MISSION STATEMENT 

The Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools believes that every student is a unique and valuable individual.  Therefore, every student is entitled to an education commensurate with his/her ability.  To meet this need, the School District of Wisconsin Rapids accepts the complex responsibility of providing programs and services that support, motivate, and challenge our students.  This includes creating an environment where pace, level of instruction, and student capabilities are matched with student's unique talents, and social and emotional needs.

PHILOSOPHY

The Able Learner Committee believes all students develop to their full potential when their special strengths are identified and are supported throughout their lives.  Our goal is to nurture these students so they develop to their full potential.  The diverse regular classroom becomes the framework of the program and the regular classroom teacher the cornerstone.

Emphasis will be placed on differentiating the regular curriculum to meet individual needs.  Gifted programming recognizes that special services and programming are also appropriate and necessary.  Adequate support personnel must be available to provide identification, individual plans, differentiation, staff development, and flexible grouping opportunities.  "Effective educational programming is concerned with meeting the needs of all students: gifted education's goals should be imbedded in that concern, not detached from it."  (Treffinger, 1981)

The majority of able learners' needs are met within the regular classroom if teachers are given necessary support and training (Richardson, 1985).  Research also recognizes the need for various enrichment programs and activities and a variety of individual educational options.  Staff development for program understanding and implementation is a top priority.

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History of Gifted Education (United States, Wisconsin, and WRPS)

Gifted education has evolved during the last 60 years.  What began as a very narrow understanding of giftedness, broadened as research and study of the brain and learning developed through this century (Attachment B).

A concise time line follows:
TIME LINE

1940's  L. Terman: A psychologist defined giftedness by using IQ scores.

1950's Cold War/Sputnik/talent mobilization - U.S. search for academically talented youth in areas of science and math.

1970's State legislation began allocating funding for gifted/talented education.  Many states funded gifted education - NOT Wisconsin.

1971: United States Office of Education broadened Terman's definition of giftedness.  At the same time research on the brain and learning brought about a greater understanding of "giftedness."

1975: In Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools a committee was formed to study gifted education.
The Richardson report, a landmark national study broadened the scope of gifted education.  IQ scores became only one of many criteria used in identifying giftedness.

1980's Research on intelligence, learning styles, and constructivist classrooms surfaced during this decade.  Information on brain research and implications for classrooms was disseminated.

1986:  WRPS hires a .5 G/T Coordinator.

1987:  An additional .5 G/T secondary coordinator was hired.

1990's Wisconsin adopted a pyramid plan for gifted programming, based largely on the research of the Richardson Foundation of Texts (Cox et al., 1985) and the "Individualized Programming Planning Model" for blending gifted education with the regular school program (Treffinger, 1986).

1992: An Able Learner audit was conducted by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) in WRPS.  Wisconsin Rapids was found in compliance with statutory requirements.  However, a primary recommendation was to add resource people to successfully implement the program.  No action was taken on this recommendation.
Feb. '99: The Able Learner Study Committee was formed.

Aug. ‘ 00: Increased staff and programming options for able learners in WRPS.

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GIFTED AND TALENTED PUPILS - STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

OVERVIEW

Standard (t) requires school districts to assure that the special needs of gifted and talented students are understood and accommodated in all Wisconsin public schools from kindergarten through grade 12.  The standard is consistent with the philosophy of Wisconsin school districts that children are entitled to an education commensurate with their abilities and interests.

Research continues to show that, as a group, gifted and talented children are the most underserved pupils in the public schools.  Too often, these pupils are ignored, restricted, or underachieving and, if not part of the typical dropout statistics, have become in-school dropouts.

The intent of the standard is to cause schools to develop the means by which gifted/talented pupils will be identified and, once identified, provided access to a set of systematic and continuous instructional activities which are appropriate to the developmental needs of those children and youth so identified.

ADMINISTRATIVE RULE

PI18.01(t).2.  Each school district board shall establish a plan and designate a person to coordinate the gifted and talented program.  Gifted and talented students shall be identified as required in s.118.35(I), Stats.  This identification shall include multiple criteria that are appropriate for the category of gifted including intelligence, achievement, leadership, creativity, product evaluations, and nominations.  A pupil may be identified as gifted or talented in one or more of the categories under s.118.35(I), Stats.  The school district board shall provide access, without charge for tuition, to appropriate programs for pupils identified as gifted or talented as required under ss.118.35(3) and 121.02(I)(t), Stats.  The school district board shall provide an opportunity for parental participation in the planning of the proposed program.

