Gifted and Talented Integrated Spectrum of Services
Mentoring - Students work with the teacher, media specialist, parent volunteer, community member or an older student who can guide their growth in a particular area. Some mentorships may focus on the design and execution of advanced projects, some on exploration of careers, some on affective development, and some on combinations of the above. Mentorships may focus on areas of strength, particular curricular areas or may be a social/emotional support for the student.
Independent Study - A process through which student and teacher identify problems or topics of interest to the student. Student and teacher plan a method of investigating a method or topic and identifying the type of product the student will develop. The product should address the problem and demonstrate the student's ability to apply skills and knowledge to the problem.
Subject Acceleration - For part of a day, a student is placed at a more advanced level for one or more subjects because it is an extreme talent area.
Grade Acceleration - A student is moved ahead of normal grade placement. This could be done during the year or at the end of the year.
Curriculum Compacting - A student moves more quickly through a unit, or tests out of known material in the unit, which provides more time to work on unit enrichment activities.
Flexible Grouping - Groups are created for a variety of reasons. Some groups are established based on student interest, level of challenge, and pace of instruction. Groups will vary in numbers and duration, depending on the task and the students in the group. Flexible groups may be within or outside of the classroom.
Honors Courses (High School) - More rigorous courses to provide a greater challenge for students. These courses are designated on the student transcript as honors classes.
Advanced Placement Courses (High School) - These courses have the rigor or expectations of a college course. Students have the option to take an examination that can earn up to three college credits for satisfactory performance.
Dual Enrollment - Students may pursue college or technical school credit if a comparable offering is not available and other requirements are met.\
Co-Curricular Options - Options available to students outside the regular school day that are avenues for developing talents and strengths in students, including academic competition.
Classroom Differentiation - Within the context of the regular classroom, teachers provide opportunities for the curriculum to be flexible in a variety of ways, including adjusting pace, content, process, and products. Differentiation will benefit all students by providing appropriately challenging materials.
Project-Based Learning - The use of in-depth and rigorous classroom projects to facilitate learning and assess student competence. Students explore real-world problems and challenges which result in a product presentation or performance.
