EATON — The Eaton Community Schools Board of Education accepted a 2018-19 “Plan for the Education of the Gifted” during a meeting on Monday, Dec. 10.
Director of Pupil Services Pam Friesel presentated the plan during the meeting.
According to the plan, “Gifted students’ intellectual capacity, rate of learning and potential for creative contributions demand experiences apart from, but connected to, the regular classroom. Eaton Community School District is charged with the responsibility to provide students with educational alternatives that teach, challenge, and expand their knowledge, while simultaneously stressing the development of independent and self-directed learners who continuously generate questions, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information and ideas.”
Based on students’ learning needs, appropriate types and levels of acceleration and enrichment will be offered in grades K-12. This will be evaluated each year and adjustments will be made based on needs. The school seeks to design, develop, and implement high quality curriculum that is supported by research based models appropriate for gifted students.
Eaton Community Schools uses the following assessment instruments for screening and identification purposes.
For Superior Cognitive Ability:
•Naglieri Nonverbal Abilities Test 2 provides whole grade screening in first and fifth grades the week of Nov. 8.
•Cognitive Abilities Test (Form 7).
•WISC-V K-12 by referral only.
For Specific Academic Ability:
•NWEA MPG/MAP test common core state standards alignment, complete Reading and Math only K-12 whole grade. MPG is an approved assessment for grade Kindergarten and first until June 30, 2019. Second graders will take the MAP 2-5. MAP data is also used to determine small group screening sessions using ITBS.
•IOWA Test of Basic Skills for K-12 by referral and rescreen.
•ACT Assessment Program for whole grade screening grade 11.
For Creative Thinking Ability:
•Gifted and Talented Evaluation Scales (GATES) for whole grade screening in grades first and fifth the week of Dec. 14.
•Renzulli Gifted Rating Scale.
For Visual and Performing Arts:
•Gifted and Talented Evaluation Scales (GATES).
•ODE Rubric of Performance A/O Portfolio.
The general education classroom teachers who are providing gifted services for grades K-8 are required to participate in professional development regarding meeting the needs of gifted learners through differentiated lessons.
Students identified as gifted after Aug. 15 may not receive services until the following school year.
New for the 2018-2019 school year, first grade students will work with Primary Education Thinking Skills (P.E.T.S.) to develop and support higher levels of thinking.
Students in grades seven and eight may be considered for College Credit Plus courses as part of their service plan.
For high school programming, students have the opportunity to choose from a variety of ODE accepted courses such as College Credit Plus, AP, Advanced, International Baccalaureate, and Honors. The general education classroom teachers will participate in professional development regarding meeting the needs of gifted learners through differentiated lessons in specific content areas.
Gifted students will have records annually provided by a qualified service provider that outlines their services and set specific goals to be achieved over the course of the year to ensure growth and enrichment.
Acceleration is always of consideration when determining appropriate service options for individual students, both subject and grade acceleration. Early entrance to kindergarten is an option for qualifying students as a gifted service.
