Universal Screening: In Adams 12 Five Star Schools, 2nd and 6th graders who are not already identified GT participate in the Universal Screening process for potential gifted and talented identification. Find more detailed information regarding Universal Screening in the Five Star District.  

Important dates for the Universal Screening process at Silver Creek: 

The NGAT screening will be given to all 2nd graders September 30 - October 2nd, 2024.  If your child’s data shows that he/she has a potential for needing qualitatively different instruction, your child’s teacher will reach out to you to gather more information. 

Parent/Staff/Student GT Recommendation: All K-1 and 3-5 students can participate in the GT identification process by submitting a complete body of evidence. Find more detailed information regarding the GT recommendation process in the Five Star District. 

Important dates for the GT Recommendation process at Silver Creek: 

Silver Creek’s GT Testing will occur on December 3rd and 4th.  If you are interested in having your child be considered for the GT identification process, contact your GT Advocate and complete this form by November 4, 2024.  Late nominations cannot be accepted.

• Second grade students who participate in the NGAT will not be allowed to take the CogAT.

Advanced Curriculum & Extended Learning:  “The Vehicle”

Provides the depth and complexity needed to ensure meaningful academic growth

Differentiated classroom instruction and in-class and small group opportunities for application of skills through enrichment, acceleration, extension, and compacting of grade level curriculum. Classroom teachers collaborate and plan to meet the needs of gifted and talented students with the support of our school's Gifted and Talented Advocate.

Differentiated Learning Pathways:  “The Roadmap”

Provides an education at the appropriate level of readiness and challenge

Teachers strive to know Gifted and Talented students by their name, strengths and needs in order to determine how to best instruct at their level. Data about each student is gathered through formative and summative assessments, observation of student assignments, and regular interaction with peers and adults in structured and unstructured school settings. Teachers utilize this combined data set in order to determine what level of readiness and challenge is best suited for their learners, and design content and assignments that match.

Individualized Opportunities & Enrichment:  “The Customized Options”

Actively engages and motivates through interests and meaningful learning opportunities

Students and their parents complete an input form in the fall that is utilized to share the students' interests and hobbies, as well as areas they want to focus their goals around. This, along with the data set about the student, is utilized to create an Advanced Learning Plan (ALP). ALPs include goals around academic areas of strength and social emotional areas of need. All stakeholders, (the student, parents, classroom teacher, and GT Advocate) participate in the creation of and reflection around these important goals throughout the school year. This process allows students to take the lead in creating and reaching meaningful goals for the school year, and guides teachers in creating learning opportunities tailored to each learner.  Our school also offers many co-curriculuar clubs as well that students can participate in according to their interests and strengths.  All GT students are given the opportunity to participate in our monthly Camp GT with our GT Advocate as well, touching on different areas of interest and strength. 

Social-Emotional Learning:  “The Destination”

In addition to weekly whole class SEL lessons and grade level lessons with our SEL specialist, Gifted and Talented learners may partake in guidance to understand how they might think and perceive the world differently, and they learn strategies to guide them in their interactions with others.  Our 4th and 5th grade students have monthly SEL meetings with our GT Advocate and our SEL specialist targeted toward specific affective needs of GT individuals and strategies to help them prepare to transition into the next phase of their school journey.

News from Gifted & Talented at SCE

Social Emotional Learning

We had our first SEL groups with 4th and 5th grade this week and it was great to see all of the students.  4th grade and 5th grade did some reading about how being gifted means that you are different but it's not good or bad, it's simply different.  We also did a connection activity called Scattergories.  It is pretty much like the game - they had to get with a partner and come up with words in specific categories that started with a specific letter.  It was fun, but they had some productive struggle thinking of words in those categories.  

Camp GT 

During our September Camp GT, we talked about what giftedness is and isn't and what the purpose of Camp GT is.  We also talked a little bit about Intellectual Intensity and watched a short video explaining intellectual intensity as well as some strategies to help when we are feeling frustrated because of intellectual intensity. We did a get to know you activity and shared information about our partners, and worked on building some creative confidence with an activity called Squiggles.  The students had to take a random squiggle and make something out of it.  They did this individually as well as in groups.  They came up with some super creative ideas that I was amazed by!  We will not have Camp GT in October due to some scheduling issues with fall break and me being out for personal reasons.  We will get together again in November and will look forward to hearing from a magician!

PERFECTIONISM

Does your child struggle with Perfectionism?  Lisa Van Gemert is an amazing resource for information on giftedness.  She wrote a book called Perfectionism that is really great.  You can order it on Amazon or I also have a copy at school that I would be willing to loan out if anyone is interested in reading it-just let me know!  Her website has a ton of great resources as well - giftedguru.com

Classroom Teachers and GT Advocate (GTA) Collaborative Support of GT Students

In addition to the extensions that take place outside of class, Rachel Haas (GTA) also works with teachers to support students in the classroom. This collaborative effort is multifaceted, including professional learning about giftedness and gifted best practices, GTA classroom visits to stay connected with instruction and learning that is taking place, etc... 

Newly Identified? Winter/Spring is a time when many parents will receive a letter from the school district to let them know that their student has been identified as GT or Gifted and Talented.  The world of gifted education can be confusing at first.  If you are new to the GT world, here are some resources that are a good place to start. 

SCE GT Parent Info

-Two short videos that provide a great introduction to GT

- Video presentation on ALPs.  This is from 2020 but provides a good intro. Check out other information from our Parent Education Series.

- Reading: A Parents Guide to Gifted Children and The Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Kids are great places to start.  

