Gifted and Talented Program Plan
Adams-Friendship Area Schools
Table of Contents
PageAcknowledgement: Gifted and Talented Advisory Committee / 2
Philosophy: The District Mission and Vision of Gifted and Talented / 3
Definition of Giftedness / 4
Gifted and Talented Student Identification Process / 5
Identification Procedure / 7
Identification Criteria / 8
Gifted and Talented Services & Programming: Model / DEP / 9
Continuum of Services / 10
Accountability & Monitoring / 12
Program Alignment to NAGC Standards / 13
Glossary: What’s in a Word? / 16
References & Bibliography / 19
Appendices:
Appendix A: Nomination/Alert Form / 23
Appendix B: Gifted and Talented Profile / 24
Appendix C: Differentiated Education Plan (DEP) / 26
Addendums:
Addendum 1: Wisconsin Standard (T) / 28
Addendum 2: NAGC Standards
Addendum 3: Gifted and Talented Resource Guide for Educators,
Coordinators, and Administrators in Wisconsin Public Schools
Gifted and Talented Advisory Committee
The School District of Your School thanks the members of the Gifted and Talented Advisory committee who were instrumental in the creation of this plan:
Sandra Swisher-Pheiffer / Gifted & Talented CoordinatorBarbara Gransee / School Psychologist
Patricia Schaumburg / Director of Pupil Services
Dave Zelenski / School Guidance Counselor
Marueen Hauswald / Director of Curriculum & Instruction
Ron Boettcher / School Board Member
Paula Wallendal / Parent
Rebecca Murphy / Parent
Branden Martz / Alumni
A special thank you to Shirley Paulson, Gifted and Talented Coordinator for of Green Bay Public Schools, for her generous contributions in the development of this plan.
This document was provided by Julee Dredske, CESA 5, through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Gifted and Talented Grant.
Mission & Vision Statement
Mission: It is the mission of the Adams-Friendship Area School District to educate and empower every student to be a life-long learner. In accordance
with the philosophy of the Adams-Friendship Board of Education to develop the special abilities of each student, the Board requires that appropriate instructional programs be conducted in order to develop such capabilities.
Vision: Since our gifted and talented students may be considered one of our greatest natural resources, by virtue of their potential, the Adams-Friendship Board of Education believes these students should be provided with educational services which permit them to have optimum opportunity to realize their full potential.
Philosophy: The Adams-Friendship Area Schools Board of Education recognizes the needs of the majority of gifted and talented children and youth in the school district have not been adequately addressed by our educational system. These students have learning and other skills and abilities which are in advance of their ages and social peers. Denial of specialized academic programming for the students may cause educational maladjustment, behavior problems, social difficulties and potential drop out as a result of not meeting the unique academic needs of these students. These students should be provided with educational services which permit them to have optimum opportunity to realize their full potential.
Research Basis: The Adams-Friendship Area Schools District’s plan for services for gifted and talented students is based primarily on these documents: Wisconsin Standard (T) legislation (Addendum 1), The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Pre-K – Grade 12 Gifted Program Standards (2000) (Addendum 2), and the Gifted and Talented Resource Guide for Educators, Coordinators, and Administrators in Wisconsin Public Schools (2005) (Addendum 3).
Definition of Gifted and Talented Students
Definition: The Adams-Friendship Board of Education has adopted the definition which is used in state and federal legislation. The definition is as follows: “Gifted and talented children and youth: means children and youth who are identified as possessing demonstrated or potential abilities that give evidence of high performance capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, specific academic, or leadership ability, or in the performing and visual arts, and who by reason thereof require services or activities not ordinarily provided by the school.
Gifted and Talented Identification Procedure
The Adams-Friendship Area Schools District adheres to the Wisconsin Standard (T) requirement stating gifted and talented students shall be identified as required in s. 119.35(1), Stats. This identification shall include multiple criteria that are appropriate for the category of gifted including intelligence, achievement, leadership, creativity, product evaluations, and nominations. A pupil may be identified as gifted or talented in one or more of the categories under s.118.35(1), Stats
The district has developed a Nomination/Alert Form (Appendix A) for assisting with this process. If the student is placed on alert, the GT Coordinator will begin completing a GT Profile Form (Appendix B) to further determine if the student has met the identification criteria as outlined in this plan.
