Hello!
We are so glad you are interested in becoming a part of our community.
In order to best serve the needs of our member families, we consider each new application carefully. Families with at least one child under the age of 18 who meets the Profoundly Gifted Profile are accepted for membership into the PG Retreat organization.
A child’s Profile is based on a review of the materials submitted with your application. Two members of PG Retreat who have significant experience identifying profoundly gifted children review all application materials. (See section below about the Reviewers.)
The more information you provide in the application, the easier it is for our reviewers to make a determination. A fully complete application often contains about 1000 words.
Test scores are generally the easiest way to demonstrate that a child is profoundly gifted. A professional examiner must have administered intelligence testing, such as the Wechsler Intelligence Test or the Stanford-Binet.
Achievement test scores, like SATs or ACTs, or other normed tests can also help in identifying a profoundly gifted child. In lieu of such testing, or in order to supplement the application, it is often helpful to know about other information that indicates a child is working at a high level. Of course, a referral by a professional psychologist that specializes in working with gifted children is also a significant indicator to the applicant reviewers.
Many of our PG Retreat members are Davidson Young Scholars or participants in talent search programs such as Johns Hopkins. While this is helpful information, it does not automatically qualify an applicant for membership in PG Retreat because not all participants in these programs meet the criteria of profound giftedness. (Click here for more information on profoundly gifted children.)
Conversely, we also accept families with children who may not technically test at profoundly gifted levels due to twice exceptionalities that may depress some portions of their test scores. Again, in these situations, the more information presented with your application, the easier it is to make a determination.
Even for families that submit test scores, it is helpful to our reviewers to read anecdotes about the children. The more the reviewers can get a sense of who the child is and the unique challenges and delights that the family encounters, the easier it is to make a determination.
We also offer membership to families with children who have not been professionally tested and so do not have test scores to provide. In order to evaluate these children, we need much more information to substantiate that they are likely profoundly gifted. This extra information should include portfolio samples such as completed projects, examples of work, or references from teachers or other professionals with details of the child’s accomplishments. Anecdotal information on early reading or speech, lists of accomplishments, and evidence of advanced thinking also help support such an application.
We understand that the application asks for sensitive information and we are determined to ensure your privacy. Only the two reviewers have access to the information that you submit. After reviewing the submitted information and recording the names and contact information from accepted families, the reviewers delete the rest of the application materials to ensure that nothing can be accidentally disclosed.
You may also submit your application through email to: application@pgretreat.com (follow the link below to pull the questions off the online form if you want to submit by email)
If you have any questions, please direct them to this same email address (above.)
We look forward to getting to know you and your family!
To submit a New Family Member Application,
please click here. This will open up the online application form. If you are
already a member of the PGR organization and need access to the restricted pages on this web site, click
here instead.
Please note: This is a Family Application, you need to submit only one application per family. Families for whom at least one child meets the profile are accepted into PGR.
About the Reviewers
Michele Kane, Ed.D. is an Associate Professor and the Coordinator of the Master of Arts in Gifted Education Program at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. She holds advanced degrees in Curriculum & Instruction, Counseling & Guidance and Educational Administration.
Michele is an active member of state and national gifted organizations and is currently the President of the Illinois Association for Gifted Children and the past Chair of the Global Awareness Network of the National Association for Gifted Children. As a presenter for state, national and international conferences a major focus of Michele’s work is related to the affective aspects of educational programming for gifted students. She also provides professional development workshops for teachers and seminars for parents with an emphasis on social and emotional learning.
Michele has been a member of the PG Retreat for over five years and she is the liaison to the gifted community. Along with her husband Dan, she is the parent of six gifted adult children.
Karen Chalmers: Though I hope to return to counseling in the future, I am not here in a professional capacity but as a parent. I have three PG sons, currently ages 18, 16 and 13, and we have attended every PG Retreat except one. My oldest is currently a Senior at the University of Oregon, the 16 year old, a Junior and the youngest a Freshman.
We have utilized traditional schooling, homeschooling, travel schooling, and early college enrollment. We have dealt with twice-exceptional issues, emotional stresses, sibling issues, summer camps, and family stress. When we first found our way to PG Retreat, via the Gifted Development Center back in 2001, it felt like a much needed breath of sustaining air. Finally, people who understood and faced similar concerns. And the absolutely tremendous joy my boys felt at meeting peers they felt comfortable talking to and actually playing with has been worth every ounce of effort we have made to continue to attend the retreat.
When the GDC stepped down as event organizers, I was drafted into serving as interim event planner for two years while a different group of parents worked on obtaining our non-profit status and working us into an organized group. As both a parent and event organizer I believe I bring an astute eye towards identifying families who are a good fit for our organization.
Thanks again for your interest in PGR!
