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) in August 2010. Previously, Dr. Roberts served as superintendent of the 16,500-student Ann Arbor Public Schools in Michigan. A Durham, N.C., native, Dr. Roberts began his career in the Durham Public Schools, where he was a high school teacher and elementary school principal. Dr. Roberts holds a B.A. from Duke University and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Educator, curriculum designer, parent, and community builder, Leslie Kerner is the COO and co-founder of Silverquicken. She’s spent the last 25 years developing K-12 education products and services. At Amplify, she worked closely with teachers and administrators around the country to bring them solutions that help their students succeed. At Silverquicken, she’s designed, developed, and implemented programs for gifted students, including direct instruction with K-8 students and teacher training for gifted and general education teachers.Teacher, author, and curriculum developer, Chris Ryan is CEO and co-founder of Silverquicken. He spent 15+ years growing an education startup to the world’s largest provider of GMAT test-preparation services, after close to a decade of consulting and teaching high school chemistry/physics. He’s authored, co-authored, and edited numerous nonfiction books, and is working on a middle-grade novel. At Silverquicken, he builds puzzles, games, and stories to help awaken the curiosity and wonder of learning. Links:Silverquicken www.silverquicken.comSilverquicken Instagram: www.instagram.com/silverquickenSilverquicken Facebook: www.facebook.com/silverquicken

Ann Mary is a high school senior in Wake County. She is an advocate for gifted education programs for students and is raising awareness of the importance of student voice in gifted education policy. She currently works with the Wake County Advanced Learning Services team as a student advisor and with the National Gifted and Talented Student Advocacy Board as a senior board member. She is also the president of an international nonprofit called YAPA Kids, which is dedicated to inspiring academic curiosity in students from grades 1-8. In her free time, she loves to go on runs and read mystery novels!Episode Link:Yapa Kids www.yapakids.org

Justin Mitchell, an eighth-grade social studies teacher and gifted and talented coordinator at Franklin Simpson Middle School, shares his unique and engaging approaches to teaching history. Justin discusses the importance of making history come alive for students, particularly gifted learners, through creativity and pop culture. He emphasizes experiential learning, ethical decision-making, and the significance of social studies in fostering future leaders. Justin explains his distinctive methods, such as themed debates, interactive projects, and the integration of contemporary cultural references, to keep students engaged. He also highlights the value of cross-curricular connections and the importance of preparing students for critical thinking and civil discourse. Throughout, Justin offers practical insights and resources for educators to enhance their teaching strategies.Connect with Justin on Instagram at @justinkylemitchell. You can also email him at justin.mitchell@simpson.kyschools.us.

The North Carolina Governor's School is a four-week summer residential program for gifted and talented high school students, integrating academic disciplines, the arts, and unique courses on each of two campuses. Learning focuses on the exploration of the most recent ideas and concepts in each discipline, and it does not involve credit, tests, or grades. Students are selected to attend through a competitive process after being nominated by their public school unit or non-public school.The Governor's School at NCDPI appreciates Lance, Bly, and Alden sharing their experiences from Governor's School. Our alumni are our greatest advocates, and we are delighted to hear them encourage students to apply for Governor's School. If you are interested in applying, please speak with your school counselor or local GS contact about deadlines and your school's process for applying. Deadlines are approaching, and we would love for you to consider joining us on campus!https://www.dpi.nc.gov/students-families/enhanced-opportunities/north-carolina-governors-school

Today, we're tackling a topic that can feel a bit intimidating when teaching gifted students: math. Well known by its acronym, (AoPS), Art of Problem Solving has a unique approach to teaching math, focusing not just on rote memorization but on deep conceptual understanding and creative problem-solving. It's a curriculum that challenges students to think outside the box and build a true foundation in mathematics.Grayson Maas joined Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) in 2015. He earned his PhD in Sociocultural Anthropology from the University of California Santa Barbara where he conducted research, wrote, and taught about the various factors contributing to underrepresentation in STEM education and in the workforce. He has spent the last ten years at AoPS working to deliver the most engaging and transformative educational experiences possible for hundreds of thousands of students.Art of Problem Solving (AoPS)

Summer Cowick is an educator and founder of Brilliant And Then Some who specializes in supporting gifted students, particularly those with Dabrowski's Overexcitabilities (OEs). Her work focuses on managing and leveraging these five intensities—emotional, imaginational, intellectual, psychomotor, and sensual—to help gifted children and families understand and nurture their unique needs in educational and home environments. She offers practical strategies and insights through presentations, workshops, and her coaching organization, aiming to transform teaching and learning by addressing the authentic needs of gifted individuals.Brilliant and Then Some"Mellow Out," They Say. If I Only Could (2013) by Michael Piechowski Fact Check: 85% of gifted have one overexcitability