Nominating—All Students
q If someone wants to nominate a student, give him or her a Nomination/Alert Form
q Teachers/parents should return the completed form to the GT Coordinator
K – Grade 2
q Do an initial screening using running records level, Informal Reading Inventory (IRI) or other current reading/ math assessment. If a K – 2 student scores two or more grade levels above, he or she will be placed on the ‘Watch List”.
q A team consisting of the classroom teacher, the parent, the GT Coordinator, the psychologist and the building principal will meet to develop a DEP (Differentiated Educational Plan) for the student.
q The DEP will be reviewed and adjusted as needed throughout the year.
q Observation and documentation of the student will continue and the DEP adjusted, accordingly. If the student is no longer in need of acceleration or enrichment, that will be noted as well.
q The student will continue on the “Watch List” through grade 3 whether or not services are continued.
q The SAGES-P screening for assessment of Primary students may be given if so determined by the team.
Grade 3
q Do an initial screening in the Fall using results from MAP testing and any other standardized reading or math data .for the student. If the child has qualifying scores (usually 97%) ,the child is placed, or continues on, the GT Watch List.
q Students in the 90% and above range may be given the SAGES-P as a further assessment.
q A team consisting of the classroom teacher, the parent, the GT Coordinator, the psychologist and the building principal will meet to develop a DEP (Differentiated Educational Plan) for the student.
q The DEP will be reviewed and adjusted as needed throughout the year.
4th Grade and Up
q Do an initial screening in the Fall using results from MAP testing, MAP testing from the previous year(s), WKCE data and any other standardized reading or math data for the student. If the child has qualifying scores (usually 90%) , the child is placed, or continues on, the GT Services List. .
q A team consisting of the classroom teacher, the parent, the GT Coordinator, the psychologist and the building principal will meet to develop a DEP (Differentiated Educational Plan) for the student.
q The DEP will be reviewed and adjusted as needed throughout the year.
q Students who score at the 95% level or above or who have an IQ of 130 or above, usually qualify for Level I or Level II services.
Watch, Level I, & Level II
q Once a student has been leveled, share identification criteria sheet with the teacher and discuss possible strategies.
q Send a letter home to the parents.
q Hold a Team Meeting (as described above) to determine and review the plan 2 or more times during the school year.
q Inform the teacher for the following year and repeat the process.
Gifted and Talented Identification Procedure
Transitions—School to School
q If a student moves from one school in the district to another school in the district, the GT Coordinator and/or the Pupil Services Dept. informs the principal/teacher of the students DEP and any other special needs.
q If a student moves to a school outside of the district, the DEP follows the student as part of the permanent record..
Transitions—Elementary to Middle
q For a student moving on to middle school, the GT Coordinator informs the new teacher/principal and pupil services staff of the DEP and any other special needs of the student.
q The GT Coordinator continues to monitor all MAP,WKCE and other standardized test date as well as portfolios to support the student.
Transitions—Middle to High
q The MS Pupil Services Team and the GT Coordinator meet with the Pupil Services team at the HS to discuss the needs of individual students. Informal testing materials do not need to be included.
q The GT Coordinator, in concert with the HS Guidance Dept., will help students explore and act upon their plans for higher/continuing education.
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K-12 Identification Criteria
Level I
/ Level IIA student must meet the identification criteria in at least two different categories. / A student must meet the identification criteria in at least two different categories.
q WKCE Score at Level I according to GT Resource Guide (approximately the 95th – 96th percentile)
q MAP score in gifted range
q Full scale IQ score of 130 – 139 (general intellectual)
q SAGES-P or SAGES-2 in gifted range / q WKCE Score at Level II according to GT Resource Guide (approximately the 97th – 99th percentile)
q MAP score in gifted range
q Full scale IQ Score of 140 or above (general intellectual)
q SAGES-P or SAGES-2 in gifted range
q Student work samples/portfolio/evidence / q Student work samples/portfolio/evidence
Gifted and Talented Services & Programming
Program/Services Model: The Adams-Friendship Area Schools District uses Wisconsin’s Comprehensive Integrated Gifted Programming Model. (See Addendum 3, page 27 & 28.) The pyramid represents all levels of identified gifted students. The base of the pyramid represents the 60% of identified students whose needs can be met in the regular classroom with regular classroom differentiation such as curriculum compacting and tiered assignments.
