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District Curriculum Gifted & Talented Program Program Overviews

Elementary K-3 – Extending Learning Program (ELP)

4 Gifted and Talented Areas Served:

  • General Intelligence – refers to students who can learn at a faster pace, master higher levels of content, and handle abstract concepts at a significantly higher level than expected given the student’s chronological age and experiences.
  • Specific Academic Ability – refers to those students who have exceptionally high achievement or potential and a high degree of interest in a specific field of study.  Areas include Math/Science or Language Arts/Reading.
  • Creative Thinking – refers to students who have advanced insight, outstanding imagination, and innovative reasoning ability.  Such students possess outstanding ability to integrate seemingly unrelated information in formulating unique ideas, insights, solutions, or products.
  • Leadership– refers to those students who possess outstanding potential or demonstrated ability to exercise influence on decision-making.  These students may be consistently recognized by their peers, may demonstrate leadership behavior through school and non-school activities or may evidence personal skills and abilities that are characteristic of effective leaders.

Gifted and Talented Meetings:

  • Staff Meeting – Before school starts, the GT coordinator will convene with all staff to inform them of the identification process, as well as the social emotional needs of GT students.  Throughout the year, the GT coordinator will also serve as a resource to teachers, providing them with tools to differentiate in their classrooms for GT students.
  • Annual Review – At the end of the year, the GT team meets to discuss and evaluate the GT program using the Gifted and Talented Program Self-Audit/Reflection tool provided by Heartland AEA.  It is upon this examination that future changes or updates  take place. These changes may represent alterations to identification, parent communication, in-service design, or program delivery.

Academic Services:

  • Accelerated Placement
  • Differentiation in the Regular Classroom
  • Service Projects
  • Academic Challenges/Competitions/Contests
  • Resources/Opportunities for students to excel in their area of giftedness

Affective Services:

  • The GT staff works with the guidance staff to address the needs of GT students that arise. Specific behaviors that exist may include the following:
  • Advocating for the student with classroom teachers
  • Time management
  • Peer relations with like minded students and relating to those who are not thinking at the same level
  • Knowing when to ask for help
  • Coping strategies

Intermediate 4-6 –  Gifted and Talented (GT) Program

Gifted and Talented Areas Served:

  • General Intellectual – refers to students who can learn at a faster pace, master higher levels of content, and handle abstract concepts at a significantly higher level than expected given the student’s chronological age and experiences.
  • Specific Academic Ability – refers to those students who have exceptionally high potential and a high degree of interest in a specific field of study.  Areas include Math and/or Language Arts/Reading.

Gifted and Talented Collaboration and Review:

  • Staff Meeting – Throughout the year discussions will occur during staff development and in grade level professional learning communities (PLC) to inform staff of the identification process and discuss needs that GT students may have in the classroom.  Throughout the year, the GT coordinator will also serve as a resource to teachers, providing them with tools to differentiate in their classrooms for GT students.
  • Parent Advisory Board – At the beginning of each year, the GT coordinator will report to the Parent Advisory Board program goals, direction, and initiatives.
  • Annual Review – At the end of the year, the GT team meets to discuss and evaluate the GT program using the Gifted and Talented Program Self-Audit/Reflection tool provided by Heartland AEA.  It is upon this examination that future changes or updates  take place. These changes may represent alterations to identification, parent communication, in-service design, or program delivery.

Academic Services:

  • Accelerated Placement
  • Differentiation in Core and Plus Time Courses
  • Academic Challenges/Contests
  • Enrichment Opportunities for Students to Learn with Students of Similar Interest/Ability in Their Area of Giftedness

Affective Services:

  • The GT staff works with the guidance staff to address the needs of GT students that arise. Specific behaviors that exist may include the following:
  • Advocating for the student with classroom teachers
  • Time management
  • Peer relations with like minded students and relating to those who are not thinking at the same level
  • Knowing when to ask for help
  • Coping strategies

Middle School –  Gifted and Talented (GT) Program

Gifted and Talented Areas Served:

  • General Intellectual – refers to students who can learn at a faster pace, master higher levels of content, and handle abstract concepts at a significantly higher level than expected given the student’s chronological age and experiences.
  • Specific Academic Ability – refers to those students who have exceptionally high potential and a high degree of interest in a specific field of study.  Areas include Math and Language Arts/Reading.

