GIFTED AND TALENTED                                                                                                  6108

 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION INCLUDING STATED NEEDS AND MEASUREABLE OBJECTIVES, MONTANA STATE LAW 20-7-904

At all levels in the districts of Big Timber Elementary, Sweet Grass County High School and Greycliff and Melville rural schools, it is recognized that there are students whose abilities, talents, and potential for accomplishment are so outstanding that they require “services or activities not ordinarily provided by the schools.”  The PIL seeks to provide the opportunities to enable these students to develop their abilities to the fullest.  These services are outlined in a district plan which includes:

            - Identification of targeted students according to a 6-step selection process

            - Providing identified students with curriculum options reflective of their needs

            -Providing support for the emotional and social needs of these students

            -Providing support, training and materials/resources for all district teachers

            -Promoting parent and community involvement to expand opportunities for students

            - Program evaluation and consequent modification.

 

Within the school population, there are students who have outstanding ability in any one or more of five areas:  academic subject areas, the visual and performing arts, creativity in thought and expression, intellect/language ability, and leadership.  The unique characteristics and needs of students with high potential are with them continuously.  Since some students spend most of their time in “regular classrooms,” the most effective and efficient way to teach to their giftedness is by integrating “gifted programming” into the “regular education program.”  This will allow for daily and even hourly exposure of their talents to gifted programming rather than waiting for special blocks of time to meet those needs.  Although emphasis is on curriculum modification to meet individual needs of high potential students, gifted programming recognizes that additional services and projects outside of the existing curriculum an/or classroom may also be appropriate.  We believe that gifted programming based primarily upon classroom modification, but supplemented with out-of-class enrichment will maximize the potential of gifted and talented students.

 

 

Adopted 5/13/98