Gifted Programming Options – School District of Fort Atkinson

Visual / Performing Arts

Students identified in visual performing arts have demonstrated natural talent and hard work in art, music or drama. Each year a list of identified students is presented to visual and performing arts teachers so they can make accommodations in music and art classes. Classroom teachers are also alerted to the special abilities of identified students. Classroom teachers try to make opportunities or options available on certain assignments for students to use their ability in the arts in meaningful ways in the classroom. Since so much of music and art is individualized, the needs of students of various abilities can usually be met within the grade level class. In less than one percent of the population, an identified student may need music or art classes at a higher level or may need an unusual schedule adjustment to be able to continue in an art or music class. If academic requirements are met and the demonstrated need sufficiently warrants accommodation then GATE facilitates the necessary changes. The school supports students gifted in music and drama by working schedules to accommodate students who participate in Fireside and Center for Performing Arts productions. Students gifted in visual arts are encouraged to submit entries to the Southern Lakes Anthology contest. Each year several black and white art pieces are chosen for inclusion. The local Cygnus Art Show showcases work of gifted artists. School programs and Destination Imagination provide outlets for drama, art and music as well. HS art students can submit art to be on display the day of the Anthology presentation ceremony. Seventh and eighth grade identified students are encouraged to apply for the MS Arts Immersion Day. Selected students spend a day in Whitewater participating in activities designed to expose students to the variety of arts at the University level. Numerous HS competitions are available for gifted visual and performing art students.

Leadership

Students identified in leadership have demonstrated natural talent and learned skills in the area of leadership. Each year a list of identified students is presented to teachers. Teachers work to make leadership opportunities available to students within the school environment. Class activities, especially cooperative group assignments provide students an opportunity to use leadership skills in the classroom. We encourage students identified in leadership to run for student council and participate in other school activities where their leadership skills will be used to help others. Running for office in clubs and organizations is also encouraged. GATE sponsors a Mini-Grant program each year which allows students to use their leadership skills to identify a problem in the school or community, design a plan to solve that problem, and follow through with action which makes a difference. Each fall seventh and eighth grade identified students are encouraged to apply for the MS Leadership Conference. Selected students spend a day in Whitewater honing their leadership skills. The HS Big Buddies program is a wonderful opportunity for student leaders. The HS student senate provides numerous opportunities for students to further develop and practice their leadership skills and abilities.

Creative Thinking

Students identified in creative thinking have demonstrated the ability to generate original ideas, manipulate information in new and unusual ways, change their thinking to fit new ideas, generate large numbers and a variety of new ideas, and extend and improve existing ideas. Each year a list of identified students is presented to teachers. Teachers work to provide creative students with more options within assignments. The educational practice that works best for creative thinkers is open-ended options within a structured framework of expected outcomes. Rubrics for grading help students to know the structured expectations and also the range of creative leeway for each assignment. GATE sponsors Future Problem Solving and Destination Imagination, programs which encourage creative thinking in students.

Academic and Intellectual

Academically and intellectually gifted students represent the top 2% of students. Academically gifted students demonstrate gifted ability in one or more of the following areas: Language Arts, Math, Science or Social Studies. Intellectually gifted students demonstrate gifted ability across all areas of learning. Identified students need well-designed, high-level extensions and enrichment to bring the curriculum to a level appropriate for their abilities. Faster paced instruction is also important for identified students. These students require some curriculum and pacing modifications to make appropriate academic progress within the regular classroom.

Highly gifted students are rare, representing < 1% of the population. Highly gifted students have IQ’s well above 135, usually in the upper 140’s or higher. Highly gifted students often need acceleration, with radical acceleration becoming necessary in a few situations. Highly gifted students need content that has depth and complexity, instruction paced at a rate commensurate with their learning rate, and options to explore advanced level concepts and problems.

Fort Atkinson’s gifted program follows Wisconsin’s Comprehensive Integrated Gifted Programming Model. GATE works to support classroom teachers in making accommodations for identified students in the regular classroom. At the elementary level Guided Reading, Writer’s Workshop and the Math ‘4’ binders and extension packets enable teachers to meet the needs of a wide variety of students. Reader’s Workshop, Writer’s Workshop and Algebra at the middle school provide avenues of differentiated instruction for bright and gifted students. Honors and Advanced Placement classes provide different levels of instruction at the high school. GATE is also involved in purchasing high-level books and other teaching materials for use with advanced students.

GATE programs which provide extensions and enrichment for academic and intellectual students include Future Problem Solvers (grades 4-12), Extended Learning Classes (grades 3-5), and Southern Lakes Anthology (grades 3-8). Selected gifted students compete in a Regional Math Meet (grades 5-8) and an Academic Bowl (grades 9-12). Students (grades 4-8) scoring high on their WKCE tests are invited to participate in the Midwest Academic Talent Search (MATS) Testing. MATS is an opportunity to take an above-level test to demonstrate knowledge beyond a student’s grade level. Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth (WCATY) Co-op Classes are also considered for highly gifted middle school students. When possible, GATE will work to match highly gifted students with community mentors to work on a project within a shared area of interest.