The Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program supports unique opportunities for high-achieving and underachieving pupils who are identified as gifted and talented. By state definition, gifted students are pupils who possess a capacity for excellence far beyond that of their chronological peers. This capacity includes many and varied characteristics that require modifications of curriculum and instruction. These modifications form the basis of gifted and talented educational services.
The Rio School District serves the gifted students within the district through two options:
(1) Honors classes in the middle school program for the high-achieving students
(2) Differentiated instruction and flexible groupings for gifted and high-ability students are provided at the elementary level
Differentiated Instruction
Differentiation strategies raise the expectations for all students and provide an avenue for individualizing instruction by providing greater depth, complexity, novelty and/or acceleration to the classroom lessons.
Differentiation of instruction is achieved by modifying one, some, or all of the following elements:
Honors Placement
Rio Vista Middle School offers honors classes in core content areas. Placement in honors classes is not solely based upon GATE identification. We assign placement in honors classes based upon a combination of factors, including previous course achievement, teacher recommendation, standardized test scores (state and local assessments) and student interest.
Gifted students are persons of exceptional promise whose capabilities may predict contributions of lasting merit in widely varying fields. They come from all backgrounds with special abilities and talents ranging across a wide spectrum of human achievement. These students’ abilities and potential for accomplishment are so outstanding that they require special provisions to meet their educational needs.
Schools are asked to refer students for district-wide screening for the gifted program. Most students are referred by a teacher, but parents and others may also refer.
Your attitude is essential to the development of a gifted child. Reseachers Hall and Skinner tell parents to enjoy their gifted children and to remember that they are, first of all, children. Motivate your gifted child by encouraging trial and error, being enthusiastic and optimistic, recognizing achievement, encouraging goals set by the child, encouraging novel ideas, giving honest evaluation, encouraging independence, and giving constructive criticism.
Students in grades 3-8 that demonstrate exceptional abilities will be referred through the GATE process
Teachers will differentiate instruction for GATE identified students
GATE students will have multiple opportunities to engage and work with each other
Students can attend after school site-based enrichment activities (GATE Exploratories).Students can attend district-wide enrichment activities
Teacher Training
Parent Education