Gifted and Talented

Program Plan

Cambria-Friesland School District

Updated: May 16, 2012

Gifted and Talented Program Plan

Cambria-Friesland School District

Table of Contents

Page

Advisory Committee; District’s Mission and Philosophy 2

Definition; Identification Procedure 3

Student Identification Procedure Flow Chart 4

Nominating Students 5

Identification Criteria, Levels I, II and III 6

Gifted and Talented Nomination Form/Alert Form 7

Gifted and Talented Profile Form 8

Services and Programming 10

Differentiation Education Plan (DEP) Form 11

Continuum of Services 13

Monitoring and Accountability; Program Alignment to NAGC Standards 14

Glossary 17

References and Biography 19

Addendum 1: Wisconsin Standard (T) 22

Addendum 2: NAGC Standards; Addendum 3: GT Resource Guide 24

Gifted and Talented Advisory Committee

The School District of Cambria-Friesland thanks the members of the Gifted and Talented Advisory committee who were instrumental in the creation of this plan:

List Names
Kelly Wulff Plumb / School Psychologist
Becky Eberhardt / GT Coordinator/PreK-12 Principal
Mary Henrikson / School Counselor
Rachel McKay / 2nd Grade Teacher
Laura Shucha / Parent/Library Media Specialist
Ellen Richter / 4th Grade Teacher
Nina Bellanti-Johnson / Art Teacher

Mission & Philosophy Statement

Mission: It is the Cambria-Friesland School District, in partnership with community and families, is committed to providing the best education for every student in a safe environment so that he/she will become a productive learner and successful citizen in a world community.

Philosophy: Gifted children have unique academic, social and emotional needs. If these needs are not met, there is a loss to the individual, to the school, and to society.

The goals of excellence in education must be comprehensive to include strong commitment to the equitable treatment of our diverse population. At the level of the individual learning, excellence means performing on the boundary of individual ability in ways that test and challenge personal limits, in school and in the work place. Excellence characterizes a school that sets high expectations and goals for all learners, then tries in every way possible to help each student reach them. Our goal must be to develop the talents of all learners to their fullest. Attaining that goal requires that we expect and assist all students to work to the limits of their capabilities. We should expect schools to have high standards, rather than minimal ones, and parents to support and encourage their children to make the most of their talents and abilities. The goals of equity and high quality schooling have profound and practical meaning in our economy and society, and we cannot permit one to yield to the other either in principle or in practice.

Research Basis: The Cambria-Friesland School District’s plan for services for gifted and talented students is based primarily on these documents: Wisconsin Standard (T) legislation (Addendum 1), The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Pre-K – Grade 12 Gifted Program Standards (2000) (Addendum 2), and the Gifted and Talented Resource Guide for Educators, Coordinators, and Administrators in Wisconsin Public Schools (2005) (Addendum 3).

Definitions of Gifted and Talented Students

All children have special abilities and strengths, and some have gifts that are far beyond those of other children their age. Gifted students tend to exhibit the following characteristics:

ü  Advanced vocabulary for their age

ü  Ability to learn new things very quickly

ü  Outstanding memory

ü  Ability and preference of thinking on a higher, more abstract level than their peers

ü  Sophisticated sense of humor

ü  Ability to see connections between apparently unconnected things and to transfer concepts to new situations.

Definition: From Wisconsin School Law, Chapter 118.35 - “Gifted and talented pupils” means pupils enrolled in public schools who give evidence of high performance capability in intellectual, creative, artistic, leadership or specific academic areas and who need services or activities not ordinarily provided in a regular school program in order to fully develop such capabilities.

Sternberg’s five “necessary and sufficient conditions that gifted persons have in common”:

1.  Excellence. A gifted person must be extremely good at something.

2.  Rarity. He or she must possess a high level of an attribute that is uncommon relative to peers.

3.  Productivity. The superior trait must (potentially) lead to productivity,

4.  Demonstrability. The trait also must be demonstrable through one or more valid tests.

5.  Value. The superior performance must be in an area that is valued by society. (Davis and Rimm, 1998, p. 23)


Gifted and Talented Identification Procedure

The School District of Cambria-Friesland adheres to the Wisconsin Standard (T) requirement stating gifted and talented students shall be identified as required in
s. 119.35(1), Stats. This identification shall include multiple criteria that are appropriate for the category of gifted including intelligence, achievement, leadership, creativity, product evaluations, and nominations. A pupil may be identified as gifted or talented in one or more of the categories under s.118.35(1), Stats.

