Principal Booklet
I. Guide to Gifted Programs Services
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Mission & Goals
Professionalism
Currriculum
Testing Identification
Orientation
Appeal & re-evaluation Process
II. Forms
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Acceptance/Decline**
Mutual Agreement
Appeal**
Re-evaluation
Withdrawal**
III. Samples from on-line**
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Testing Registration
Teacher Referral
IV. A.L.L./ACAD
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Selection Process**
Magnet Sites**
o 3rd-4th A.L.L.
o 5th/6th A.L.L.
o 7th/8th ACAD
V. History of Gifted Services with Alpine School District
VI. Sample of Acceptance/Decline Letter
VII. Mini-Grant Application (Up-dated Yearly)
VIII. Gifted Endorsement Program Information
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Endorsement Agreement
Endorsement Application
IX. Protocol for hiring advance learner educator
**Accessible on-line at http://alpineschools.org/departments/curriculum
Gifted Services
2011-12
Principals Guide to Gifted
Programs and Services
Expectations and Standards for Principals Working
with the Gifted Services Programs of Alpine School District
Guide to Gifted Programs and Services
Mission
The mission of the educators and administrators of Alpine School District's Gifted
Programs and Services is to advocate for appropriate educational opportunities for the
diverse population of gifted and talented students. We believe that all children have the
right to be educated in an environment wherein real and measurable learning occurs.
Goals
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advancing the understanding that administrators, educators, parents and the
community have of the unique and exceptional academic and social/emotional
needs of gifted and talented children;
increasing the capacity of administrators, educators, parents, and the community to
be agents of positive change in the lives of gifted and talented children; and
promoting the development of a continuum of quality services for gifted and talented
students in every school in Alpine School District.
Professionalism and Association with Teachers (PLC)
 Hired teachers need a Gifted/Talented endorsement or be working toward one for
advanced learners.
 Encourage and support teachers in attending grade level collaboration every 3rd
Monday (Wimba Training needed for online conferencing).
 Encourage and support teachers in attending the three advanced learner
collaborations (fall, winter, summer).
 Allow teachers to– advocate and share strategies for students within the school not
necessarily in a program for advanced learners – provide Professional Development.
 Encourage and support teachers in attending at least one
conference/seminar/Webinar for advanced learners a year.
Curriculum
 Teachers teach the core using methods and models in gifted education (i.e. Talents
Unlimited, Bloom’s Taxonomy, SCAMPER, Parallel Curriculum, Six Thinking Hats,
Creative Problem Solving, Kaplan’s Depth and Complexity, Torrance Tests of
Creative Thinking, Habits of the Mind, Betts’ Autonomous Learner, Tomlinson’s
Differentiation).
Special Considerations
 Be aware of ALL/ACAD testing procedures.
 Be willing to work with children with special needs (twice exceptional, 504s, IEPs,
Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, etc.).
 Recognize that social-emotional needs of gifted kids are a priority. SENG Training
available if requested.
 Communicate with parents, work with them
 Recognize common myths of teaching G/T kids (elitism, “easy,” always work hard,
self-motivated, perfectionism, etc.).
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New teachers of advanced learners should be assigned another teacher of advanced
learners as a mentor.
Guide to Gifted Programs and Services
ASD Gifted Services Policies and Procedures
Testing and Identification
• Be involved in advocating for the identification of students that stand out as
advanced learners by observation as well as assessment processes. This advocating
may involve contacting schools of the feeder school to notify teachers and faculty
there about the testing.
• Teachers give referrals for students from one grade to the next. A Referral should
always be given knowing this is an important part of the identification process. The
Teacher Referral is only a small percentage of the final ranking, but is important for
reporting a students academic skill levels.
• Teachers may be involved with testing proctoring only after proctor training. A
stipend at certified salary of $17.50 is offered for this work.
• Students are tested on Saturdays in November for 4 hours. The Elementary
students are testing with a CogAT nationally normed natural ability and essay
assessment. The Secondary students are testing with an IOWA ITBS nationally
normed achievement/skill and essay assessment.
• A Testing Result Letter is mailed to the parents of each student that tested for a
placement. The letter notifies the parents of their child’s testing scores and how
they placed according to the average of the other testers. The status of the child’s
placement will be included in the letter – child is invited to participate, the child has
been placed on an alternate list, or the child will not be able to be offered a
placement this year.
• An Acceptance/Decline Form is included in the Testing Results Letter to parents.
This program is a two-year commitment (3/4, 5/6, 7/8). They are given several
weeks to submit the form back to the District office.
Orientation Meetings after Placement
• A short Orientation Meeting is organized by the District Gifted Services Depart and
students and parents are invited to attend this meeting.
• Teacher are expected to plan and organize this Orientation Meeting for the parents
and students. A stipend of $17.50 district rate will be paid this meeting.
• Parents and students are given time to ask questions about the program.
• Parents are encouraged to return the acceptance/decline form.
Acceptance/Decline Forms
• Acceptance forms are recorded at the District Office for future reference for the
student. This form indicates that the family has read and agreed to a placement in
the A. L. L./ ACAD program and agrees that the student will participate with the
described citizenship behaviors and academic standards as described in the
Expectation/Standards Forms sent in the letter to parents.
• Students that are alternates can file an acceptance form as well. Having an
acceptance form already filed will facilitate the placement of a student should an
opening in a program come available.
Appeal Process
• Parents may submit additional evidence for their child in the form of a written
Appeal if they believe their child has shown other evidence of advancements that
were not tested or proven during the identification process. This could include
other testing results, report cards, teacher letters, writing samples, etc.
