Gifted & Talented

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 our school: 2nd Grade Universal Screener will be administered on September 11, 2023 with makeups on September 12, 2023

Parent/Staff/Student GT Recommendation: All 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.

If you are interested in having your child be considered for the GT identification process you need to contact your GT Advocate for school-specific information.

Important dates for the GT Recommendation process at our school:  

Parent Request for Nomination form link - Due no later than October 10, 2023

All Grades GT Testing will take place on November 6 & 7, 2023

Testing results will be emailed to families during the week of December 14, 2023

 

 

Advanced Curriculum & Extended Learning:  “The Vehicle”

Provides the depth and complexity needed to ensure meaningful academic growth

Our school offerings include: Differentiated classroom instruction and a variety of 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 school's Gifted and Talented Advocate.

Differentiated Learning Pathways:  “The Roadmap”

Provides an education at the appropriate level of readiness and challenge

Our school offerings include: Teachers strive to know Gifted and Talented students by their name, strengths and needs in order to determine how to best instruct at their "just right" 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

Our school offerings include: Gifted and Talented students and their parents complete an annual interest and input form in the fall that is utilized to share the students' interests and hobbies. This, along with the aforementioned 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 the each GT learner.

Social-Emotional Learning:  “The Destination” 

Focuses on developing the whole child by balancing empowerment and accountability

Our school offerings include: Classroom teachers collaborate with our GT Advocate, Mrs. Murphy, to differentiate SEL instruction specific to the needs of each student. In addition to weekly whole class SEL lessons, 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.  GT students also receive executive functioning support as needed in areas such as organization, time management, multistep directions, handling distractions, goal setting strategies, and more.

September News from Gifted & Talented at CRE 

Dear GT and Talent Pool families (aka Imagineers families), 

Welcome to the Gifted and Talented program at Coyote Ridge!  The beginning of the school year sure is a busy time for all of us here at CRE to get acquainted and re-acquainted!  For those of you who are new to Coyote Ridge, my name is Melissa Murphy (the students call me Mrs. Murphy), and I am the Gifted & Talented Advocate here at Coyote Ridge. This exciting role affords me the privilege of supporting teachers in designing enriching lessons and activities, and in designing our GT Program.  I am also the school’s Digital Literacy Partner, so with two roles, I certainly wear many hats - some of which include facilitating makerspace, making library decisions, planning with teachers, managing school devices, supporting in the best use of classroom technology implementation, keeping the CRE webpage and social media up to date, and, well… you get the idea! You’ll find me either out and about throughout the school and classrooms, or in the library area! If you ever have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out. 

I have been busy planning ways to make sure the Imagineers’ days are filled with challenging and enriching learning experiences! The student-chosen name, the ”Imagineers” is how we refer to students who have been formally identified as Gifted and Talented or Talent Pool here at CRE.  Please help us to create a sense of belonging by referring to GT time and tasks by this name. We will also have a monthly special enrichment group meeting for all Imagineers called Imagineers Inspired! During these monthly meetings, students will participate in a variety of SEL and STEAM-based enrichment activities, at times even with special guests for in-school field trips! If you have an inspiring specialization and would like to be considered as a presenter, please reach out to Melissa Murphy.

Please read on to view information about what is coming up as well as links to a variety of helpful GT resources. 

Coming Up in September

This month, Mrs. Murphy and classroom teachers are continuing to discuss and make plans for how they will work together to integrate in-class learning with weekly Imagineers enrichment groups. Classroom teachers are getting to know their students by their name, strengths, and needs in order to be able to differentiate instruction in a way that supports our Gifted and Talented and Talent Pool students. This means that students will receive both the level of challenge and/or support that they need in order to be successful. Some grade level Imagineers have begun, or will soon begin, to meet with Mrs. Murphy one time a week for 30-45 minutes. During this time, in September, we are setting the stage for the year with team building activities and social emotional learning that is tailored to gifted learners and how their unique brains work. 

Student and Parent Input for Advanced Learning Plans (ALPs) - If you haven’t already received them, your student’s teacher will soon ask that you complete a parent input form. Students will complete a form as well (some will do them in class). The information we gather from both parents and students is an important part of our brand new ALP goal writing process. This process is changing this year in order to make student goals more authentic and to help them to come alive! This starts with newly revised parent and student input forms. The information from both will be an important consideration for teachers as they work with each student to write a goal that is personalized to their individual strengths, needs and interests. Goals will be shared with parents in October, and then will be a part of a new “living document” which will also be shared with parents, students, and all involved teachers. This Living Document will be utilized to make sure that all stakeholders know each student well, and that students know their goals and have the opportunity to revisit them to reflect and revise as needed with their teacher’s support and guidance. More information will be provided later in the fall.

After School Club Opportunities

• Destination Imagination

  • Info & Sign Up Closes Sep 6, 2023

  • Meeting Dates

• Girls Who Code

  • Info & Sign Up Closes Sep 6, 2023

  • Meeting Dates

Upcoming Events from the Adams 12 GT Parent Group

• The GT Parent Group first meeting is September 25, 6:30-8:00 @ ESC-Pinon Pine/Dogwood. The topic will be ALPs.

• Please sign up to join the GTPG mailing list to get the fastest updates from them. https://www.a12gifted.org/

• Aug 28th - Leadership Meeting 

• Sep 12th - Social Hour

• Sep 25th - Parent Education Series 

• Oct 23rd - Leadership and Liaison Meeting

Important Links & Resources

• Parent Portal - GT Identification results

• Parent Portal - ALP Process

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

• CRE GT Page 

• AD12 GT Page loads of great info and resources

• Adams12 GT Parent Group 

• Learning Management System with resources & enrichment activities for members of The Imagineers  *Both platforms can be accessed through the student's AD12 Dashboard

  • K-2 Seesaw - K, 1, 2 The Imagineers

  • 3-5 Schoology Group - The Imagineers at CRE

• 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.