-Prefer to watch rather than read? Check out these 45-60 min conversations from a variety of gifted experts

SCE GT In the Know

Suggested Reading for Parents

• 101 Success Secrets for Gifted Kids by Christine Fonseca
• Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students 3rd Edition by Christine Fonseca 
• Overexcitability and the Gifted By Sharon Lind *senggifted.org
• Overexcitabilities: Five Unexpected Intensities 
• All About Intensities (a bit of a rabbit hole of interesting articles)
• Three Images to Explain Giftedness
• Embracing the Whole Gifted Self by Patricia Gatto-Walden, Ph.D

Upcoming Events from the Adams 12 GT Parent Group

• September 11, 2024

Social Hour

One of the key goals of the Adams 12 GT Parents Group is to cultivate a strong and supportive community among the Adams 12 GT parent community.  To help parents find support and a feeling of belonging, we host informal meet-ups for parents of gifted and talented students in our district.   

​We alternate our social hours between weekdays and weeknights.  Our next social hour is Wednesday, Sept. 11, 11am-1pm, at Panera.  See the SignUp for details and to let us know you are coming!

​If you are in need of support but these times or location do not work for you, please email info@a12gifted.org and we can set up a virtual or in-person meetup that works for you.

• September 23, 2024

Leadership and Liaison Meeting

Our next Leadership and Liaison meeting will be held on Sept. 23, 6:30-8pm at the ESC.  During this meeting, we will hear from our current school liaisons and discuss plans for this academic year.  We also welcome any parents who would like to know more about the liaison role.  If you would like to know more about the GT Parent Group activities, this is the meeting for you! Newcomers as well as familiar faces are welcome!  See the Sign Up for details and to RSVP.

If you would like to learn more about the GT Parents Group or just have general questions about gifted, please contact us at info@a12gifted.org. We'd love to hear from you!

• October 1, 2024

Parent Education Series

Our first Parent Education Series of the academic year will address self-advocacy, an important life skill that many GT students struggle to employ at school.

On Tuesday, Oct. 1, 6:30-8:30pm, Deb Douglas will present "GT Carpe Diem: Empowering student voice through the four steps to successful self-advocacy."  In this session, parents will discover ways to help their gifted children experience the four steps to self-advocacy: 1) Acknowledging Rights and Responsibilities, 2) Self-assessing Learner Profiles, 3) Recognizing Options, and 4) Finding Advocates.

​​This presentation is free but please register HERE.  Translation into Spanish and free childcare is available to those that request it in their registration. 

 

• October 20-22, 2024

  CAGT Conference 2024, Purpose & Passion, is coming to Embassy Suites in Loveland, October 20-22, 2024!  

  ​Each year CAGT brings Keynotes, Signature Series, Breakout sessions, and other conference events that provide learning, networking, collaborating and fun for all attendees.  This year's conference will feature Dr. Temple Grandin as well as Dr. Kristina Collins, Dr. Rick Olenchak, and Richard Cash, addressing the topics of how diversity, LGBTQ+, and the power of differentiation impacts our gifted children.  Registration is now open!

  CAGT is currently accepting nominations for the 2024 Leadership Award and submissions for the 6th annual student art contest. 

 

• Living Documents Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) goals are part of a “living document” that is shared with students and all teachers who work with the student. This living document has been shared digitally and will follow students through elementary school and ideally, into middle school. This Living Document is a tool to make sure that all stakeholders know each student well, and that students know their goals and have the opportunity to revisit them in order to reflect and revise with their teacher’s support and guidance.

• Recommended Listen:  Mind Matters Neurodiversity Podcast Episode 12  All the Feels (And Then Some) “Emotional intensity varies from person to person, but among gifted people, it’s often markedly higher, and more of a challenge to understand and control. Critically-acclaimed author and former school psychologist Christine Fonseca joins us with her insight into emotional intensity among gifted people, on episode 12 of Mind Matters.

  • About the guest - Christine Fonseca works to help children and adults explore the authenticity of their own voices. She’s the author of several books in the area of giftedness and emotional intensity, including Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students. Christine provides professional development to help educators understand the social and emotional needs of the gifted. She has worked as a school psychologist in the elementary, middle, and high school levels, and currently works as a consultant to school districts on the behavioral and social-emotional needs of students.”

• Booklist for Kids - Looking for multicultural, engaging book recommendations for your gifted readers? Be sure to bookmark We Need Diverse Books for some great suggestions! 

• Recommended for parents -  Embracing the Whole Gifted Self by Patricia Gatto-Walden, Ph.D  I have this book in my professional library and have read through it and parts of it several times. It is a short, but highly informative read that provides a window into the minds of gifted people, and how they are more than just their intellect. I highly recommend reading or listening to this eye opening book.

• Here are a few short videos about the different essential skills that academic goals are based around for students. 

  • Creativity and Innovation essential skill

  • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving essential skill

  • Inquiry and Analysis essential skill

  • Information Literacy essential skill

  • Academic/Informed Risk Taking essential skill

Helpful Links & Resources

• Parent Portal - GT Identification results

• Parent Portal - ALP Process

• SCE GT FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Speaking of acronyms, click the link to view explanations for the many Gifted & Talented acronyms.

• Adams 12 GT Parent Facebook Group

• AD12 GT Page loads of great info and resources

• Adams12 GT Parent Group 

• Mental Health Wellness

• Code.org Parent Letter & Scratch - For Parents  Students may go to these free coding sites for enrichment by choice with permission from their teacher or at home