• This appeal form will be kept on file and referred to if a placement opportunity
comes available for the student.
Re-Evaluation Process
• A placement in an advanced learning lab classroom does not necessarily work out
to be the best placement for every student. Sometimes personalities, academic
backgrounds, social-emotional needs or other situations often get in the way of
expected learning and a re-evaluation needs to be done.
•Teachers often have reason to place a student on “observation” for a given time for
concerns that are evident in their behavior either for citizenship or academics.
• Parents and the student will be notified of the teachers concerns and a time period
will be designated for improvement in citizenship or academics for the student.
• This process will continue with possible observations of administrators, district
coordinators, or other skilled professionals to help evaluate if a change in placement
is needed.
• If a child’s behavior/academic skills do not show significant improvement over
time, it may be decided by the group involved that the placement in the A.L.L./ACAD
advanced learning labs is not in the best interest for the child. A recommendation
may be made to move the child to another educational placement according to their
needs.
• It is in the best interest for every teacher of a A.L. L./ACAD class to be actively
engaged in keeping parents and students informed of progress in a consistent way.
Parents should always be aware of their child’s progress or non-progress should
that be the case.
Intent to Continue
• Students that are currently participating in the advanced/gifted classrooms are
surveyed annually about their status for continuing in the program for the following
year. This survey is sent out prior to the placement of the next year’s classes, so
those continuing will be included on the lists. It is important that every student
complete and return this form promptly to facilitate the placement process.
• Teachers may request that students need to be retested on this Intent to Continue
Form. This request should never be a surprise to parents. It should only be the next
best step in analyzing the correct placement for a student for academic success. A
testing session for these students will be provided by the district.
• 4th Grade students that have siblings testing for a place in a 3rd grade class at the
same Magnet A. L. L. school may request to stay at that Magnet site for 5th grade
should their sibling qualify for the program. We want the family to be able to be
together at one school.
• 4th Grade students at a 3-6 Magnet Site should move to a Magnet 5-6 Grade Site to
be closer to their own neighborhood for 5th grade. This opens up placements for
other students testing for a possible placement for 5th grade at the 3-6 Magnet Site.
It also allows the student to be placed with peers that will be attending the same
junior high school in the future.
History of Gifted Services
This time-line of Alpine's Gifted Programs recognizes the
people who worked so hard to bring us where we are today.
 1984 Sara Hacken initiated the gifted program as a
intern at the district office.
 1985 Cherry Hill Accelerated Learning Lab (A.L.L.)
opens to 5th and 6th grade.
 1986 Scott Hunsaker continues the gifted program as
the district coordinator. Sara Hacken helps open
Barratt A.L.L. and Sego-Lily A.L.L. opens.
 1987 Shannon Moedl becomes district coordinator
located in the Harrington School Building. Extends
Bright Ideas Summer Program to four Saturdays during
the school year.
 1988 Alpine joins with other district coordinators
from Davis to Nebo and national presenters come to
Utah.
 1989 Dennis Duffy takes over as district coordinator.
He established identification through researched
testing in academics and creativity. Highland
Elementary opens A.L.L. program.
 1990 Sharon Elementary A.L.L. program begins for 5th
and 6th grade.
 1993 Karen Wathen as new district coordinator begins
discussion of expanding program to other grades.
 1994 Lindon program opens at Forbes Elementary.
 1995 World Gifted Conference held in Utah. Alpine and
Utah Associations for Gifted Children send strong
attendance of teachers.
 1996 Alpine joins with Brigham Young University to
start gifted endorsement programs through CITES.
 1997 Jane Friel is Gifted Coordinator for one year.
Continues effort to expand gifted classroom programs.
 1998 Karen Bodily becomes district coordinator.
Academic Studies Program (ACAD) begins at junior high
level.
 1999 District expands ACAD to 7th and 8th grade at
Lakeridge and American Fork Junior Highs.
 2000 Kestin Mattinson is a part-time district
coordinator for gifted services.
 2001 Number of students testing for programs doubles.
 2002-2008 Peggy Crandall starts as a part-time
coordinator but position is expanded to full-time.
 Junior High ACAD expands from two to eight locations.
 Elementary A.L.L. expands from 6 to 8 locations adding
Cedar Ridge and Saratoga Shores
 Elementary programs pilot 3rd and 4th grade A.L.L. at
Foothill and Highland.
 Testing Identification is revised to include IOWA test
scores.
 Janniece Leis becomes Assistant Coordinator of Gifted
Services
 National Gifted Conference held in Salt Lake City and
Alpine School District sends over 80 teachers.
 2008 Barbara Langford becomes Coordinator of Gifted
Services. Shari Taylor becomes Assistant Coordinator
of Gifted Services.
 2008 Saratoga Shores expands to 3rd/4th A.L.L. Program
 2009 Cherry Hill expands to 3rd/4th A.L.L.
 2010 Gifted Advocacy Committee Starts to focus of
future changes in gifted education at Alpine School
District
 2010 Testing registration converted to on-line format
with a charge of $20.00. Money going to fund future
identification of all students in Alpine School
District.
 2011 Westfield opens a 5th/6th A.L.L. Program
 2011 All Junior highs have an English/History ACAD
program
 Goal established to have a gifted and talented
endorsed teacher at every school. Focusing on higher
student needs in the regular classroom.
Only a life lived for others is a life
worthwhile - Albert Einstein