Highland Community School District
Talented and Gifted Program
Mission Statement
The mission of Highland Community School District’s gifted program is to provide
differentiated learning opportunities to meet the educational and affective needs of gifted
students.
Program Philosophy
The gifted program of Highland Community School District supports gifted students by
recognizing their unique educational and social-emotional needs. We support a
cooperative effort among gifted students, parents, classroom teacher, and program
administrators in planning differentiated learning opportunities to meet the educational
and affective needs of gifted students.
Programs Goals
-
Help each student become a self-directed learner.
Challenge gifted students through an educational program that provides an
appropriate blend of acceleration and enrichment.
Assist the classroom teacher in meeting the education needs of the gifted student in
the regular classroom.
Develop critical thinking, creative thinking, logical thinking, problem solving, and
reasoning skills.
Give students appropriate opportunities to meet their unique social-emotional
needs.
To nurture the development of the college bound student by focusing on the
preparation one needs to be successful at the college level.
Student Evaluation
Student evaluation takes a number of forms while in the Talented and Gifted Program.
Depending on the unique needs of each student the evaluations include but is not limited
to:
- Formal and informal tests
- Weekly communication with TAG coordinator
- Research projects
- Demonstrations
-
Oral presentations
Teacher observation
Self-evaluations
Program Evaluation
The gifted program is evaluated in a yearly roundtable discussion among the district’s
administration team, the program administrators, and an outside evaluator. Participants
will consider feedback from students, parents, and regular classroom teachers in the
evaluation process. While written reports may be generated, the primary purpose is to
examine the program and identify areas for improvement and/or modification.
Identification
Students are formally identified for gifted education program participation at the end of
third grade, and re-evaluated in seventh grade. Students are identified on the basis of
general intellectual ability, specific academic ability and creativity.
In order for students to be eligible for the program the need to meet 2 of the 3 following
requirements:
1. Iowa Basic Skills Test Score of 90% or above on national or Iowa level
2. MAP scores at or above the advanced level
3. Teacher Recommendation
A placement committee will then determine whether students are appropriate for
placement, whether more information is needed, or whether placement is not appropriate.
If more information is needed then the student will take the Cognitive Abilities Test to
provide the needed information. After the placement committee has identified the
student for the program notification, letters are completed and sent to parents. During
this time the parents will decide if their child will join the Talented and Gifted program.
Students who are new to the district will be evaluated using the district identification
policies. Once identified at a building, the students will remain in the program unless
experiencing academic problems; and then removal from the program could be an option.
Our Programs
The sixth through twelfth grade students that are in the program will meet once a week
with the coordinator outside of the work in the regular classroom. These meetings will
help keep the coordinator involved with the students academically and personally. The
identified students will receive modifications to the regular curriculum. The regular
curriculum will be modified to meet the level of each learner. The TAG coordinator will
work with the regular classroom teachers to come up with instruction that will
differentiate, accelerate and enrich the curriculum. The high school identified students
will also receive extra counseling when it comes to the application process, scholarships
and stresses of continuing education.
Special Opportunities
A variety of special opportunities may be offered to Talented and Gifted and other highly
interested/able students that are based on interest, cost, time and accessibility. These
opportunities could include but are not limited to BESTS, Quiz Bowl, C4K, Mock trial,
ICN, Future Problems Solvers, AP courses and Speech Contest.
A Bright Child:
A Gifted Learner:
Knows the answers
Asks the questions
Is interested
Is highly curious
Is attentive
Is mentally and physically involved
Has good ideas
Has wild, silly ideas
Works hard
Plays around, yet tests well
Answers the questions
Discusses in detail, elaborates
Top group
Beyond the group
Listens with interest
Shows strong feeling and opinions
Learns with ease
Already knows
6-8 repetitions for mastery
1-2 repetitions for mastery
Understands ideas
Constructs abstractions
Enjoys peers
Prefers adults
Grasps the meaning
Draws inferences
Completes assignments
Initiates projects
Is receptive
Is intense
Copies accurately
Creates a new design
Enjoys school
Enjoys learning
Absorbs information
Manipulates information
Technician
Inventor
Good memorizer
Good guesser
Enjoys straight forward sequential
presentation
Thrives on complexity
Is alert
Is keenly observant
Is pleased with own learning
Is highly self-critical