1. AIM / Gifted Sixes Elementary Cindy Crews, Principal
Clay Gunter, Asst. Principal
Cindy Meredith, Lead AIM Teacher
Dianne McClure, AIM Teacher (Tuesday/Thursday)

2. Eligibility / Qualifications
National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) “Gifted individuals are those who demonstrate outstanding levels of aptitude (defined as an exceptional ability to reason and learn) or competence (documented performance or achievement in top 10% or rarer) in one or more domains.  Domains include any structured area of activity with its own symbol system (e.g., mathematics, music, language) and/or set of sensorimotor skills (e.g., painting, dance, sports).”
Cherokee County Assessment
Mental Ability - CogAT
Achievement - ITBS
Motivation – Interviews, Products
Creativity – Torrance Test of Creativity

3. Gifted Delivery Models
Purpose according to GA SBOE Rule :
To provide gifted students with differentiated instruction that is based on content and pacing that are clearly not appropriate for more typical students at that grade level. The content of all gifted education curricula should be advanced for that grade level.
CCSD Advanced Academic Program Options: Provided by gifted endorsed teachers
Grades K-5
Cluster Grouping: Differentiated instruction, flexible grouping allow highly motivated and/or high achieving eligible students to participate in advanced curriculum opportunities with a small group 5 – 8 students.
Resource Class (AIM): Gifted eligible students meet one day per week in resource class. Curriculum is built upon an academic content foundation, focused on interdisciplinary enrichment.
Grades 6 – 8
Advanced Content Classes: middle school students who meet gifted eligibility may be served in Advanced Content Classes in the areas of Language Arts, Literature, Math, Science and Social Studies.

4. Concerns
Instructional Coordination:
Perfectionism: “… allow their strong desire for excellent achievement to develop into unhealthy perfectionism, which can be paralyzing and cause a child to become overwhelmed with concern about making a mistake, or not being the best.”
Underachievement: “…the unanticipated difference between accomplishment and aptitude.”
Organization Skills: Many factors may cause the disorganization that is contributing to your child’s achievement problems.

5. More Concerns
Peer Relationships / Social Skills / Bullies “Gifted children will have moments when they are unavoidably “out of step” with age mates.
Twice-Exceptional (Gifted with Special Needs) “Gifted children, with their high potential and abilities, may also have learning problems that act as a roadblock for the development of their gifts.” How can a child have an amazing memory for airplane trivia but not be able to test well on basic multiplication facts?”

6. Resources for Parents
National Association for Gifted Children
GAGC: The Georgia Association for Gifted Children
Perfectionism: What’s Bad About Being Too Good? by Miriam Adderholdt, Ph.D and Jan Goldberg
The Gifted Kids’ Survival Guide by Judy Galbraith, M.A.
Publishers of many gifted resources:
Prufrock Press
Free Spirit Press

7. AIM Curriculum Goals
Set by CCSD and specified on the Advanced Academics Curriculum Maps.
Goal 1: Advanced Communication Skills, Affective (Social and Emotional): Class Meetings and Group Discussions, Multiple Intelligences
Goal 2: Advanced Research Skills: Unit Study and Technology
Goal 3: Creative Problem Solving Skills: Higher Level Math, Logic, Analogies, Puzzles, Brain-Teasers .
Goal 4: Higher Order Critical Thinking Skills: Junior Great Books, Realistic Problem Scenarios.

8. Determiners for Advanced Content Classes (middle school)
Fifth Grade teachers and Administrators compile data on each student including but not limited to:
Gifted Eligibility status
Grades in specific subjects
Standardized test scores

9. Thank you! cindy.meredith@cherokee.k12.ga.us