The Cambria-Friesland School District has developed a Nomination/Alert Form (Appendix A) for assisting with this process. If the student is placed on alert, the School Psychologist will begin completing a GT Profile Form (Appendix B) to further determine if the student has met the identification criteria as outlined in this plan.

Nominating—All Students

q  If someone wants to nominate a student, give him or her a Nomination/Alert Form.

q  Teachers/parents should return the completed form to the Principal/GT Coordinator.

q  The Principal/GT Coordinator sends a copy of Nomination/Alert Form to the School Psychologist who will create a student file. The School Psychologist makes those involved with the student aware of the referral.

Grades K – 3

q  Do an initial screening using running records level, Informal Reading Inventory, (STAR, Gates-McGinnity), observation, and/or WIAT-II assessments. If a K – 3 student scores two or more grade levels above, he or she will be placed on Alert. If the student does not score two or more grade levels above, talk to the School Psychologist.

q  The School Psychologist will create a GT file for the student.

q  The School Psychologist will add the level to the student’s file after it is obtained

q  The classroom teacher and other staff, if appropriate, will continue to document baselines through daily work, anecdotal recording, and enrichment activities. This information will also be placed in the student’s file.

q  The School Psychologist checks on student throughout the year.

Grades 4+

q  Do an initial screening using results from the most recent standardized test, probes, progress monitoring tools, WIAT-II, and IQ scores for the student. If the child has qualifying scores, begin the GT Profile on the student. If the student does not have qualifying scores, talk to the School Psychologist.

q  Create a GT file for the student (if one has not been created).

q  Give the teacher a GES-2 to complete. Inform him or her that it is important to fill out the student’s date of birth and the date that the evaluation was done. If necessary, another teacher (art, music) may rate the student in applicable areas.

q  Send a GES-2 form or interest survey to the parent along with the letter of explanation.

q  Both GES-2 forms should be returned to the School Psychologist.

q  Once the School Psychologist has the Nomination/Alert Form, information from testing/classroom (profile), and the GES-2 forms, schedule an appointment with the Principal, Classroom Teacher, and Guidance Counselor to determine placement.

q  Continue to complete the GT Identification Process Checklist.

q  A copy of the completed GT Profile should be given to the School Psychologist following the meeting.

q  The School Psychologist adds the level to the student’s GT file.

Alert, Level I, Level II, and Level III

q  Once a student has been leveled, share identification criteria sheet with the teacher and discuss possible strategies.

q  Send a letter home to the parents.

q  All other records (nomination, profile, GES-2, etc.) are kept by the School Psychologist.

Transitions—Graduating

q  Once a student graduates from high school, the School Psychologist sends his/her file to the high school secretary for filing for one year.

Informal testing materials do not need to be included.

K-12 Identification Criteria

Level I
/ Level II / Level III
A student must meet the identification criteria in at least two different categories. / A student must meet the identification criteria in at least two different categories. / A student must meet the identification criteria in at least two different categories.
q  WKCE Score at Level I according to GT Resource Guide (approximately the 95th – 96th percentile)
q  Nationally-normed standardized test score at 97th national percentile in the area of the specific academic nomination
q  Supporting assessment information as administered by the School Psychologist or other appropriate staff
q  A score of 13-15 on the specific academic subscale of the GES-2
q  1-2 years beyond peers indicated by local assessments
q  Full scale IQ score of 130 – 134
q  Student work samples/portfolios/
evidence / q  WKCE Score at Level II according to GT Resource Guide (approximately the 97th – 99th percentile)
q  Nationally-normed standardized test score at 98th percentile in the area of specified academic nomination
q  Supporting assessment information as administered by the School Psychologist or other appropriate staff
q  A score of 16-18 on the specific academic subscale of the GES-2
q  2-3 years beyond peers indicated by local assessments
q  IQ score of 135-144
q  Student work samples/portfolios/
evidence / q  WKCE Score at Level III according to the GT Resource Guide (approximately 99th Percentile
q  Nationally-normed standardized test score at 99th percentile in specified academic nomination area
q  Supporting assessment information as administered by the School Psychologist or other appropriate staff
q  A score of 19 or 20 on the specific academic subscale of the GES-2
q  3+ years beyond peers indicated by local assessments
q  IQ score of 145 or higher
q  Student work samples/portfolios/
evidence