Gifted and Talented Collaboration and Review:

  • Staff Meeting – Throughout the year discussions will occur during staff development and in student assistance teams to inform staff of the identification process and discuss needs that GT students may have in the classroom.  Throughout the year, the GT coordinator will also serve as a resource to teachers, providing them with tools to differentiate in their classrooms for GT students.
  • Parent Advisory Board – At the beginning of each year, the GT coordinator will report to the Parent Advisory Board program goals, direction, and initiatives.
  • Annual Review – At the end of the year, the GT team meets to discuss and evaluate the GT program using the Gifted and Talented Program Self-Audit/Reflection tool provided by Heartland AEA.  It is upon this examination that future changes or updates  take place. These changes may represent alterations to identification, parent communication, in-service design, or program delivery.

Affective Services:

  • The GT staff works with the guidance staff to address the needs of GT students that arise. Specific behaviors that exist may include the following:
  • Advocating for the student with classroom teachers
  • Time management
  • Peer relations with like minded students and relating to those who are not thinking at the same level
  • Knowing when to ask for help
  • Coping strategies

Gifted and Talented Programming:

  • Accelerated Placement
  • Differentiation in the Regular Classroom
  • Academic Challenges/ Competitions/ Contests such as Knowledge Bowl
  • Collegiate explorations and seminars such as OPPTAG
  • Weekly group meetings exploring areas of academic and personal interests

High School –  Gifted and Talented (GT) Program

Gifted and Talented Areas Served:

  • General Intellectual – refers to students who can learn at a faster pace, master higher levels of content, and handle abstract concepts at a significantly higher level than expected given the student’s chronological age and experiences.
  • Specific Academic Ability – refers to those students who have exceptionally high achievement or potential and a high degree of interest in a specific field of study.  Areas include Math/Science or Language Arts/Reading.
  • Leadership – refers to those students who possess outstanding potential or demonstrated ability to exercise influence on decision-making.  These students may be consistently recognized by their peers, may demonstrate leadership behavior through school and non-school activities or may evidence personal skills and abilities that are characteristic of effective leaders.

Gifted and Talented Collaboration and Review:

  • Staff Meeting – Throughout the year discussions will occur during staff development and in student assistance teams to inform staff of the identification process and discuss needs that GT students may have in the classroom.  Throughout the year, the GT coordinator will also serve as a resource to teachers, providing them with tools to differentiate in their classrooms for GT students.
  • Parent Advisory Board – At the beginning of each year, the GT coordinator will report to the Parent Advisory Board program goals, direction, and initiatives.
  • Annual Review – At the end of the year, the GT team meets to discuss and evaluate the GT program using the Gifted and Talented Program Self-Audit/Reflection tool provided by Heartland AEA.  It is upon this examination that future changes or updates  take place. These changes may represent alterations to identification, parent communication, in-service design, or program delivery.

Affective Services:

  • The GT staff works with the guidance staff to address the needs of GT students that arise. Specific behaviors that exist may include the following:
  • Advocating for the student with classroom teachers
  • Time management
  • Peer relations with like minded students and relating to those who are not thinking at the same level
  • Knowing when to ask for help
  • Coping strategies

Gifted and Talented Programming:

  • Accelerated Learning Opportunities such as Dual Credit Courses, AP Courses, and Post Secondary Enrollment
  • Differentiation in the Regular Classroom
  • Academic Challenges/ Competitions/ Contests such as Knowledge Bowl
  • Emerging Scholars Program – This class provides a deliberate and conscious path to achieve students’ personal goals. One of the most important aspects of the Emerging Scholar Program is that students will have ownership of the experience. The activities and topics will reflect their interests and passions as it is individualized, flexible, and dynamic to fit the needs of each student.
  • Freshman Seminar
  • Leadership Seminar
  • Independent Study Opportunities