Is My Child Gifted?

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Is My Child Gifted?

• Should I Refer Them for PC?

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Beginning with the 1996/7 school year, the State
Board of Education identified four areas in which
a student may be evaluated mental ability,
achievement, creativity, and motivation. A
student who meets the criterion in any three of
the four areas is eligible.
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• The criterion in the mental ability is a score at
  or above the 96th percentile on a standardized
  mental ability test.
• In the area of achievement, a student must score
  at or above the 90th percentile on a standardized
  achievement test.
• In the area of creativity, the student must score
  at or above the 90th percentile on a standardized
  test of creativity.
• In the area of motivation, the student must have
  at least a 3.5 grade point average over the
  previous 2 years, or receive a superior rating on
  a student-generated product or performance.

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How can I tell if my child is gifted?
Adapted from Alexander-Muia Behavioral Checklist
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ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE IDEALS AND FEELINGS BY
VERBAL AND NONVERBAL STUDENTS
    Has command of a large vocabulary   Uses
words fluently and creatively   Dramatizes
through use of body language and facial
expressions   Is quick to respond   Demonstrates
a flair for dramatic or oral presentations   Is
eager to relate experiences   Expresses ideas
with clarity
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ABILITY TO INTERPRET IDEAS AND FEELINGS
COMMUNICATED THROUGH VERBAL AND NONVERBAL
MEANS     Is sensitive to the thoughts and ideas
of others   Can interpret body language or
facial expressions   Displays sympathy or
empathy towards others   Appears sensitive to
the discrepancy of behavior in others Appraises
quickly and frankly new and unfamiliar people or
situations
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ADAPTIVE BEHAVIORS CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURAL
GROUP     Displays a keen sense of
humor   Demonstrates survival skills by
manipulating positive forces and overcoming
negative forces in the environment   Is
resourceful and can come up quickly with an
alternative   Possesses a sense of
adventure   Shows a degree of flexibility when
situations call for a change Accepts
responsibility for actions
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HEIGHTENED INTEREST IN THE ARTS     Demonstrates
an awareness of an appreciation for the
environment   Is involved in a variety of
hobbies or has a broad range of
interests   Appreciates various music and art
forms   Reads avidly in a wide area of
subjects Uses color and form dramatically or
uniquely in art
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PHYSICAL CAPABILITY AND ADAPTABILITY     Has
fewer physical and sensory defects or has
compensated adequately for whatever defects are
present   Is physically robust, stronger and
healthier in appearance   Has well-developed
psychomotor skills   Has received recognition
for physical accomplishments Displays a great
deal of energy and vitality
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EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL LEADERSHIP     Manifests
self-confidence   Has a position of leadership
within cultural groups   In uncontrolled
situations, assumes authority naturally   Display
s emotional maturity   Demonstrates social
ingenuity   Is generally gregarious, outgoing
and friendly Has an individualistic personality
that stands out from the group
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  Arrives at a logical conclusion based on
given information Sees the plausible yet unique
alternatives of a given situation More adept at
selecting, organizing and retrieving
information Able to expand information beyond
what is given Displays a keen sense of
historical time and can sequentially organize
information Pays close attention to detail in
the analysis process Can transfer learning
readily from one situation to the nextIs able
to formulate the similarities/differences, the
comparison/contrasts, and the causes/effects of
objects, ideas and situations
APPROPRIATE APPLICATION OF CONVERGENT/DIVERGENT
PROCESSES
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  Establishes goals that are realistic
although challenging Demonstrates determination
in the fulfillment of goals
tenacity Is self-disciplined,
independent Displays persistent curiosityHas
a long attention span
PERSISTENCE OR COMMITMENT TO TASK
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ENERGETIC RESPONSE TO CHALLENGING
EXPERIENCES    Produces works that have a
freshness, vitality, and uniqueness  Often
initiates the search for information  Desires to
learn rapidly  Creates new ideas, substances,
processes, and mechanical devices (inventor) Is
willing to take a risk of failure in new or
unfamiliar situations
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ABILITY IN PROCESS-ORIENTED CURRICULUM     May
excel in science and math or other
process-related curriculum   Seems aware of
aspects in the environment that go unnoticed by
others   Displays some amount of skepticism with
new ideas or situations  Asks appropriate,
thought-provoking questions Evaluates carefully
based on accurate observation
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PROCEDURE FOR BEING PLACED IN GIFTED CLASSES
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Who Can Refer a Child for Program Challenge
Evaluation?
A student may be referred for consideration for
gifted services by teachers, counselors,
administrators, parents/guardians, peers, self,
or other individuals with knowledge of the
student's abilities. For further information,
contact the Program Challenge teachers, your
childs classroom teacher or an administrator.
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PROGRAM CHALLENGE EVALUATIONS

• Evaluations will be conducted according to the
  Eligibility Teams recommendations.
• The Torrance Test of creativity, if recommended,
  will only be scored by the Gifted Evaluator or
  TTCT Certified teacher.
• When evaluations are complete, student
  eligibility will be determined and the Gifted
  Program Eligibility Report will be prepared by
  the Gifted Teacher.

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SERVICE
Consent for Placement/Continuation Policy will be
secured by the Program Challenge Educational
Evaluator. Gifted teachers will write Program
Descriptions and conduct annual reviews. Gifted
teachers will maintain an up-to-date portfolio on
each gifted student.
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RECIPROCITY
Any student who meets the state eligibility
criteria for gifted education services in another
Georgia School System shall be considered
eligible to receive gifted education services in
the Douglas County School System.  However, a
student transferring from another school system
to Douglas County shall meet the criteria for
continuation of gifted services according to the
Douglas County Continued Participation policy. 
Transfer students can be placed as soon as
Eligibility has been determined, signed Consent
for Placement and Program Description are
complete.
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Tell Me More About Program Challenge
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Gifted Students require a differentiated
curriculum because of their unique potential and
needs. They require educational experiences in
higher thought processes

• Analysis
• Evaluation
• Synthesis

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Douglas County Program Challenge, in conjunction
with the instructional philosophy of the county
school system, recognizes the right of the
student to develop to his/her fullest potential.
The ultimate goal of Program Challenge is to help
these students become independent learners
through question asking and answer-seeking.
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The Program Challenge class focuses its sights on
the higher development of problem solving skills,
creative/critical thinking skills, research
skills, communication, and independent learning
skills.
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Program Challenge

• At the elementary level, activities are designed
  to stimulate a wide range of interests.
• The focus of the middle school is on concrete
  production through problem solving.
• The high school program emphasizes content-based
  exploration.

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Delivery models at the elementary middle
school levels

• contracts
• interest/learning centers
• resource room
• collaboration
• accelerated math
• interest seminars
• compacting
• advanced content
• telecommunications
• mentoring

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Program Challenges curriculum, environment and
strategies for gifted students are differentiated
to permit and encourage these students to become
quality investigators, producers and evaluators.
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A parent group, the Douglas County Association
for Gifted Children, meets 3 times a year. When
you join DCAGC, you become a member of the
Georgia Association for Gifted Children. Ask one
of the Program Challenge teachers for more
information!
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We look forward to working with you!

• Email Beth Fitz(K-3) or Holly Hoffmaster (4-5)
  with any further questions you may have at
• beth_fitz_at_douglas.k12.ga.us
• Or
• holly_hoffmaster_at_douglas.k12.ga.us