*GES-2, Gifted Evaluation Scale, Second Edition

CAMBRIA-FRIESLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT

Gifted and Talented Nomination/Alert Form

Student Name School

Birth Date Age Grade

Parent(s)/Guardian

Mailing Address ______

Home Phone Zip Code

*********************************************

Nomination made by

Relationship to student Date of nomination

Please share why you feel this student is gifted.

______

Please give the completed form to Principal/Gifted and Talented Coordinator.

Reviewed: ______

(Principal/GT Coordinator) (Date)

____ This student has been placed on “Alert” pending further test results and review

_____ Copy to GT Coordinator _____ Copy in student file

Cambria-Friesland School District

Gifted and Talented Profile

Student Name (last) ______(first)

School Graduation Year

Present Teacher Present Grade

Information Gathered / Meets
Level I Criteria / Meets
Level II Criteria / Meets Level III Criteria
Standardized Test Scores

Test Name

/ / / /

Month/Year

/ / / /

Reading

/ / / /

Language

/ / / /

Math

/ / / /

Science

/ / / /

Soc. Studies

/ / / /

Other Test Results (IQ, etc.)

/ / / /
GES-2 Teacher Rating Scale

Month/Year

/ /

Intellectual

/ /

Creativity

/ /

Specific Academic

______area

/ /

Leadership Ability

/ /

Performing/Visual Arts

/ /
Work Samples/Portfolio/Evidence/Report Cards

Describe:

Profile Recommendation (criteria attached):

Based on the information gathered, the above named student

_____ is placed on Alert.

_____ meets the Level I gifted and talented criteria in the

area(s) of ______.

_____ meets the Level II gifted and talented criteria in the

area(s) of ______.

_____ meets the Level III gifted and talented criteria in the

area(s) of ______.

does not meet the gifted and talented criteria for identification at this time.

Reviewed by Date ______

Principal/GT Coordinator

______Copy to student file

Gifted and Talented Services & Programming

Program/Services Model: The Cambria-Friesland School District uses Wisconsin’s Comprehensive Integrated Gifted Programming Model. (See Addendum 3, page 27 & 28.) The pyramid represents all levels of identified gifted students. The base of the pyramid represents the 60% of identified students whose needs can be met in the regular classroom with regular classroom differentiation such as curriculum compacting and tiered assignments.

The next section of the pyramid represents about 35% of students identified as gifted who need more than good classroom differentiation. These students may need small group enrichment, co-curricular activities, online classes, or advanced classes such as Honors or Advanced Placement (AP) classes.

The top of the pyramid represents about 5% of students identified as gifted who need very specialized services such as subject or grade acceleration, mentorships, or independent study. A Differentiated Education Plan (DEP) may be written for these students. (See Appendix C.)

Differentiated Education Plan (DEP)

q  Any student being considered for a DEP should have been identified as GT or the process should be started.

q  A student needing a DEP may be Level I, II or III.

q  After a meeting with the parent, teacher, school psychologist, principal and other school personnel as defined previously, the team will draft the DEP.

q  Once the DEP has been approved by the team, the School Psychologist will obtain parent signatures.

q  Once the parents have signed the DEP, the School Psychologist will obtain the teacher’s, principal’s and/or counselor’s signatures. The plan is then filed.

q  After all signatures are obtained, copies are made. The high school secretary sends a copy of the completely signed DEP to the parents and a copy to be placed in the student’s cumulative file. The original is kept on file in the students GT file.

CAMBRIA-FRIESLAND

DIFFERENTIATED EDUCATION PLAN (DEP)

School Year: ______

Elementary School Middle School High School

Student Last: / Student First:
Student ID Number: / Grade:
Date of Birth: / Graduation Year:
Parent(s)/Guardian(s):
Address:
Telephone: / Email:

DEP Meeting Date: DEP Review Date:

Student Profile (Why)