Winslow Township School District Gifted and Talented Program The mission of the Winslow Township
Gifted and Talented Program is to foster the development of children’s unique
abilities and talents and to provide opportunities for them to achieve their
full potential as productive and contributing members of society. The National Association
for Gifted Children (NAGC) states that students with gifts and talents
perform—or have the capability to perform—at higher levels compared to others
of the same age, experience, and environment in one or more domains. The Winslow
Township School District’s Gifted and Talented program was developed to support
those students using the New Jersey Learning Standards (NJSLS) through a
delivery of thematic units that are designed to foster a love for learning. We believe that: ●
Gifts and talents can be manifested in more
than one way. ●
All student’s gifts and talents should be
identified and evaluated. ●
The educational environment should be
structured to recognize the value of uniqueness and differences and to provide
for individual needs. ●
Students should be able to learn and work in an
educationally risk-free and supportive environment. The district’s policies are guided by
current practices used by model programs, in that:
The Winslow Township School District first adopted its
2464 Gifted and Talented Pupils Policy on March 3, 2010; it was revised and
adopted April 11, 2017. Students who were identified and who participated in
the Gifted and Talented program are reconsidered each year. They may remain in
the program as long as they meet the requirements of the program and continue
to exhibit an interest in the curriculum. A student may be removed from the
program if the teacher determines that the student is not able to fulfill the
requirements of the program or if the student’s performance in other classes
diminishes. The policy can be found on the district website: Complaint Process In accordance with the Strengthening Gifted and
Talented Education Act, there is a process by which any parent/guardian may
make a complaint alleging that Winslow Township School District is not in compliance
with the provisions of the Act. A link for this process can be found on our website. Website link: https://forms.gle/pJoALXTaKNQSpTtg9 Programming The Superintendent put procedures in place for an
ongoing Kindergarten through grade twelve identification process for gifted and
talented students that encompasses multiple measures that may include, but are
not limited to: achievement test scores; grades; student performance or
products; intelligence testing; parent, student, and/or teacher
recommendation. The Winslow Township School District’s Gifted and Talented
program for our lower and upper elementary schools is based on a delivery of
thematic units using the New Jersey Learning Standards (NJSLS). The units of study are
designed to: ●
Challenge students to stretch beyond their perceived level of
competence. ●
Provide complex problems that lend themselves to more than
one answer. ●
Empower the students to investigate something they perceive
as difficult but important. ●
Provide clear goals and purposeful activities. Middle School Programming STEM
Robotics is a two year course that challenges students to think critically and
creatively to produce solutions to real world problems. Content knowledge within Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics is infused in all of our units, introduced and
expanded upon in a collaborative fashion.
Students learn Engineering pre-planning and construction skills in order
to work hands on and build various prototypes. The courses consist of pieces
from Project Lead the Way’s “Design and Modeling” and “Automation and Robotics”
modules in 7th grade, and the “Flight and Space” module in 8th grade, as well
as our own units. 21st Century Skills
are enforced through the study of robotics, programming, electronics, woodworking,
and more. Students graduate with the
knowledge, confidence, and perseverance to solve problems they encounter with
the tools embedded in the Engineering Design Process. Students in grade 7 and grade 8 are
introduced and then further immersed into Graphic Design as a field of study
including the role of design and designers in today's society and across other
fields of work.Students will learn the design process and utilize it as a means
towards creating effective designs and visual communication. Students are also introduced to software that
will allow them to digitally create designs.These project-based courses
incorporate real world design challenges and are based on the art standards
with technology standards and 21st century life and career standards heavily
incorporated. When students advance to high school,
they have an opportunity to participate in honors, advanced placement, and
STEAM Academy classes where they can then work on specialized, modified
projects within each module. The S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology,
Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) Academy at Winslow Township High School is a
rigorous four-year interdisciplinary program designed to provide a strong
educational foundation for academically-gifted students planning on pursuing
careers in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. Students enrolled
in this program should be prepared for challenging coursework and a variety of
educational experiences. There are three ways that a student can qualify for
consideration for the Gifted and Talented program:
Note:
Recommendation for screening by steps 1-3 does not provide automatic admission
into the Gifted and Talented program. Elementary
School Identification Process The process by which students are evaluated and admitted to the
elementary school Gifted and Talented program is as follows: Step 1: A school staff member nominates a student for the Gifted and
Talented program. Step 2: The nominating staff member will complete a narrative and an
inventory regarding the student’s characteristics, talents and abilities. Step 3: The building Gifted and Talented teacher will collect multiple
measures of data regarding the student. Step 4: The building advisory panel will meet to evaluate the collected
data and decide the student’s eligibility for the program. Parents will be
notified if a student is determined to be eligible. Middle
School Identification Process The process by which students are evaluated and admitted to the
middle school Gifted and Talented program is as follows: Step 1: Administrators
review data points from multiple measures including test scores, grades, and
teacher recommendations from the upper elementary schools. Step 2: Students are
placed in various courses based on multiple
measures. High
School Identification Process The process by which students are evaluated and admitted to the
high school Gifted and Talented program is as follows: Step 1: Administrators
review data points from multiple measures including test scores, grades, and
teacher recommendations from the upper elementary schools. Step 2: Students are
placed in various courses based on multiple
measures. |