Gifted and Talented Enrichment (GATE) Program - Okaloosa County ...

∙ Integrate concepts∙∙Use techniques, materials, forms, and knowledge in innovative waysUse a variety of evaluation techniquesAll curriculum units will be developed using the Florida’s Frameworks for K-12 GiftedLearners (Reference 1). These frameworks provide guidelines which support a challenging andrigorous curriculum that enhances the Florida Sunshine State Standards in order to meet theneeds of gifted students in the GATE program.The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Gifted Programming Standards(Reference 2) are also used in the development of GATE instructional objectives. Thesestandards emphasize learning and development, assessment, curriculum planning andinstruction, learning environments, programming, and professional development.4. Student GoalsThe goals for each GATE students are:∙∙∙∙∙∙To develop positive self-concepts and an appreciation of giftedness/talentedness, which will enable the students to be successful in their interactionswith others.To develop critical, creative, and evaluative thinking processes so that studentswill be able to address complex issues with the necessary tools for problemsolving.To develop in students a love for livelong learning by giving them the technicaland personal skills necessary to achieve success, both inside and outside theclassroom.To provide students with opportunities to “learn how to learn”, which requiresorganizational skills, study skills, and persistence in the face of difficulty.To develop the academic abilities of students so that they will be able to masternew and difficult curriculum challenges.To provide students with opportunities to learn alongside intellectual peers sothat they might gain a realistic appraisal of their own abilities.

5. Program EffectivenessGATE program effectiveness will be measured using a variety of data sources, such as:∙∙∙∙∙Student pre- and post-testsProject rubricsStudent surveysStudent goal settingStudent quarterly progress reports6. Program EligibilityThe Kenwood GATE program employs a three-tiered eligibility scale, as described below.∙Tier 1: Students who have been screened for gifted services and scored atleast 128 and therefore qualify for gifted services in accordance with theOkaloosa County School District, Exceptional Student Education Policies andProcedures (Reference 3).∙ Tier 2: Students who have been screened for gifted, did not achievethe minimum score of 128, but did score at least 120.∙Tier 3: Top combined scale scores on spring and fall standardizedtests (DEA and/or FCAT).During the 2011-2012 school year, a minimum of nine students from each grade (2 ndthrough 5 th ) were invited to participate in the GATE program. Ten of these students wereeligible to receive services as gifted students (Tier 1), and 29 students were included as Tier 2and 3 (talented) students.Once students have been selected for inclusion in the GATE program and the classroomteacher and the parent have approved the student’s participation, the student will be eligible toattend GATE classes in all subsequent school years that the student is enrolled at Kenwood.If a parent chooses to decline their student’s inclusion in the GATE program, thatstudent will not automatically be eligible to attend GATE classes in subsequent school years.The student’s eligibility will be reevaluated through the program eligibility requirements statedabove.

7. Gifted Student IdentificationStudent evaluation for gifted screening will be accomplished in accordance with thepolicies outlined in the Okaloosa County School District, Exceptional Student Education Policiesand Procedures (Reference 3). Kenwood faculty members will receive training on theidentification of gifted and talented students at least annually. The checklist provided inAttachment A (Reference 4) will be provided to each teacher during pre-planning meetings.In February and March 2012, the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test was administered toapproximately 180 Kenwood students. At the publication of this plan, we have not received theresults of those tests. Once the results are received, we will conduct further screenings usingthe Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test 2 (KBIT-2) to identify gifted and talented students forinclusion in our 2012-2013 GATE classes.8. GATE Class SchedulesGATE classes are held once each week (on Wednesdays) in the Technology Lab & MediaCenter with instruction provided by a gifted-endorsed teacher. The 2012-2013 GATE classschedule is:∙∙8:40 – 11:00 2 nd & 3 rd Grade GATE Class11:00 – 3:10 4 th & 5 th Grade GATE Class (25 minute lunch period included)Students in 2 nd and 3 rd grades attend GATE class for 2 hours and 20 minutes each week.Students in 4 th and 5 th grades attend GATE class for 3 hours and 35 minutes each week.As a result of increased student screening described above, these class schedules maybe adjusted if there is an increase in the number of students identified as gifted.9. Professional DevelopmentAll GATE teachers will participate in recurring professional development activitiesspecifically designed for gifted instruction. All Kenwood faculty members will receive training inthe identification of gifted and talented students at least annually. The GATE programcoordinator will also assist classroom teachers with providing enrichment opportunities withintheir classroom instructional units.

10. Program EvaluationThe GATE program will be evaluated at least annually using the following information:∙∙∙∙∙Parent surveysStudent surveysTeacher/staff surveysStudent products/performancesStudent standardized test scores11. Program ContactsKaren OsbornGATE Program Coordinator833-3569osbornk@mail.okaloosa.k12.fl.usYvonne MichnaPrincipal833-3570michany@mail.okaloosa.k12.fl.us

Attachment A. High Achiever, Gifted Learner, Creative ThinkerA High Achiever... A Gifted Learner... A Creative Thinker...Remembers the answers. Poses unforeseen questions. Sees exceptions.Is interested. Is curious. Wonders.Is attentive. Is selectively mentally engaged. Daydreams; may seem off task.Generates advanced ideas.Generates complex, abstract ideas.Overflows with ideas, many ofwhich will never be developed.Works hard to achieve. Knows without working hard. Plays with ideas and concepts.Answer the questions in detail.Ponders with depth and multipleperspectives.Injects new possibilities.Performs at the top of the group. Is beyond the group. Is in own group.Responds with interest andopinions.Exhibits feelings and opinions frommultiple perspectives.Shares bizarre, sometimesconflicting opinions.Learns with ease. Already knows. Questions: What if...Needs 6 to 8 repetitions to master. Needs 1 to 3 repetitions to master. Questions the need for mastery.Comprehends at a high level.Enjoys the company of age peers.Understands complex, abstracthumor.Comprehends in-depth, complexideas.Prefers the company of intellectualpeers.Creates complex, abstract humor.Overflows with ideas--many ofwhich will never be developed.Prefers the company of creativepeers but often works alone.Relishes wild, off-the-wall humor.Grasps the meaning. Infers and connects concepts. Makes mental leaps: Aha!Completes assignments on time.Initiates projects and extensions ofassignments.Initiates more projects that will everbe completed.Is receptive. Is intense. Is independent and unconventional.Is accurate and complete.Is original and continuallydeveloping.Is original and continuallydeveloping.Enjoys school often. Enjoys self-directed learning. Enjoys creating.Absorbs information. Manipulates information. Improvises.Is a technician with expertise in afield.Is an expert who abstracts beyondthe field.Is an inventor and idea generator.Memorizes well. Guesses and infers well. Creates and brainstorms well.Is highly alert and observant.Anticipates and relatesobservations.Is intuitive.Is pleased with own learning. Is self-critical. Is never finished with possibilities.Gets A's. May not be motivated by grades. May not be motivated by grades.Is able. Is intellectual. Is idiosyncratic.

References1. Florida’s Frameworks for K-12 Gifted Learners. Florida Department of EducationWorking on Gifted Issues Challenge Grant Project, Florida Association for the Gifted. 2007.2. National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Gifted Programming Standards. 2008.3. Okaloosa County School District, Exceptional Student Education Policies and Procedures(SP&P), Effective 2009-2010 through 2011-2012, Part III, Policies and Procedures for Studentswho are Gifted, pages 121 through 126.4. Kingore, Bertie. Differentiation: Simplified, Realistic, and Effective. Austin: ProfessionalAssociates Publishing, 2004. Figure 4:2: High Achiever, Gifted Learner, Creative Thinker.