District Philosophy
The Cheyenne Mountain School District is committed to recognizing the unique talents, gifts, and abilities of its student population. We are committed to providing a learning environment which maximizes the intellectual development of each student. We believe highly capable students:
- Have potential for outstanding performance.
- Have specific and significant needs, academically, socially, and emotionally.
- Require appropriate programming options and support.
- Benefit from a partnership shared by the school, the community and the parents.
Definition
"Gifted and talented children" mean those persons between the ages of five and twenty-one whose abilities, talents, and potential for accomplishment are so exceptional or developmentally advanced that they require special provisions to meet their educational programming needs. Children under five who are gifted may also be provided with early childhood special educational services. Gifted students include gifted students with disabilities (i.e. twice exceptional) and students with exceptional abilities or potential from all socio-economic and ethnic, cultural populations. Gifted students are capable of high performance, exceptional production, or exceptional learning behavior by virtue of any or a combination of these areas of giftedness:
- General or specific intellectual ability.
- Specific academic aptitude.
- Creative or productive thinking.
- Leadership abilities.
- Visual arts, performing arts, musical or psychomotor abilities.
Goals
Our goals are designed to:
- Meet the needs of individual students.
- Provide students with a curriculum that is a blending of advanced content and higher order thinking skills.
- Assist students in becoming self directed learners and capable problem solvers.
- Provide opportunities for students to work in interest areas.
- Encourage students to become creative producers.
- Assist students in developing a solid awareness of their own talents, build a positive self-concept, and an appreciation of their values to self and to others.
Programming
All students identified as gifted/talented will have an Advanced Learning Plan (ALP). The ALP will include longitudinal assessment data, programming options, and learning growth plans. In meeting the individual needs of highly capable students, a continuum of services may be offered.
At the elementary level, these options may be delivered by the regular classroom teachers or other qualified members of the staff. Student needs may be accommodated in the regular classroom or as a pullout during the school day.
At the junior high level, students participate in a rigorous curriculum that may consist of honors classes, seminars, and electives in areas of technology, art, music, or foreign language.
High school students have 23 Advanced Placement course offerings from which to choose, award winning art and music programs, and a wide variety of clubs and organizations. Concurrent enrollment with local colleges is available to 11th and 12th grade students.
Gifted services may include:
Differentiated instruction...
- Small group activities.
- Curriculum compacting, extending, acceleration.
- Seminars.
- Independent Study.
- Academic Contests.
- Social/Emotional Support.
- Leadership Development.
- Mentorships.
- Field Trips.
Identification
To provide appropriate programming and services for gifted/talented students, data from variety of assessment tools may be used. These include:
- Cognitive ability tests.
- Standardized norm referenced achievement tests.
- State content standards assessments.
- Diagnostic curriculum assessments.
- Teacher/parent input and recommendation.
- Classroom performance.
Identification Criteria
Students in grades K-3 who are referred by their teachers will be reviewed through our criteria for these grades (under development Fall, 2011). The classroom teacher will consult with the interventionist and the Response to Intervention (RTI) team for programming for these students.
Students in grades 4-12 are identified through the criteria below at the beginning of 4th grade or when they arrive in District 12. Students in these grades who have been identified as gifted in other districts must meet the D12 criteria to be identified for services here. An Advanced Learning Plan will be written for identified students.
Gifted Education Endorsements at CMSD 12
District 12 is proud to acknowledge that all of our Interventionists who work with gifted students in our elementary schools and at the junior high school have obtained the “Gifted Education” endorsement for their teaching licenses from the Colorado Department of Education. This means that each of them has passed a rigorous assessment at our state level that signifies that they have the training, education, and experience to deliver quality gifted education services to our students in grades K-8.