RELATED WISCONSIN STATUTE

S.118.35, Wisconsin Stats. Program for gifted and talented pupils.
(1)  In this section, "gifted and talented pupils" means pupils enrolled in public schools who give
      evidence of high performance capability in intellectual, creative, artistic, leadership or 
      specific academic areas and who need services or activities not ordinarily provided in a
      regular school program in order to fully develop such capabilities.
(2) The state superintendent shall by rule establish guidelines for the identification of gifted
      and talented pupils.
(3) Each school board shall: (a) Ensure that all gifted and talented pupils enrolled in the school
      district have access to a program for gifted and talented pupils.

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Meeting Standard (t)

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Myths of Gifted Education

Ellie Schatz, Director of WCATY (Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth), summarizes commonly held myths about gifted education as follows:

1. Gifted children will make it on their own.

History tells us that gifted children have never made it on their own.  There needs to be someone behind them.  This may be a parent who nurtures the gifted child or this may be a teacher who supports the gifted child.  One of the problems in education is that often when parents are trying to nurture, they are accused of pushing.  The research in gifted education shows that parents are not usually pushing.  They are truly trying to open doors.

2. Support of gifted education is elitist.

Gifted children come from all cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.  Children from disadvantaged families are in the majority and are less likely to make it on their own.  Teachers and community are critical in supporting these children.

3. Other children will catch up.

This myth is often expressed with early readers.  When presented with a child who is an early reader, parents are told, "Wait until fourth grade and other children will catch up."  Indeed other children may catch up.  But the reason other children catch up is these children who are early readers, early musicians, or early developers in any talent area, haven't been provided with the education that they need. 

4. Gifted education is a frill.

Gifted education is not a frill.  We are talking about children who live with their talents all day, every day.  Their talents need to be nurtured at home and in school.

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HIGHLY CREATIVE/PRODUCTIVE PEOPLE

CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDENTS WITHIN EACH TALENT AREA
(Identified in Sec. 118.35, Wisconsin Statutes)

GENERAL INTELLECTUAL ABILITY

1. Very alert, rapid answers.
2. Is venturesome, anxious to do new things.
3. Resourceful – can solve problems by ingenious methods.
4. Has the capacity to look into things and be puzzled.
5. Displays willingness for complexity.
6. Has the capacity to use knowledge and information other than to memorize.
7. Shows superior judgement in evaluating things.
8. Has a power of abstraction, conceptualization, and synthesis.
9. Has an interest in cause-effect relations.
10. Has a power of concentration, an intense attention that excludes all else.

SPECIFIC ACADEMIC APTITUDE

1. Has a long attention span in area of interest.
2. Learns rapidly, easily and with less repetition in a specific academic area (probably not all subject areas).
3. More mature in the ability to express oneself through the various communication skills.
4. Likes to study some subjects more than others.
5. Spends time beyond the ordinary assignments or schedule on things that are of interest to him/her.
6. Has diverse, spontaneous, and frequently self-directed interests.

CREATIVE THINKING AND PRODUCTION 

1. Has ability to make unusual associations between remote ideas.
2. Has ability to rearrange elements of thought.
3. Has large number of ideas and solutions to problems.
4. Displays intellectual playfulness, fantasizes, imagines, concerned with adapting, improving, and modifying.
5. Has keen sense of humor and sees humor in situations others do not see.
6. Does not fear being different.
7. Asks many questions, often challenging the teacher and textbook.
8. Sometimes comes up with unexpected, even “silly” answers.
9. Is resented by some children because of “crazy” ideas and forcefulness in presenting and pushing them.
10. On special projects, shows unusual capacity for originality, concentration, and just plain hard work.

LEADERSHIP

1. Has ability to stimulate others.
2. Has ability to organize other persons.
3. Has ability to articulate ideas.
4. Has ability to exercise responsibilities dependably.
5. Has ability to summarize.
6. Has ability to perceive and articulate unstated feelings of a group.
7. Has ability to coordinate work of several individuals.
8. Has ability to get along with wide variety of individuals.
9. Is often asked for ideas and suggestions.
10. Is looked to by others when something must be decided.

VISUAL/PERFORMING ARTS

1. Outstanding in sense of spatial relationships.
2. Unusual ability for expressing self, feelings, moods, etc., through art, dance, drama, music, etc.
3. Good motor coordination.
4. Exhibits creative expression.
5. Desire for producing “own product” (not content with mere copying).
6. Observant.

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BRIGHT VERSUS GIFTED CHILDREN

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IDENTIFICATION PROCESS

A systematic process for identifying children needing able learner programming has been established.  The process will be ongoing throughout the school year, as well as a student's career in the Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools.  The purpose of the identification process is to provide appropriate services, not label children.  The identification process that follows recognizes the importance of the statement, "One size does not fit all in education."

1. Parents, teachers, students, peers, etc. can refer students for able learner programming.  A referral form must be completed and submitted to the able learner building coordinator.

2. A minimum of two of the following items are required for programming consideration: referral form, outstanding standardized test score, student performance.  Building coordinators will monitor test scores and other performances of students within their buildings.

