Gifted and Talented

Click here for more information about

Application for the 2009-2010 school year

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Applications are due March 20, 2009

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District Staff Train in

Executive Functioning of Gifted Adolescent

Nationally known presenter and therapist

Andrew Mahoney, M.S., L.P.C.,

worked with District staff on understanding
the executive functioning issues of gifted youth.

For more on this story click here

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FOR PARENTS:

Bloomington Council for the Gifted and Talented

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Program Philosophy

The Bloomington Public Schools Gifted and Talented Programs serve gifted, talented and creative children of  both genders and

all cultural and socioeconomic groups in Kindergarten through

Grade 12.  Gifted, talented and creative children have the potential to perform at remarkably high levels for their age, experience,

or environment.  The Gifted and Talented Programs help these students thrive by offering challenging and supportive educational experiences and services.  Together, these programs and services nurture the academic, creative, artistic, leadership abilities, and social/emotional needs of gifted, talented and creative children.

THE GIFTED AND TALENTED DEPARTMENT : View the presentation to the the  National Association for Gifted Children's Annual Convention in Tampa, Florida by Dr. Richard Cash, Julie Donaldson and Barbara Dullaghan on Social & Emotional Supports Offered to Gifted Students in Bloomington Presentation Handout Veiw the presentation to the National Association for Gifted Children's Annual Convention in Tampa, Florida by Dr. Richard Cash & Dr. Diane Heacox on Building Teacher and Learner Autonomy Presentation Handout Dr. Richard Cash, District Supervisor of Gifted and Talented Programs rcash@bloomington.k12.mn.us 952-681-6438 952-681-6533 (fax) Vita   Barbara Dullaghan, Elementary Gifted Coordinator bdullagh@bloomington.k12.mn.us 952-806-7155 952-806-7101 (fax) Vita Julie Donaldson, Middle School Gifted Coordinator jdonaldson@bloomington.k12.mn.us 952-806-8625 952-806-8601 (fax) Vita Middle School Honors/Accelerated Course Information

 

Program Goals:

• Identify students who demonstrate exceptional abilities and require services beyond the regular classroom through  appropriate, multi-criteria methods.  A major component of the identification method must seek out more students from underrepresented populations (i.e. children of color and children from low socioeconomic backgrounds).

• Develop programs and services (K-12) that are continuous at all school sites appropriate for the academic, creative,  artistic, leadership abilities, social, and emotional needs of identified gifted/talented/creative students. Programs and services will include: 

• Differentiated curriculum and instructional strategies in all grade  levels for gifted/talented/creative students.

• Trained school personnel who develop and use appropriate strategies for instruction with gifted/talented/creative students.

• Parental awareness of the varied needs of gifted/talented/creative children.

• Community involvement in the planning, development and  implementation of programs for gifted/talented/creative students.

• Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of programs for the gifted/talented/creative students and make recommendations for program improvement.

Gifted Program Overview

Every school site has developed services to respond to the varied needs, talents and interests of their students.  The programs and services consist of:

LEVEL 1:  Differentiation of curriculum focuses on expanding, extending and enhancing learning opportunities in the regular classroom for all students.   These options are implemented within the school's curriculum and instruction, and are made possible by the classroom teacher.

LEVEL 2: Enrichment and Extensions are student-selected activities, which focus on enrichment or expansion of experiences beyond the exploration level  of the regular classroom curriculum.  Almost any student could be involved at this level, but not every student will choose to do so. The Gifted and Talented  Specialists will be working with school sites in their investigation and development of plans for implementing greater choices at this level.  

LEVEL 3: Individualized Services focus on creating comprehensive learning plans for those students with unique needs not met by level 1 or 2.  Such services include Cluster Classrooms at the 3rd through 5th grade level, Honors classes at the middle school level, Honors, Advanced Placement (AP) and College in the Schools classes at the high school level. DIMENSIONS ACADEMY for the highly/profoundly gifted also serves students in grades 4-8.

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