• 2024 Testing Letter to Parents

• Parent Referral & Permission to Collect Data

• Home SIGS (Scales For Identifying Gifted Students)

• 2024 Programa para Dotados y Talentosos

• Permiso de los Padres de GT para Recopilar Datos y Referencia de los Padres

Home SIGS (Scales For Identifying Gifted Students) Spanish upon request

• Teacher Referral

• School SIGS (Scales For Identifying Gifted Students)

The RSD Gifted & Talented program is accepting referrals for students to participate in the Gifted & Talented Program. The program is designed to serve students of high potential who demonstrate above average (1) intellectual ability, (2) task commitment and/or motivation, and (3) creativity.  

Students identified to participate in the program at the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade levels work 150 minutes each week with a GT Resource Specialist. This performance-based program provides a student-centered environment and a curriculum designed to meet the intellectual and emotional needs of the gifted child. The curriculum provides opportunities for acceleration, stimulation of higher-level thinking, engagement in problem solving, in-depth research activities, leadership opportunities, and real world application of information. 

The week of April 22nd-26th, the GT Resource Specialists and GT Coordinator will begin screening all 2nd grade students in all buildings for potential referral to the GT Program. If your 2nd grade child shows potential, you will receive further information on the referral process. However, if you do not want your 2nd grader screened, you may contact your child’s teacher, your school’s office, or the GT Office by phone or email to opt out by Friday, April 19th.

With parent permission, we will gather data for all referred students (2nd grade and up) concerning your child’s intellectual strengths, creative abilities, and motivation toward learning.  This data will include questionnaires completed by you and your child’s teacher, classroom performance measures (grades) and assessments.  In addition, your child will be asked to complete GT assessments.  Once this data is collected, a committee knowledgeable in the characteristics of gifted children will review the information and make a recommendation as to the best placement for your child.  

If you would like to refer your child for the GT Program, please complete a Parent Referral & Permission to Collect Data form and the Home SIGS (Scales for Identifying Gifted Students) from the RSD website or request paper copies from your child’s school office. Submit or return the completed forms to your school office by Friday, May 3rd.

Decision letters of the GT Identification Committees are sent by mail mid-June 2024.

You will be notified by mail of the G/T Identification Committee’s decision by mid-June 2023.

Something to Think About

A QUICK LOOK AT THE ELEMENTARY GT PROGRAM

Students selected to participate in the GT Program at the 3rd-5th grade levels spend 150 minutes in a resource classroom each week with a GT Specialist. This performance-based program provides a student-centered environment and a curriculum designed to meet the intellectual and emotional needs of the gifted child.  The curriculum provides opportunities for acceleration, stimulation of higher-level thinking, engagement in problem solving, and in-depth research activities, leadership opportunities, and real world application of acquired process skills.  Because of the academic focus of the GT Program, students are not held accountable for every assignment given in their regular classroom when they are working with the GT Specialist.  Rather, they are held accountable for the concept developed in their absence. 

EXPECTATIONS & EVALUATION OF GT STUDENTS:

Students participating in the GT Program are expected to maintain a strong grade point average and to work to their potential in both the regular classroom and in the GT resource room. Evaluation of students in the GT resource room is an ongoing process that involves both the GT teacher and the student in assessing the mastery of skills, effort, task commitment, and overall performance. 

Continued placement in the program will be determined by GT personnel with input from the child’s on-level classroom teacher. This evaluation will focus on determining the best placement for the child. If it is determined that the student’s needs are being met in the regular classroom, the recommendation will reflect this. If it is determined that the child’s current placement in the GT program is appropriate, the child will continue in the program with parental consent.

Important Points to Consider Before Referring Your Child:

Students are out of their on-level classroom 150 minutes one day each week, and involved in learning in the GT resource classroom.  

QUESTION: Can my child handle a change in environment one day each week?

QUESTION: Can my child maintain her/his work and/or grades? 

QUESTION: Can my child accept missing some of the on-level classroom activities?

NOTE: Our schools and teachers try very hard to avoid “special activities” conflicts.   However, since many events are planned far in advance, it is inevitable that such situations will arise. The vast majority of students identified for GT handle these situations very well.  However, there are some children who would find these changes very difficult to deal with. 

2203 South Knoxville, Russellville, AR 72802
GT Office: 479-968-3106
dana.sumter@rsdk12.net