Darien Advocates for Education of the Gifted (DAEG) is a non-profit organization of parent volunteers who seek to promote educational excellence for our gifted students and all students throughout Darien.
DAEG is made of up a Board of Officers (see this year’s slate), and every school has a building or grade level representative to serve as a liaison between families and DAEG leadership. Board members meet regularly with school district leadership to work together on solving issues that arise throughout the year and to maintain a focus on educational excellence. DAEG maintains a consistent presence at regular district CDSP meetings as well as Board of Education meetings.
DAEG works to build a community of families by organizing opportunities for children and parents to meet and share ideas through:
- information sessions for parents that focus on the needs of gifted children and provides a forum for resource and idea sharing.
- social events to bring students and families together to foster relationships through activities with shared interest.
DAEG fundraises to support goals in promoting academic excellence to:
- bring educational experts to speak to parents
- support the middle school Quiz Bowl team competitions
- provide annual professional development grants which in turn directly benefit classroom instruction in Darien public schools.
DAEG provides preparation for students looking for enrichment opportunities by offering:
- SAT and ACT prep classes and resources for 7th and 8th grade students looking to qualify for national academic talent search programs, such as Johns Hopkins’s Center for Talented Youth (CTY) and Northwestern’s Center for Talent Development (CTD). A qualifying score on an entrance exam enables exceptional students to enroll in a variety of enriching online and summer residential courses offered by these universities.
DAEG strives to support all families with students in the Idea program. Click here for the Darien Public Schools Idea Curriculum page.
