Gifted and talented students are those students between the ages of four and twenty-one whose abilities, talents, and potential for accomplishment are so exceptional or developmentally advanced that they require special provisions to meet their educational programming needs. Gifted students include students with disabilities (i.e. twice exceptional) and students with exceptional abilities or potential from all socio-economic and, ethnic, and cultural populations. Gifted students are capable of high performance, exceptional production, or exceptional learning behavior by virtue of any or a combination of these areas:
SkyView Academy follows Colorado state-mandated policies for identifying gifted and talented students. Identification is based on many components including:
Once a student is identified, an Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) will be created. Teachers, students, and parents will collaborate along with the GT facilitator, to develop a written plan to meet the student’s identified needs. The ALP will formalize the differentiation that the classroom teachers provide for the student in their identified area(s) as well as affective (social/emotional) needs within the classroom.
The classroom teachers and the GT facilitator will work with students on their goals through a variety of options during the school day. Some strategies we may use to meet the needs of our students are flexible grouping in reading, writing, and math, differentiated instruction, curriculum compacting, content acceleration, tiered assignments, and independent study.
DCSD is committed to implementing equitable practices to increase access to advanced/gifted learning opportunities. Based on state and national recommendations and requirements, we implement Universal Screening for students in 2nd grade (February) and 5th or 6th grade--a student's final year of elementary school (November).
5th Grade Universal Screen
As part of this process, ALL students in 5th grade who are not identified for gifted programming will take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) on the week of November 4th. This assessment indicates the level and pattern of cognitive development of a student in comparison to grade and age mates. These general reasoning abilities, which start developing at birth and continue through early adulthood, are influenced by experiences gained both in and out of school.
If your child is already identified for gifted programming, they will not participate in this universal screen testing. Your Gifted Education Facilitator will contact you directly with information about this process.
Gifted Identification Referral Testing
2nd Grade Universal Screen
As part of this process, ALL students in 2nd grade not identified for gifted programming will take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) the week of February 12th. This assessment indicates the level and pattern of cognitive development of a student in comparison to grade and age mates. These general reasoning abilities, which start developing at birth and continue through early adulthood, are influenced by experiences gained both in and out of school.
If your child is already identified for gifted programming, they will not participate in this universal screen testing. Your Gifted Education Facilitator will contact you directly with information about this process.
Kindergarten/ 1st Grade Gifted Identification Referral Testing
NOTE: Requesting this assessment automatically initiates the evaluation process for Gifted Identification.
Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented (CAGT)
National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)
Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG)
Colorado Department of Education (CDE) – Office of Gifted Education
Douglas County School District (DCSD) – Gifted Programming
Hoagies’ Gifted Education page
www.byrdseed.com (Ian Byrd)
Megan Lammers
(303) 471-8439
“Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children.”
~Walt Disney
SkyView Academy
6161 Business Center Drive
Highlands Ranch, CO 80130
303-471-8439
Questions:
communications@svak12.org
Enrollment & Records:
enrollment@svak12.org