HiCap Parents Council Meeting Notes
January 20, 2026
District office + Zoom
Attendees:
Online: Kathy Goodwin, Hong Zhu, Indhu Sivaramakrishnan, Liana Stein, Nikhat
In-Person: Allen Tsao, Jen Carr, Amity Butler, Angie Hancock, Ashley Watts, Mairead Okon, Sean Qu, Edna Carmina Fuentes Zavala
Action Items:
Ashley?: send Amity a QR Code to include on slides for upcoming Zoom/Webinars for newly HiCap qualified parents
Amity: will send email out to parents any HiCap designation and any high school HiCap students
Ashley (?): send email about event to the HiCap mailing list
All reps: let families and contacts know about the upcoming event with Dr. Irish
Ashley/Mairead: add dates to newsletter from Amity as a save-the-date
Discussion Topic:
Davidson Institute - Ability Grouping for Gifted Students
What is going well in the HiCap elementary inclusive model?
More services at home school, which doesn’t require to transport to another school
More adaptable reading groups as students progress
In earlier years, ESL students could qualify in math, but not reading but could not get services or transportation without being dual qualified.
What could use improvement in the elementary inclusive model?
Supporting kids to find peers
High School - harder to get support
Includes extra time on 504, but not enough support
Amity’s Updates
Mini bond and levy presentation, and Q&A
How is the amount to be asked determined?
Digital programs and subscriptions are expensive and recurring
There are requirements to get bids for all major expenditures
Reasons to vote for the bonds and levies even if people don’t have students in the district
Adds and preserves property values
Adds back to the community with various opportunities
These are all renewals
Security updates are part of the bonds and levies
Upcoming Events
Webinar for 5th grade to 6th grade math transition if Algebra is their next class
Likely will be the same slide deck
5:30-6:30pm February 3rd
Webinar
Virtual College Night
February 12th
Sessions on various topics from different colleges
Newly qualified students going into 6th grade
5th graders who could be skipping Pre-Algebra 1
5:30-6:30pm February 25th
Newly qualified 1st grade students
5:30-6:30pm March 3rd
For newly qualified 2nd-4th graders, Amity will create a video for parents to see
Letters are also sent by parents
Action Item: Send Amity a QR Code to include on slides for newly qualified
Middle school task force work and implementation plan
Para support can be provided in a more integrated middle school class
Para’s are generally assigned based on number of students in class needing support
General Ed para would not get any push of those into HiCap only classes
No more clustering for future grades (6th grades starting next year) for social studies and science
Middle school teachers showed a lot of concern about meeting the needs of HiCap students
Council Business
Thanks to everyone who helped get the word out about this month’s parent night with Emily Kircher-Morris, and to all who attended!
Committee plans - Advocacy
Ashley will meet with Dr. Irish TOMORROW at 2pm
Ask if the focus will just be HiCap
Pre-planning for What Matters Most event with Dr. Irish 2/2
NSD District will Provide a Zoom Link
Action Item: Amity will send email out to parents any HiCap designation and any high school HiCap students
Action Item: Ashley send email about event to our own mailing list
Treasurer update - Jen
Renewed AIM insurance
Got $80 more in Benevity and $50 fundraiser
Committee plans - Communication, items for Jan newsletter
What Matters Most event with Dr. Irish, Feb 2 on zoom!
February 2nd at 6pm on Zoom
Action Item: All reps, let all families and contacts know about the upcoming event with Dr. Irish
Action Item: Add dates to newsletter from Amity as a save-the-date
Committee plans - Events
Discuss date for potential board info nights for parent tips on high school and middle school registration
Amity emailed dates to Ashley for middle school registration
Our next meeting is February 3 from 10:00-12:00.
