Gifted and Talented

What Does the Gifted and Talented Experience Look Like?
Springfield Public Schools 

Mission Statement 

The Gifted and Talented Program of the Springfield Public Schools aims to provide a meaningful and rigorous education that instills the value of lifelong learning and empowers all students to reach their full potential and become self-fulfilled creative leaders in accordance with the comprehensive standards of our state. We accomplish this by offering challenging, real-world experiences in a student-centered environment. 

We recognize that students come from diverse socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds, and the mission of the gifted and talented program is to provide opportunities for students to explore their intellectual, creative, and artistic gifts and talents within the classroom and with beyond-the-classroom experiences. It is essential to provide diverse, appropriate, and ongoing learning experiences and environments that incorporate students' academic, psychological, and social needs. Our responsibility is 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. New Jersey Administrative Code 6A:8-3.1 defines students who are gifted and talented as those students who possess or demonstrate high levels of ability in one or more content areas when compared to their chronological peers in the local district and who require modification of their educational program if they are to achieve in accordance with their capabilities.

 

Goals

To support our mission, we have established the following goals to guide our work: 

• To infuse into the general education program a broad range of activities for high-level learning that will challenge all students to perform at advanced levels, and provide extended opportunities, resources, and support in particular areas where student interest or talent is demonstrated. 
• To provide a continuum of gifted education services that will strengthen the total school program, offer enriching and challenging learning opportunities for all students, and provide specialized learning experiences. 
• To promote achievement of students’ best potentials and increased ability. 

Through a productive and collaborative relationship among the building principals, classroom teachers, and the Gifted and Talented teacher, our schools can create programming that will enhance the learning experience for every student and serve the unique and specialized needs of students currently demonstrating gifted behaviors. 

Elements of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model, W.I.N (What I Need), differentiated instruction, advanced classes, or individual programs into a student’s regular instruction program are integral to this overarching framework for gifted education in the Springfield School District. 

Reference Board Policy and Regulation 2464 – Gifted and Talented Pupils (M) 

 

Early Childhood Center
Edward V. Walton

Schoolwide Virtual Enrichment 
All first and second grade students have access to the Gifted and Talented Virtual Classroom. This virtual classroom is a space for students to complete various challenges and enrichment opportunities at their own pace. Students can receive feedback and additional adaptable resources to meet their individual learning needs. The virtual classroom design expands accessibility to enrichment resources and allows students to choose learning activities according to their unique interests and abilities. The purpose of the activities is to encourage problem-solving, develop critical thinking skills, and expand curiosity and imagination. Activities are aligned to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. 

Gifted and Talented Teacher as a Resource 
The Gifted and Talented teacher serves as a resource to all teachers within Edward V. Walton School. Teachers seeking resources for their high-ability learners will receive additional support from the Gifted and Talented teacher in various ways. This support may include additional units of study, challenging resources, and student projects. 

 

Elementary Schools
James Caldwell
Thelma L. Sandmeier

The goal is to engage small groups of students in intensive learning experiences through standards-based, rigorous, and relevant units of study that supplement, not supplant, the grade-level curriculum and support students’ unique learning needs. 

Enrichment Experience Grade 3 
Beginning in third grade, the G&T teacher will cycle through all classrooms to work on problem-solving and enrichment tasks with students. Driven by assessment data, academic performance, student interest, and teacher observation, small groups of students will meet with the G&T teacher during W.I.N. (What I Need) periods throughout the week that the teacher is assigned to their classroom teacher. Groupings will be flexible and monitored to best meet each student’s needs throughout the school year. Activities will include brain teasers, puzzles, strategic thinking, problem-solving, and STEM challenges. 

Targeted Gifted and Talented Programing Grades 4-5 
Students may become identified as Gifted and Talented in fourth grade. Students that are identified may receive support from the G&T Teacher for up to five periods (200 minutes) a week during W.I.N. (What I Need) periods. Identified students will meet to explore grade-level content while incorporating depth and complexity in a student-centered, problem-based environment. The Gifted and Talented Program aims to provide students with various advanced and challenging learning experiences across content areas to promote independent thinking skills, refine critical thinking and communication skills, cultivate joy in learning, and expand student interests through problem-solving. The instruction that students receive incorporates 21st Century Skills and advanced content that is challenging, hands-on, and relevant to the real world.
 

Strategies and Practices that Support Gifted and Talented Students · Adjusted Pace of Lessons 

• Inquiry-Based Instruction 
• Higher-Order Thinking Activities 
• Interest-Based Content 
• Real World Problem Solving/Problem Based Learning 
• Independent Study/Passion Projects 
• Units of Study with Like-Minded Peers
   

Schoolwide Virtual Enrichment 
All JCS and TLS students have access to grade level-specific Gifted and Talented Virtual Classrooms. These virtual classrooms are a space for students to complete various challenges and enrichment opportunities at their own pace. Students are able to receive feedback and additional opportunities based on their needs. The virtual classrooms have expanded the accessibility of enrichment resources directly to the students and allows for students to choose opportunities according to their interests and abilities. The purpose of the activities is to encourage problem solving, develop critical thinking skills, and expand curiosity and imagination in conjunction with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. 

Gifted and Talented Teacher as a Resource 
In addition to classroom support, the Gifted and Talented teacher also serves as a resource to all teachers in the building. Teachers that are seeking resources for their high ability learners will receive additional support from the Gifted and Talented teacher in various ways. This may include additional units of study, challenging resources, student projects, and meeting with the G&T teacher as needed. 

Additional Enrichment Opportunities 
Across all grade levels 3-5, as recommended by the classroom teacher, students exhibiting a need for additional enrichment may have the opportunity to meet with the G&T teacher as the schedule allows. Groupings will be flexible and monitored to best meet the students’ needs throughout the school year. Activities will include, brain teasers, puzzles, strategic thinking activities, problem-solving challenges, and STEM challenges. Students engage in an extended process of asking questions, using resources, and developing answers that lead to thinking about what and how they are learning. Students are held accountable for how they work and use their time by demonstrating their learning through products or presentations. 

Students self-select to participate in individual and/or group projects based on interest and commitment. The classroom teacher and/or the enrichment teacher will help guide and monitor student exploration of chosen topics, facilitating their learning with resources and teaching of needed skills.

 

Secondary Schools
Florence M. Gaudineer Middle School
Jonathan Dayton High School

Grades 6-12: Access to specific content programs with higher levels of academic challenges (i.e. Pre-Algebra, Accelerated Communication Arts, and Advanced Placement Classes) 

Dual Credit Courses provide students the opportunity to obtain high school credit, and college credit, simultaneously through partnerships with several institutions.