1. Gifted Services 2016-2017 Grandview Heights City Schools
Joan Grundey & Jannel Kumar

2. Director of Student Services
Gifted Staff
Madeline Partlow
Director of Student Services
Joan Grundey
GIS Reading
Jannel Kumar
GIS Math
Marnie Morrison
Gifted Consultant

3. Rationale
Over the past five years, there has been a concerted effort nation-wide to align gifted education services with general education. According to Carol Ann Tomlinson, fostering an alignment between gifted education and general education has the following benefits.*
Teachers and the Gifted Intervention Specialist (GIS) can help each other reach common goals such as rich content, regular expectations for critical thinking and expectations for hard work.
Teachers and the GIS learn from each other and contribute to better serving the diverse needs of all students.
Gifted education becomes viewed as part of a larger system and not an “add-on”.
The GIS is better able to provide escalating challenges for a range of learners and model how to plan and implement instruction that provides such escalating challenge.

4. Rationale
During the school year, Grandview Heights Gifted Services is continuing with a consultation and collaboration model rather than the traditional pull-out that has been in place. This is not to say that the resource room component of Gifted Services is to be eliminated. Some element of grouping gifted students is still necessary to meet their social/emotional and academic needs.
Maintaining a quality gifted program and successful implementation of this more collaborative model requires a re-allocation of GIS time and effort. The Grandview Heights model of gifted services encompasses a continuum of services that includes a wide variety of offerings and opportunities for students.
*Tomlinson, Carol Ann. (2006). Aligning Gifted Education Services with General Education in Jeanne Purcell (Ed.). Designing Services and Programs for High- Ability Learners (pp ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

5. Overview of Identification Process
 Whole grade testing for superior cognitive identification is conducted in the spring of grades two and four. These are ODE approved tests to be used a screeners for gifted identification.
Students who do not achieve a score that qualifies for gifted identification, but score in the screening range are eligible for re-testing with an alternate assessment.
Individual referrals for superior cognitive identification are received throughout the year.
Referral forms are obtained from the building principal. Whole grade screening for gifted identification occurs in the spring.
Screening for specific academic gifted identification in math and reading automatically occurs two times a year in fall and spring. The district will administer the MAP test, which is approved by ODE for gifted identification in specific subject areas.
Referrals for acceleration are accepted throughout the year. Once a referral is received, the review process will be carried out in a timely manner. Once necessary data is gathered, the building’s Acceleration Team will convene and make a recommendation.
For identification, acceleration and placement, assessment data is considered current if it was administered within 24 months of when the child is referred.
The State of Ohio requires gifted identification, but it does not mandate services for children who are gifted. Each district determines which identified gifted students will receive services available in the district. Grandview Heights believes all children are entitled to education commensurate with their needs. The results of the gifted identification process are shared with school staff to help plan for appropriate educational experiences.

6. Specific Continuum of Services by Grade
Grades K-3
There are very few children who are identified as gifted in kindergarten, first, and second grade. However, there are children who are performing at very high levels of academic achievement. The classroom teacher differentiates instruction to ensure appropriate extension and enrichment opportunities for high achieving students. These options may include, but are not limited to:
Flexible grouping
Tiered assignments
Leveled resources
Interest based research projects
Competitions
Technology based activities
Critical and creative thinking challenge centers
In grade 3 the Gifted Intervention Specialist will collaborate with classroom teachers to provide support for reading and math instruction, including extensions and enrichment as is appropriate for students.  
The amount of time that the Gifted Intervention Specialist devotes to a particular grade or classroom will vary depending on schedules.

7. Grades 4-8
The academic needs of high achieving students are addressed by the classroom teacher through differentiated instruction. The curricular and instructional options include, but are not limited to:
Flexible grouping
Leveled texts and resources
Extensions of instructional units
Interest based and interdisciplinary projects
Technology based opportunities
Competitions
Curriculum compacting
Student choice

8. Specific Academic Identification
In grades 4 and 5, the gifted intervention specialist will collaborate with teachers to plan as well as provide resources for students identified gifted in math and/or reading. In addition, the GIS may provide direct instruction to the high achieving students through flexible grouping. Students are placed in groups in order to ensure that students are engaged in appropriately challenging and rigorous instruction. Students are placed in groups based on formative assessments and demonstrated ability.
The amount of time that the Gifted Intervention specialist devotes to a particular grade or classroom will vary depending on identified student groups and schedules.

9. Superior Cognitive Identification
In grades 3-6, students with superior cognitive identification participate in a pullout class with the GIS as instructor. The curriculum for this pullout class is project based and interdisciplinary. Further, the projects stem from student interest and student choice. While aligned with state standards and NAGC Gifted Programming Standards, the actual project work may not directly connect or mirror classroom instruction at a given point in time.

10. Grades 7-12 Grades 7-8 These advanced course offerings are available
7th Grade - Advanced Compacted Math
8th Grade - High School Algebra
8th Grade - Honors Geometry
8th Grade - Foreign Language, French or Spanish  
Grades 9-12
Opportunities and services for gifted students in grades 9-12 include:
Honors classes
AP classes
Dual Enrollment
PSEO
Educational Options
On-line learning
National and state programs such as the Martin Essex School
Mentorships
Career and college counseling

11. Grades K-12 Acceleration
Acceleration is an option at every grade level and is based on an individual referral from a teacher or parent. Once a referral is received, the approved Ohio Department of Education (ODE) review process will be conducted. Once all data is collected, the Acceleration Team will meet and make a recommendation.
A student may be accelerated when his/her demonstrated achievement as well as measured ability significantly exceeds that of grade level peers.
The student must satisfactorily complete subject matter at the current grade and also demonstrate proficiency in the skills and knowledge of that subject for the succeeding grade or academic sequence.

12. Enrichment Opportunities
The district sponsors several extra-curricular opportunities for students.
Power of the Pen
Math Counts
Lego-League
Writing Contests
Science Olympiad
Orchestra
Drama
Lunch Time Learning