Colts Neck School District Gifted and Talented Program

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Colts Neck School District Gifted and Talented
Program
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NJ State Requirements

• State Definition of Gifted and Talented students
• Those exceptionally able 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.
• __________________________________________________
  _______
• What Does This Require?
• This definition requires that students be
  compared with their peers in the local school
  district.
• The new regulations do not establish state-level
  criteria for giftedness nor do they require that
  specific tests or measures be used to identify
  exceptional students.
• Local school districts should ensure that the
  identification methodology used is
  developmentally appropriate, non-discriminatory,
  and related to the programs and services offered.
  

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NJ State Requirements

• N.J.A.C. 6A 8-3.1(a) 5 requires local district
  boards of education to identify gifted and
  talented students and provide them with
  appropriate instructional adaptations and
  services.
• The identification process and appropriate
  educational challenges must begin in kindergarten
  and be reviewed annually through grade twelve.
• The new rules require district boards of
  education to develop appropriate curricular and
  instructional modifications for gifted students.
  Programs must address appropriate content,
  process, products, and learning environment.
• Each curriculum framework published by the
  Department of Education (with the exception of
  mathematics) contains a chapter that addresses
  instructional adaptations for exceptionally able
  (gifted) students. The chapter defines
  terminology and provides examples of appropriate
  practices. You can access the frameworks on the
  DOE web site www.state.njded/frameworks/index.html
  .
• Local school districts will continue to be
  monitored as part of the regular school district
  evaluation process.

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Spring Survey Results

• Most respondents believed..
• Teacher evaluations/ assessments should be an
  important indicator of student involvement in the
  program
• The focus should be on content enrichment
• Opportunities should be available for small group
  pull-out, in-class enrichment and before/after
  school activities

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Our Vision

• One of our district goals over the next few years
  is to increase differentiated
• practices within our classrooms.
• Opportunities for all students within the regular
  curriculum. District assessments identify
  students who achieve beyond the core curriculum
  and classroom teachers differentiate instruction
  on an ongoing basis.
• Opportunities for many students through rich
  offerings within and outside of the school day.
  Before and after school enrichment clubs,
  athletic programs, intramural opportunities, fine
  and performing arts opportunities, cycled
  elective courses, and contests and competitions
  are all offered to interested students and vary
  according to developmental needs and student
  interests.
• Opportunities for some students through small
  pull-out instructional groups that focus on
  enrichment within a content area.

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Changes Made 2008-2009

• Primary School
• Eliminated Revolving Door groups
• Changed the existing criteria for
• identification in language arts and math
• Utilized district ability assessments in math to
  form small math pull-out groups
• Identified students for language arts using
  multiple measures (reading samples, writing
  samples, word awareness inventories)

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Changes Made 2008-2009

• Elementary School
• Increased classroom literacy assessments to
  prepare for workshop approach in all classrooms
• reading samples, writing samples, word awareness
  inventories, running records
• Utilized district ability assessments in math to
  form small math pull-out groups
• Maintained other core components (revolving door,
  talent pool
• projects and activities)

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Changes Made 2008-2009

• Middle School School
• Identified students specifically in math and
  language arts using final grade averages, NJASK
  scores and teacher recommendations
• Utilized the existing Renzulli system for
  identification but added in the content area
  identification piece
• Offered Type III projects as a choice for all
  identified students and put it into the elective
  cycle second semester
• Offered Continental Math League to all identified
  students
• Added Mock Trial to those who were interested

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Looking Ahead

• Primary School Opportunities
• Small pull-out math groups based on district
  assessments
• Push-in science enrichment opportunities for all
  classes
• Language arts within the classroom (reading and
  writing workshop is differentiated)
• Contests and competitions
• Literary Publication
• Special Math Days where all students participate

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Looking Ahead

• Elementary School Opportunities
• Math clusters within several classrooms
• gifted and talented teacher goes into the
  classroom to work with identified students
• When needed, students are pulled out in small
  groups
• Language arts
• Classroom teacher identifies students/workshop
  approach is differentiated
• Reading and Writing Wednesdays provide
  opportunities for students to work on publication
  opportunities
• Increased opportunities for differentiated
  planning and sharing with classroom teachers
• Increase after school clubs
• Eliminate type III projects (talent pool) and
  revolving door

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Looking Ahead

• Middle School Opportunities
• Focus more on elective opportunities (Math
  Counts, Writing for Publication, Book Clubs, Mock
  Trial, Debate Club, technology courses)
• Add more after school clubs and intramurals
• Continue Advance Math classes
• Implement Reading and Writing Workshop (writing
  workshop is already in place)
• Eliminate Type III projects

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As We Move Forward

• Continue to review identification process
• Elicit feedback from teachers, students, and
  parents
• Increase choices and opportunities for students
• Rename the program

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Questions
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Additional Information

• Fine and Performing Arts Opportunities
• CRES Players and Choristers
• Grade 5 Drama Club
• Chorus
• Band
• Colt Band
• Jazz Ensemble
• Cedar All School Musical

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Additional Information

• Student Intramurals and After- school
  Activities (examples)
• Middle School Clubs
• Student Council Cross Country Yearbook
• Newspaper Make A Difference Art
• Flag Football Guitar Jam Ping Pong
• Pod-casting Creative Writing Chess
• Web Page Design
• Elementary Clubs
• OAmbassadors Lego Club
• We are looking to expand here.

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Contests and Competitions

• (These are examplesthere are many more ideas)
• Math League
• CBA Math Competition
• Math Counts
• National History Day
• Geography Bee
• Monmouth County Arts
• Invent America
• Scholastic competitions
• Princeton Publications

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Sports