Gifted and Talented Services
At St. Mary Catholic Virtue School, we developed the Exceptional Student Services program because we recognize that every child is endowed with unique gifts from God, reflecting their inherent dignity and individuality. Acknowledging that some children demonstrate exceptional abilities requiring specifically differentiated instruction does not diminish the gifts of all other students, but is necessary if teachers and administrators desire gifted and talented students to grow. The Gifted and Talented Services fall under Exceptional Student Services
Through academic, social-emotional and spiritual guidance, gifted students will show magnanimity, flourishing in the vocation of student and beyond.
What is giftedness?
St. Mary Catholic Virtue School gifted students possess the potential for extraordinary achievement, marked by exceptional performance, creativity, or learning abilities, through any or a combination of the following gifts.
The Exceptional Children's Educational Act (ECEA) defines "gifted" children as: Those persons between the ages of four and twenty-one whose aptitude or competence in abilities, talents, and potential for accomplishment in one or more domains are so exceptional or developmentally advanced that they require special provisions to meet their educational programming needs.
Gifted students are capable of high performance, exceptional production, or exceptional learning behavior by virtue of any or a combination of these areas of giftedness: General or specific intellectual ability, specific academic aptitude, creative or productive thinking, leadership abilities, visual arts, performing arts, musical or psychomotor abilities.
How is giftedness identified?
Step 1: Universal Screening: Achievement Test (e.g. STAR Testing)
Step 2: Universal Screening: Ability Test (e.g. CogAT)
Step 3: Parent or Teacher Nomination
Step 4: Parent and/or Teacher Behavioral Rating Scales
Step 5: Formal identification by a team of teachers/administrators
Step 6: Advanced Learning Plan
What services do gifted and talented students receive?
Students receive services in the areas in which they have been identified as gifted.
Gifted and talented services focus on rigor, complexity and depth, and may include acceleration, compacting, enrichment, competitions, social support groups, advanced class placement and independent learning contracts. Gifted learners benefit from time with intellectual peers, which allows them freedom to take risks and collaborate in a unique way.
Services at each level:
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Teacher Collaboration and Support
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Gifted Cluster in Class
Small Group Pull-out
Teacher Collaboration
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Gifted Cluster in Class
Small Group Pull-out
Teacher Collaboration
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Leveled Classes
Teacher Collaboration
Enrichment during Flex Time
A Body of Evidence is used to identify gifted characteristics in students:
Which Include:
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Scores between the 95th and 99th percentile are recognized as within the gifted range.
Aptitude: Aptitude is intellectual ability, which can be measured by nationally norm-referenced tests, such as
Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)
Naglieri Nonverbal Ability
Test (NNAT)
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC),
Achievement: Nationally normed achievement tests assess subject specific, grade-level ability determining academic progress, such as:
Star Reading and Math
Classical Learning Test (CLT)
Test of Early Mathematics Ability-Third Edition (TEMA)
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT)
Woodcock Johnson
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A scale measuring a student’s demonstration of specific behaviors is completed by parents and/or teachers during the identification process.
The behaviors that indicate giftedness generally fall under the categories of leadership, motivation, memory, reasoning, creativity and sense of humor (Colorado Department of Education). Observable behaviors complete the body of evidence, giving a more complete picture of the student.
While completed by teachers as well, these scales demonstrate parents’ unique understanding of their children. At St. Mary Catholic Virtue School, we use the Scales for Identifying Gifted Students (SIGS-2).
Upon completion of the identification process, the student, his or her parents and the Coordinator of Gifted and Talented Education meet to write an Advanced Learning Plan for the school year, outlining goals and services.
Garden Dome Program
The Gifted and Talented Program at St. Mary Catholic Virtue School supports the Garden Dome Business Program by engaging students in hands-on activities, such as weekly compost collection and growing plants from seed. Students help nurture plants for important initiatives, including the Food Bank, a Spring Plant Fundraiser, school and family gardens, a Mother’s Day Botany Surprise, and the Fall Pumpkin Fundraiser featuring pumpkins and exotic gourds.
FAQ:
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How are parents involved in gifted and talented services?
Parents are an integral part of each student’s educational team, providing insight and wisdom as the first educator. At the beginning of the identification process, parents receive information about the process and their role in it, in order to uphold the Educational Covenant. Once the student is identified, the parents and student write ALP goals through the guidance of the Gifted and Talented Education Coordinator.
Parent/teacher conferences also allow for time to communicate about a student’s progress toward goals.
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What is an Advanced Learning Plan?
The Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) is a document created through collaboration between the student, parents and Gifted and Talented Education Coordinator at the point of identification of a gifted and talented student. The ALP both informs and supports. The document informs by including data relevant to the identification process, as well as student strengths and challenges. The document supports the student by providing goals for which he or she will strive during the school year.
Teachers use the ALP as a resource to anchor the student’s learning, differentiating in specific areas related to goals set for the year.
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What is the classroom teacher’s role in gifted learning?
The classroom teacher in elementary school and the subject area teachers in middle school provide differentiated instruction for gifted and talented students. The Gifted and Talented Education Coordinator collaborates with teachers to ensure students’ needs are being met through a variety of methods and strategies.
