The Belin-Blank Center is committed to maintaining the safety and well-being of all our visitors and we have been closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic over the last several weeks. Following the guidance of the University of Iowa and College of Education leadership, we are sad to share that we must cancel many of our 2020 summer programs for K-12 students. After considering guidelines for social distancing, whether families and staff would be able to safely travel and stay on campus, and the protection and wellbeing of minors on campus during a pandemic, we made the difficult decision to cancel much of our summer programming.
For information about a specific event or program, please check our Emergency Alerts page for further updates.
Photo by Magda Ehlers
We know this is difficult news to hear, and we share your disappointment. We are working hard to create future opportunities for talented students, and their families and teachers, to create community, learn new things, and be supported in their unique needs. Stay tuned! Given this year’s unexpected events, our Summer 2021 programs will be even more special.
We will miss seeing our students this summer, and we hope you stay healthy, safe, and well during this unprecedented time. We look forward to seeing you again soon!
Our thanks to Wendy Behrens for sending this information to us. Wendy is the Gifted and Talented Education Specialist, Minnesota Department of Education
Throughout the world, people are experiencing anxiety about the Covid-19 outbreak. Children are not immune to worry and many young students are concerned about missing school and friends and confused by changing schedules and responsibilities. Older students may also be concerned about testing, college applications, completion of courses, credits, missing final school events and more.
The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) reminds us that during these uncertain times, children look to adults for guidance on how to react. As our anxiety rises, so does the anxiety of our children. NASP recommends, “Parents reassure children that health and school officials are working hard to ensure that people throughout the country stay healthy. However, children also need factual, age appropriate information about the potential seriousness of disease risk and concrete instruction about how to avoid infections and spread of disease. Teaching children positive preventive measures, talking with them about their fears, and giving them a sense of some control over their risk of infection can help reduce anxiety.”
Resources for Consideration
Cultivating Calm Amidst a Storm. Blog from Nicole A. Tetreault, Ph.D., on how to calm our mind, body, and nervous system in the presence of a global health crisis. (March 18, 2020)
Helping Your Child Manage Stress Through Mindfulness by Michele Kane, Ed.D. Parenting for High Potential, Dec 2017. This article, written directly to teens and tweens, helps gifted adolescents understand mindfulness and the formal/informal pathways to mindfulness. Includes apps, books, and online resources for kids.
Management of Anxiety Begins at Homeby Sal Mendaglio, Ph.D., Parenting for High Potential, Summer 2016. General article that focuses on the sources of anxiety in gifted children and what parents can do to help reduce anxiety at home.
Talking to Teens and Tweens About Coronavirus This article details advice from experts on how parents can help teens be prepared and have the right information about the coronavirus.
Teacher, Interrupted: Leaning into Social-Emotional Learning Amid the COVID-19 Crisisby Christina Cipriano and Marc Brackett, Ed Surge. Psychologists from the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence offer social and emotional learning (SEL) evidence-based practices to help educators, parents, and students get through these difficult times. (March 18, 2020)
Suddenly, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, parents are navigating new territory–teaching their children at home while also trying to work from home and maintain some semblance of normal family life. Here are a few resources that might be helpful to your and your gifted child during this time.
The National Association for Gifted Children has published a list of resources tailored to gifted students and their families. We picked out a few to highlight:
Distance Learning Resources from the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian provides access to millions of digital resources from across the Smithsonian’s museums, research centers, libraries, archives, and more. See especially the sections on Resources for Caregivers and Resources for Tweens and Teens. Also note that there are scheduled live chats with experts.
The list of Amazing Educational Resources is, well, amazing! It provides a list of education companies offering free subscriptions due to school closings and is updated often.
Leave Your Sleep for Education. Free online curriculum platform that offers literature, theater, music and dance, art, history, and science applications using poetry and music to engage students. This is an excellent resource for April’s National Poetry Month. Recommended by our friends at the Gifted Support Center in San Mateo, CA.
Sage Publishing is providing free access to Coronavirus research. These might be especially appropriate for high school students as well as some middle schoolers.
The National Association of School Psychologists provides a list of health crisis resources for various audiences (including parents) who are now navigating the COVID-19 virus.
Finally, Lisa Van Gemert (some of you know her as the Gifted Guru) is in the midst of a truly amazing experience as the country’s English teacher. We will simply end this little article with her words: “When faced with difficult times, focusing on what we can give, rather than worrying about what might be taken away, is food for the soul. You’ve got something worth sharing. Share it.”
In response to COVID-19, we are following the University of Iowa’s guidance and the CDC’s recommendations, and will continue to do so as the situation changes. We are committed to maintaining the safety and well-being of all our visitors.
Currently, all Belin-Blank Center events are scheduled to proceed as planned. As the days and weeks go on, please monitor our Emergency Alerts page often for updates about whether a specific Belin-Blank Center event or program has been canceled, rescheduled, or moved online.
If the University of Iowa requires that we cancel an event or program due to reasons related to COVID-19, all registered participants will receive a full refund of any paid fees associated with that event or program. They will also receive an email.
Upcoming Event or Program
Date Scheduled
Status (Current March 12, 2020)
AP Teacher Training Institute
June 29 – July 2
Proceeding as Planned
Belin-Blank Fellowship Program
June 21 – 26
Proceeding as Planned
Blank Summer Institute
June 22 – 26
Proceeding as Planned
Bucksbaum Academy Information Day
March 24
Proceeding as Planned
Bucksbaum Academy Information Day
April 28
Proceeding as Planned
Chautauqua I
July 5 – July 11
Proceeding as Planned
Chautauqua II
July 12 – July 18
Proceeding as Planned
I-Excel test date at Belin-Blank Center
June 11
Proceeding as Planned
Invent Iowa State Invention Competition
April 20
Proceeding as Planned
Javits-TICE Professional Development
June 15 – 16
Proceeding as Planned
Junior Scholars Academy – Session 1
June 15 – 19
Proceeding as Planned
Junior Scholars Academy – Session 2
June 22 – 26
Proceeding as Planned
Junior Scholars Academy – Session 3
July 6 – 10
Proceeding as Planned
Junior Scholars Academy – Session 4
July 13 – 17
Proceeding as Planned
National Invention Convention
June 3 – 5
Proceeding as Planned
National JSHS
April 15 – 19
Under Review
Perry Research Scholars Institute
July 6 – 17
Proceeding as Planned
Secondary Student Training Program
June 17 – July 24
Proceeding as Planned
STEM Excellence Professional Development
June 9 – 10
Proceeding as Planned
Summer Art Residency
July 6 – 24
Proceeding as Planned
Summer Writing Residency
July 6 – 24
Proceeding as Planned
Summit on the Neuroscience of Twice Exceptionality
July 20 – 21
Proceeding as Planned
Current as of March 12, 2020, 2:15pm CDT.
Assessment & Counseling Clinic
In order to maintain the health and safety of our staff and clients, please contact us to reschedule if you or your child are ill, if you have known exposure to COVID-19, or if you have recently traveled to a location with a high rate of COVID-19 (as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). We will work with you to ensure your rescheduled appointment occurs as soon as possible. If you are planning to travel by airplane for the evaluation, you may also consider rescheduling your child’s appointment to reduce risk of exposure.