The next section of the pyramid represents about 35% of students identified as gifted who need more than good classroom differentiation. These students may need small group enrichment, co-curricular activities, online classes, or advanced classes such as Honors or Advanced Placement (AP) classes.
The top of the pyramid represents about 5% of students identified as gifted who need very specialized services such as subject or grade acceleration, mentorships, or independent study. A Differentiated Education Plan (DEP) may be written for these students. (See Appendix C.)
Differentiated Education Plan (DEP)
q Any student being considered for a DEP should have been identified as GT or the process should be started.
q A student needing a DEP may be Level I or Level II.
q After a meeting with the parent, teacher, GT Coordinator, and other school personnel as defined previously, the GT Coordinator, or designee, will draft the DEP and share it with parents and teachers.
GIFTED AND TALENTED CONTINUUM OF SERVICES
(Curriculum Compacting, Tiered Assignments, Flexible Skills Grouping . . .)
Small Group Enrichment
Elementary
Limited term pull out (K-3)
Literature Circles
SCING Radical Readers Book Club (Gr. 4 & 5)
Knowledge Master Open (gr. 4 & 5)
Mystery Box Project (Gr.4)
August Derleth Young Writers ( Gr. 3 & 4)
Math 24 (Gr. 3 – 5)
Creative Arts Festival (Gr. 5) / Middle School
Literature Circles
SCING Radical Readers Book Club (Gr. 6)
August Derleth Young Writers (gr. 6)
Poetry Group
Shakespeare Group
(aka ‘Lunch with Bill’)
MS Musical (alternate years)
Geography Bee Prep
Scripps National Spelling Bee Prep
Leadership Conference (gr. 7) / High School
Newspaper
Math Groups
Rube Goldberg Competition
Science Olympiad
Fine Arts Weekend for HS Students
DECA
HOSA
FFA
Visual Arts Classic
Drama Club
Jazz Band
Advanced Courses
Elementary / Middle School
Algebra (gr. 8)
GT Lit/Comp (gr. 8)
WCATY classes / High School
Advanced Mathematics
Advanced and AP Courses
Independent Study Distance Learning
Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS) Gr. 3 - 8
Acceleration
Elementary
Subject Acceleration
Grade Acceleration (based on Iowa Acceleration Scale) / Middle School
Subject Acceleration
Grade Acceleration / High School
Early Admission
Youth Options
Extended Learning Opportunities
Elementary
Science Fair
School/Grade Level
Musical
Beginning Band (Gr. 5)
Student Council
Regional Spelling Bee
Creative Arts Festival
August Derleth Young Writers Conference / Middle School
Scripps National Spelling Bee
National Geographic Bee
Musical (alternate years)
Band (Junior/Cadet)
Student Council
August Derleth Young Writers’ Conference / High School
Rube Goldberg
Competition
Mock Trial
Fine Arts Weekend for HS Students
Drama
HOSA
DECA
FFA
Forensics
Student Council
Services to Teachers
Professional Development (Building, District), WATG Gifted and Talented Conference, Training/Coaching in Differentiation, Peer Coaching, Beginning Teachers’ Assistance Program (BTAP), Classes through CESA 5, WCATY/WATG/NAGC District Membership, publications and on-line rescources
Services to Parents
SENG Groups, Gifted and Talented Conference, Notice of Special Topic Speakers in/near the state/area, publications and on-line resources from WCATY,WATG and NAGC
Monitoring and Accountability
Monitoring
q The principal and school counselor should receive a copy of the GT School Roster of all identified students at the beginning of each year. Update as needed.
q Also at the beginning of the year, the GT Coordinator shares a GT Roster with each K-6 teacher who has one or more GT children in his or her class.
q The GT Coordinator meets with the teacher (K-6) twice a year to complete the GT Monitoring Form for Individual Students.
q The GT Coordinator meets yearly with students in grades 7 and 8 to complete the GT Monitoring Form for Individual Students.
q Students in grades 9 through 12 will be encouraged to add the GT Monitoring Form for Individual Students to their career portfolio. GT Coordinator reminds students to update annually.
Accountability
q At the end of each year, the GT Coordinator tallies services from the GT Monitoring Form for Individual Students onto the School Summary of Services Form and sends a copy to the Director of Pupil Services by June 10.
q At the end of each year, the GT Coordinator sends a copy of the GT Identification Process Checklist to the Director of Pupil Services.