Chris Rice is an experienced educator, advocate, and speaker. He has over 10 years of experience as a school psychologist and has worked in several states and with students ages 3-21. Currently, Chris serves as a gifted education psychologist for a large school district in North Carolina. He has the opportunity to help influence policy and practice, work directly with gifted learners, and support AIG teachers through professional learning–among other roles and responsibilities. In his free time, Chris is the Vice President of NCAGT, serves on the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee for the National Association for Gifted Children, and enjoys speaking with parents, educators, and anyone else interested in supporting gifted and advanced learners. If not at work, in a board meeting, or on stage, you can find Chris on the lacrosse field coaching his son’s team or spending time with his family–probably outside on a trail.Adele Vensel is a passionate educator, advocate, and PhD student at UNC Charlotte, specializing in Special Education with a focus on gifted education. With over 15 years of experience in public education, Adele has worked in Title I schools across all grade levels, from preschool to high school. She currently serves as a gifted education specialist for a school district in southwestern North Carolina where she collaborates closely with gifted learners and supports teachers through professional development . Adele is also an alumna of the Public School Forum of North Carolina’s Educational Policy Fellowship, which allows her to shape policy and practice. Outside of her professional work, Adele is actively involved with the Advocacy and Engagement committee of NCAGT, leads SENG community groups, and is a dedicated advocate for gifted and advanced learners. When she's not working, you can find Adele enjoying the great outdoors, whether she's swimming, biking, or running.Resources:Proposed Cuts to AP FundingNCDPI Advanced Learning & Gifted Education

Dr. Emily King is a Child Psychologist and former School Psychologist who has worked with neurodivergent children and teens for over 20 years. She received a Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she worked at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute and the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities. She began her career as a School Psychologist in Houston, Texas specializing in providing school-based mental health in K-12 public schools. Emily now works in private practice in North Carolina supporting the mental health needs of neurodivergent youth, their families, and their teachers.You can find more of her on the Learn with Dr. Emily Substack, where you can find her workshops, blogs, and podcast.You can also find her professional development offerings for teachers here.She is also the creator of The Neurodiverse Classroom, a professional development curriculum for educators. And her new book, THE NEURODIVERGENT LEARNER, will be available for presale in early 2026!https://www.learnwithdremily.com/https://www.learnwithdremily.com/teachershttps://www.learnwithdremily.com/parents@emilywkingphdNCAGT Blogs on this topic:https://www.ncagt.org/post/winter1https://www.ncagt.org/post/winter2https://www.ncagt.org/post/winter3https://www.ncagt.org/post/2elearners

You might know Todd Stanley from his YouTube channel “Todd Talks” or his website “The Gifted Guy” which has a ton of free resources! Todd served as classroom teacher for 18 years and then, has the gifted coordinator for Pickerington Schools the past 10 years. In this episode we discuss the power of project based learning, something he has a lot of experience in and wrote a few books. He shares some of his favorite tools from his book Teachers’ Toolbox for Gifted Education. We also discuss his new book, Letting Student Voices Shine: Using Online Talks to Teach Public Speaking, where he shares the how and why on student presentations. Beyond teaching and writing, Stanley is an active speaker and workshop facilitator and offers professional development sessions. This episode is packed with great nuggets to help you create better structure and empower your students.

Monica Simonds, M.Ed., is a Strategist for K-12 Assessments at Riverside Insights. In this role, she works closely with educators across the U.S. to help them gain greater insight and utility from their assessment data with a specific focus on best practices for identifying and serving gifted and talented students. Monica is the 2017 recipient of the NAGC Gifted Coordinator award and the 2019 TAGT Administrator of the Gifted award. On this episode, she shares resources on how to support gifted students after they receive their Cognitive Ability Test score.https://riversideinsights.com/

Gia Kaul combines her rich background of teaching elementary and middle school to impactful roles at Pearson Education, the National Math and Science Initiative, and the College Board. Currently, she serves in the Schools Development position at Cambridge International Education. Her expertise lies in fostering strong connections with state, district, and school stakeholders to drive educational opportunities for students. In this episode, Gia discusses the mission and impact of Cambridge International, a global leader in education programs and qualifications, and how Cambridge supports students and educators around the world with interesting and advanced curriculum.https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/usa/