Gifted education enables gifted and talented students academic and rigorous content and learning experiences. The curriculum is designed to encourage students to take risks, stretch themselves, and to learn depth of content at a faster pace.
We offer a continuum of program options for gifted students, integrating acceleration and enrichment. Acceleration adjusts the pace, challenge, level, and time investment in education, whereas enrichment provides supporting challenges and instruction. We believe in the practice of combining acceleration with enrichment.
Elementary School
Gifted education specialists at each building work with gifted and advanced children through pull-out and / or replacement classes, challenging these learners to think deeply and critically. Gifted educators also support classroom teachers with resources and insight into gifted learners, so that gifted instruction doesn’t end when gifted learners leave the gifted pull-out classroom. Gifted identification occurs once a compiled body of evidence shows multiple indicators of giftedness.
Middle School
The pull-out classes of elementary school are replaced with advanced classes, so that students are able to receive quality instruction in their strength areas every day. Advanced courses are available in language arts (reading, writing, and communicating) and mathematics. Content specialists have the knowledge and ability to push students to think deeper about subject areas.
Middle school is a time of change, and gifted learners sometimes require assistance in executive functioning skills, organization, time management, perfectionism, anxiety, and underachievement. The gifted specialist assists students in navigating these changes and developing the tools to face new challenges. This is accomplished in a variety of ways, such as individual and small-group conversations, coaching, modeling, and whole-class instruction.
High School
Our high schools offer a variety of Career & Technical Education Pathways, and a plethora of advanced options. While most students start at freshman levels, students demonstrating exceptional skill have opportunities for advancement through advanced classes, pre-AP classes, AP classes, dual credit classes, concurrent enrollment, independent study, and online learning options. These classes occur in both academic and talent areas. Many of these opportunities provide students the ability to earn college credit while in high school.
At this level, counselors assume the responsibility for supporting students' affective needs, providing services to meet immediate needs and concerns of students through individual and group counseling and consultation, referrals, and resources. Counselors and advisory teachers also work with students on their Individual Academic and Career Planning (ICAP) and Advanced Learning Plan, through which students identify their skills, abilities, goals, and interests in order to develop a career plan.