OOLOGAH-TALALA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAM

Contacts for the Gifted/Talented Program

Superintendent

Elementary Gifted Teacher

Middle School Gifted Teacher

High School Gifted Instructor

Members of the Gifted/Talented Program Committee

Superintendent

Elementary School Principal

Middle School Principal

High School Principal

Elementary School Counselor

Middle School Counselor

High School Counselor

Elementary School Gifted Teacher

Middle School Gifted Teacher

High School Gifted Teacher

Elementary School Parent Representative

Middle School Parent Representative

High School Parent Representative

This committee will be the decision-making body of the gifted program for the Oologah-Talala School System. The committee should meet at the beginning and ending of each school year and have various duties to perform. Some of these duties could include:

1. Sharing new ideas and concepts in gifted education.

2. Keeping abreast of gifted programs in each school; suggesting solutions regarding problems confronting the gifted programs.

3. Sub-committees, consisting of the building principal, the counselor of the student, and the teacher of the gifted classes, will oversee the individual programs.

District Goal

The goal of the Oologah-Talala Schools gifted program will be to provide a differentiated curriculum for the identified gifted student.

District Objectives

1. To identify all gifted students.

2. To recognize the unique needs, interests, and abilities of the intellectually gifted student.

3. To provide enrichment or accelerated classes which will benefit the intellectually gifted student.

4. To encourage gifted students to excel beyond what the average student of the Oologah-Talala School system produces.

5. To assist the students in setting and working long-range goals.

Identification Procedures

Students may be referred for screening for the gifted/talented program by any of the following means:

1. Counselor referral—any student scoring above the 95th percentile on reading comprehension, math concepts, or basic skills on standard achievement tests.

2. Teacher referral—any teacher can refer any student who demonstrates exceptional ability in the classroom.

3. Parent referral-—any parent who wishes his/her child to be tested.

4. Self or peer referral—any student may make a request for testing either for himself or for classmates.

Placement

Final placement in the program will be determined by the building principal, counselor, and gifted teacher on the basis of the following criteria:

1. A score at the 97th percentile or above on verbal or performance or full scale on the WISC-R, or at the 97th percentile on the total core of the Stanford-Binet, will automatically qualify a student for the gifted program.

2. If a student scores at the 96th percentile on verbal or performance or full scale of the WISC-R, or at the 97th percentile on the total score of the Stanford-Binet, the student will qualify for the program by scoring within three percent of the ceiling on achievement tests in at least two of the following categories: reading comprehension, total reading, total language, math concepts, total math, or composite.

3. The school district shall notify in writing the parents of each child identified as gifted and provide each parent with a summary of the program to be offered the child.

The multi-criteria requirement is met by the use of the following in the identification process: referrals, achievement test scores, and ability test scores, school records/grades.

The Oologah-Talala Policy Regarding Specific Areas of Concern Including Procedural Safeguards

1. Permission from parents for individual evaluation and for placement: Parents must sign forms for placement: Parents must sign forms for individual evaluations prior to testing. They must also sign placement forms before the student is placed in the program, if qualified.

2. Additional testing upon request of parents: In the event that a student does not qualify for the program and the parents must make the request through the subcommittee which oversees the program involved. Additional testing will be provided with the committee's approval. The test used will be either the StanfordBinet or WISC-R, depending on which one was used for the initial test. Final placement following the second test will follow the same criteria as listed under Placement, paragraphs 1 and 2. If the student does not qualify on the second test, no further tests will be administered. A battery of tests will not be given more than once during grades 1-4, once during grades 5-8, and once during grades 9-12.

3. Test scores from outside sources: Outside sources for testing will not be accepted unless the WISC-R or Stanford-Binet was used. The criteria for placement with outside testing must also meet the criteria listed under Placement, paragraphs 1 and 2, from these guidelines.

4. Transfers from other districts: All criteria listed in the school district's policies and procedures must also be met for students who transfer into the district. Students who have been in a gifted program in another district will automatically qualify for screening but, in order to be placed, must meet all current district requirements as listed under Placement, paragraphs 1 and 2.

5. Re-evaluation of students in the program: Once a student qualified for the gifted program at Oologah-Talala Public Schools, the student will always qualify for the program.

6. Removal from the program: The sub-committee, consisting of the building principal, the counselor of the student, the teacher of the gifted, and the classroom teacher, will have the option to remove the student from the gifted program when they consider it in the best interest of the student and the school, following a conference with the student's parents.

Program Options

Elementary School

A "send-out" enrichment class. The elementary gifted program is basically an enrichment program which goes beyond the regular classroom, providing opportunities which encourage the development of abstract thinking; the sharpening of reasoning abilities; practice in creative problem setting and solving; and higher cognitive processing (i.e. analysis, synthesis, and evaluation). Students attend the enrichment class for one afternoon each week where rapid pacing and a variety of methods and materials maintain interest and accommodate various learning styles. Students should not have makeup work for the time missed from the regular classroom; however, if needed, assignments would be moderated to fit students' needs.

Middle School

An individualized academic class, social studies, and math classes. Curriculum choices within the individualized class provides computer programming and word processing; computerized reading comprehension; independent studies in specific topics (i.e., language arts, social studies, science, math); Junior Great Books discussions: newspaper publication; creative and intellectual competitions; individual projects; and class field trips. Gifted Social Studies is designed to increase the students’ knowledge of geography and awareness of important people and events from past to the present. The students are required to use research skills and techniques in preparing assignments. Creativity in content is encouraged. Social Studies Enrichment emphasizes basic knowledge of government structure, political philosophy, and economic concepts that affect decision-making by both public officials and citizens in a democratic system. The course differs from basic social studies in that stress is placed on practical application of the concepts and terms under study. The student learns not only what the process is, but also how is works in everyday life. Algebra I is designed for the basic introduction and learning of algebraic concepts. These concepts are used to solve problems as well as to develop a pattern of thought that would be useful in any problem-solving situation.

High School Honors classes in English, social studies, math, and science. Honors English, Grades 9- 12. These classes are designed to develop reading, writing, and thinking skills of students who have been identified as academically gifted. Students are expected to be proficient in language arts skills previously introduced and to develop the ability of combining those skills through critical thinking. Students will participate in Junior Great Books discussions, creative and analytic writing contests, advanced vocabulary studies, as well as in-depth discussions of the content and the historical significance of literature. Students are also encouraged to participate in Oologah High School's Academic Competition Team.

Honors American History: This is an in-depth study of the development of the United State from a struggling thirteen colonies to the leader of the western world. The course will emphasize six major areas of study: The Founding and Formation of the United States; The Jacksonian Era; Westward Expansion and the Civil War: The Industrial Revolution and America's Age of Imperialism; World War I, the Depression, and World War Il; The Korean War, the Cold War, the Space Age, Vietnam, and the Present.

Honors World History: This class is the study of the people of the world through a cultural approach. The students are exposed to the development of man from the earliest forms of to the present world situation. The course emphasizes the development of social standards, government, and historical events that influence the world that we live in today.

Physics: This course attempts to present the student with the basic physics concepts and principles that form the foundation for the study of the first course in college physics. These concepts are developed through a study of problems dealing with these concepts and principles.

Calculus: This is a basic one-year course. It is not intended for this course to take the place of the first year of college calculus. Rather, the intent of this course is to introduce students to the basic concepts covered in a first year course. This, in turn, makes them better prepared and increases the chances for success in the first year college calculus course.

Students who demonstrate giftedness in performance abilities have curriculum options in art, band, drama, and foreign language.

Adoption Date: June 13, 2022 Revision Date(s):