Gifted
Services
Gifted Services
Gifted Services staff are available to respond to questions about gifted students' learning characteristics and needs at every grade level. Following are programs and services that will be offered in Hilliard City Schools during the 2008-09 school year for students meeting the district's eligibility criteria for gifted services.
For specific information about your child's eligibility for gifted services, contact child's school gifted services facilitator.
Grades K-3
Grades K and 1
Gifted Intervention Specialists consult with teachers of identified gifted
students about ways of challenging and supporting gifted students.
Primary Thinking Skills Class (K-3)
Cognitively gifted students eligible for Thinking Skills Class will meet regularly with their intellectual peers to engage in challenging critical thinking activities, including logical thinking, evaluative thinking, visual thinking, and creative thinking. Guidance topics pertinent to young cognitively gifted children will also be explored. Specific schedules may vary from building to building in response to space and scheduling parameters. Parents will be notified about the schedule for their child’s Thinking Skills Class at the beginning of the school year.
Primary Explorations (Grades 2,3)
Students eligible for Primary Explorations will meet for a half day per week for this interdisciplinary class. The curriculum is designed to challenge cognitively gifted students who have sufficient academic strengths to participate in out-of-classroom services for this length of time and still maintain high level performance in the classroom. Accelerated academic curriculum is clustered around big ideas and is covered at a fast pace. Guidance topics pertinent to young cognitively gifted children, as well as critical and creative thinking skills, are incorporated in this program. The Explorations class allows students to experience challenge while working with intellectual peers.
Primary Gifted Math (Grades 2,3)
The Primary Gifted Math class will meet weekly to offer eligible students the opportunity to engage in high-level mathematical challenge and to experience the beauty of mathematics. Students are encouraged to deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts as they further explore topics from their grade level curriculum and beyond. Complex assignments will require students not only to use higher-level mathematical thinking, but also to persevere in the face of mathematical challenges.
Primary staff: Dianne Clay, Lynne Helmer, Jeanne Melvin, Barry Weaver
Grades 4-5
Note: Students eligible for all three services will need to pick two services to attend.
Focus program
During the year, 4th and 5th grade cognitively gifted students will attend Focus one day a week (9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.). Students will be bused from their home school to either Tharp or Washington, and will eat lunch at that school. Each of those schools will house two Focus classrooms for 2008-09. Focus will be cancelled 3 weeks during the year to allow the Focus teachers to provide Academic Support in Reading services.
Academic Support in Reading (ASR)
During the year, 4th and 5th grade students eligible for ASR services will participate in 3 reading seminars involving advanced topics in literature. Reading seminars will last from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ASR students will be transported to either Tharp or Washington on the same day that Focus students from their school usually attend the Focus program. Students will eat lunch at Tharp or Washington on their reading seminar days.
Academic Support in Math (ASM)
During the year, 4th and 5th grade students eligible for ASM services will participate in 4 day-long math seminars involving advanced math topics. Math seminars will be provided within home schools if space is available; otherwise, students will be transported to a school that has adequate space. Students will eat lunch at the school in which they attend ASM services.
Intermediate staff: Barbara Kash, Pam Katko, Karen Lycan, Rachel Nelli
Grade 6
Focus Language Arts Sixth Grade
Cognitively gifted students who participated in the 4/5 Focus program are eligible for the Focus Language Arts program in 6th grade. These services are offered daily through the content area of Language Arts. Students will rotate to this class during their regularly scheduled Language Arts period. Their Language Arts teacher will be a Gifted Intervention Specialist. The Language Arts goals that are addressed either meet or exceed the sixth grade student indicators for this subject area. In addition, attention is given to the emotional and social issues often experienced by cognitively gifted students in this age range. Differentiation related to writing skills is also provided.
Curriculum materials that will serve as a means through which the district indicators are met are from the Center for Gifted Education at the College of William and Mary. These materials are designed to challenge high ability learners. Special emphasis is on the following six content goals:
- To develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature.
- To develop persuasive writing skills.
- To develop linguistic competency.
- To develop listening/oral communication skills.
- To develop reasoning skills in the language arts.
- To understand the concept of change in the language arts.
Enriched Language Arts Sixth Grade
Students who participated in Academic Support in Reading services in grades 4/5 are eligible for Enriched Language Arts in sixth grade. Curriculum materials that will serve as a means through which the Language Arts indicators are met are from the Center for Gifted Education at the College of William and Mary. These materials are designed to challenge high ability learners. Special emphasis is on the following six content goals:
- To develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature.
- To develop persuasive writing skills.
- To develop linguistic competency.
- To develop listening/oral communication skills.
- To develop reasoning skills in the language arts.
- To understand the concept of change in the language arts.
Staff: Kathy Beatty (Hilliard Station), Sandy Stephens (Hilliard Tharp)
Advanced Math 6
Students are eligible for this class if they are (a) identified as gifted in mathematical ability, (b) were eligible to participate in Academic Services in Mathematics (ASM) provided by Gifted Services in grades 4/5, and (c) have a qualifying score on the basic skills math test. This class compacts 6th and 7th grade student indicators in math. The expectation is that students will test into Algebra 1 for 7th grade with a qualifying score on the Algebra prognosis test and teacher recommendation.
6th Grade Pre-Algebra
Students are eligible for this class if they are (a) identified as gifted in both cognitive ability and mathematical ability, (b) were eligible to participate in Academic Services in Mathematics (ASM) provided by Gifted Services in grades 4/5, and (c) have a qualifying score on the basic skills math test. Pre-algebra is a radical (2-year) content acceleration focusing on the 7th and 8th grade student indicators. The expectation is that students will test into Algebra 1 for 7th grade with a qualifying score on the algebra prognosis test and teacher recommendation.
Staff: Dr. Marilyn Hoeflinger (Hilliard Station and Hilliard Tharp)
Grade 7
Compacted Science 7
Compacted Science 7 is offered at each of the middle schools. The class meets one period per day. Students who are identified as gifted in cognitive ability, Math, or Science are eligible to complete the application process for this course. Students must be concurrently enrolled in Algebra or a higher level math course in order to participate in Compacted Science 7. The emphasis of this class is on mastering both the 7th and 8th grade Science indicators. The expectation is that these students will enroll in Honors Science 9 when they are in 8th grade.
Staff: Pam Katko (Weaver), Saundra Sweeney (Heritage, Memorial)
High School
High School students have the opportunity to consult with our secondary facilitators about advanced placement and honors courses, long-range educational planning, mentorships, post-high school opportunities, and co-curricular and extracurricular enrichment activities such as academic contests and competitions, school clubs, and volunteer opportunities.
Facilitators: Pam Katko, Saundra Sweeney