OATAG (The Oregon Association for Talented and Gifted) is seeking nominations for the upcoming election, as well as board members to fill existing vacancies.  

Over the past few months, the Directors of the Oregon Association for Talented and Gifted have spent considerable time and effort in overhauling the structure and philosophy of our organization.  

OATAG was created in the 1980's.  Since that time society has evolved considerably.  Social media and the internet now play prominent roles in the lives of most, if not all, Oregonians.  It was time for OATAG to evolve and change, and evolve and change we did.  The foundation for this change was a complete and total overhaul of the bylaws, which were edited and revised to reflect the changing priorities of twenty-first century families.  

There are many new and exciting things to expect in the coming months as OATAG implements this new vision.  Here is a partial list of those changes:

• Membership is now FREE.  Anyone can join OATAG now at no cost.  Gold and Green membership classifications have been dropped and existing Gold and Green members are now called "Contributing Members."  We will now be entirely funded by donations and event fees.  Indeed, donations are always accepted and appreciated!  Please donate today!
• A Different Drummer has been retired.  The official publication of OATAG was produced quarterly with articles and information for all.  Unfortunately, this format meant that the content in The Drummer was often stagnant and out-dated by the time it was actually printed.  Modern readers demand timely and interactive content.  To meet this new demand, the time and effort put into The Drummer has been re-directed into our new blog-style Resource Page.  
• The annual conference has been re-imagined.  Day-long, expensive and time-consuming, our annual conference has been looking out-dated for some time.  To that end, a new event format has been envisioned, designed to drastically lower the cost, increase attendance and improve service.  Click here to learn more.
• In addition, new regional mini-conferences are also planned.  Oregon is a big state.  We want to reach out to those oft-neglected corners of the state by holding regional mini-conferences around Oregon.  Click here to lean more.
• The Board of Directors has been replaced by two distinct concepts:  the Board and the Directorate.  The Board functions as advisors and supports of OATAG, while the Directorate provides direction and focus.  Click here to review the bylaws and learn more.  bit.ly/oatagbylaws 
• A new online presence defined by online services such as Facebook, Twitter, Weebly and Constant Contact, we hope to improve efficiency and therefore service.

And that's not all.  There is much more coming!  In fact, we are just getting started.  Keep an eye out for many more improvements coming to OATAG soon!

OATAG is actively looking for individuals to help us with many conferences around the state. It's really easy to set up, no experience and only minimal effort required. For more information please click below.

Even though OATAG no longer publishes A Different Drummer, our archives may have articles of interest to you.  To view those archives of The Drummer, click the OATAG Drive button in the sidebar.

The mission of the Oregon Spellers is to encourage, promote and recognize spelling excellence for the youth of the State of Oregon and to provide, in conjunction with the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), the Oregon Association for Talented and Gifted (OATAG) and individual supporters and contributors, an annual state-level championship. For more information or to volunteer click on here

OATAG awards one outstanding Oregon student the OATAG Young Scholars Award. The OATAG Young Scholars Award is designed to recognize excellence in young children. The award, which includes a certificate and up to a $500 scholarship for a summer program, is awarded each school year. Potential award recipients are students in grades 4 through 8 who have achieved excellence in one of the following areas of endeavor: leadership, visual/performing arts, or academic achievement. A student may be recommended by a teacher, parent, or civic/religious leader.  

Oregon Administrative Rules Compilation (OAR) are the official compilation of rules and regulations having the force of law in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the regulatory and administrative corollary to Oregon Revised Statutes, and is published pursuant to ORS 183.360 (3). It is compiled and issued annually by the Administrative Rules Unit of the Secretary of State's Archives Division, with monthly updates issued as the Oregon Bulletin, the latter also providing notice of intended rule action, Executive Orders of the Governor, Opinions of the Attorney General, and orders issued by the Director of the Department of Revenue.