3. A modified child study team will then meet to consider whether a student requires able learner programming.  This team could consist of the building coordinator, classroom teacher, counselor, appropriate special area teacher, building principal, parent, and possibly the school psychologist.  Current test data, student work samples, and other evidence should be provided for the team.  Parents will be notified and permission will be obtained for a study team to evaluate their child.  When necessary, appropriate screening tools may be utilized to determine the need for able learner programming.  The team will then make their recommendation.

4. Once recommended, a meeting between the parent, student, and building coordinator will occur.  This meeting will establish curricular modifications and options available to the student.  A minimum of one meeting per year between the building coordinator, classroom teacher, parent, and student will be scheduled to review student programming.  A yearly written review for the student will be completed.  To comply with state recommendations, a Differentiated Education Plan (DEP) will be completed for students requiring significant curricular modifications.

5. Students identified for able learner programming will be included on a database, available to all district personnel involved in the student's education.

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Components of Able Learner Programming

Necessary components of an effective Able Learner Program include carefully planned opportunities to provide challenge, acknowledgement of diversity, options, and opportunities for involvement and productivity.  We acknowledge that:

•  Gifted education helps ALL students.
•  One size does not fit all.
•  A variety of levels of service must be made available to meet individual student needs.
•  Classroom teachers can't provide all services necessary to meet the needs of all students.
•  Specialists must be available at the building level to support and provide differentiated educational programming options.
•  Ongoing staff development is critical to teacher understanding and program implementation.
•  Differentiated programming must be provided through Wisconsin's Comprehensive Integrated Gifted Programming Model (Pyramid Model).
•  Schools must provide regular classroom programs, flexible programming for varied groups at varied times, and individualized programming.
•   Equal opportunity must be given to all students for talent development.  "Twice" exceptional children (EEN, ESL) have special needs that must be addressed.
•  Identification serves the purpose of assessing talent, not labeling students.
•  The policy of flexible pacing is critical to an effective program.
•  Parents must be informed and involved in their child's plan.

Programming emerges naturally from students' strengths, interests and talents.  Individualized programming may be short term or long term, depending on the needs and interests of the student.

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INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMMING

The Wisconsin Integrated Model reflects a spectrum of services for able learner programming.  To match the student's needs, the programming may include, but is not limited to cluster or flexible grouping, curricular differentiation, subject acceleration, or guidance intervention.  Programming options will be organized around the three levels of the pyramid.

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The base of the pyramid represents activities that take place in the regular classroom.  Teachers need ongoing training to provide these differentiated opportunities for all students.  Able learner building coordinators will work with teachers on developing these opportunities, and monitor the effectiveness of this programming.

For students that have needs beyond the base of the pyramid, able learner building coordinators will insure that services are offered through the next two levels of the pyramid.

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PROGRAMMING OPTIONS

BASE OF THE PYRAMID (all students – 60% of Able Learners can have their needs met at this level)

Classroom Differentiation – Within the context of the regular classroom, teachers provide opportunities for curriculum to be flexible in a variety of ways including adjusting pace, content, process, and products.  Differentiation will benefit all students by providing appropriately challenging material.

MIDDLE OF THE PYRAMID (30% of Able Learners can have their needs met at this level)

Flexible Grouping – Groups are created for a variety of reasons.  Some groups are established based on student interests, level of challenge, and pace of instruction.  Groups will vary in numbers and duration depending on the task and the students in the group.  These flexible groups may be within or outside of the classroom.

Enrichment – Activities provided for a student that expand the breadth or depth of content being studied in the regular classroom.

Counseling / Support Groups – Groups are formed that are intended to meet the social and emotional needs of students.  Counselors, social workers, mentors, or facilitators provide discussion opportunities on topics such as perfectionism, self-esteem issues, and social issues.

Honor Courses (high school) – More rigorous courses designed to provide greater challenge for students.  These courses are designated on the student transcripts as honors classes.

Advanced Placement Courses (high school) – These courses have the rigor and expectations of a college course.  Students have the option to take an examination that can earn up to three college credits for satisfactory performance.

Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (high school) – Students may pursue college or technical school credit if a comparable offering is not available and other requirements are met.

Co-curricular Options – Options available to students outside the regular school day that are avenues for developing talents and strengths in students, including academic competitions.

TIP OF THE PYRAMID (10% of Able Learners may require programming options at this level

Curriculum Compacting – A student moves more quickly through a unit, subject area of source by testing out of known material and “buying” time to work on enrichment activities or to move through the curriculum faster.

Independent Study / Independent Projects – A process through which student and teacher identifying problems or topics of interest to the student.  Both student and teacher plan a method of investigating the problem or topic and identifying the type of product the student will develop.  The product should address the problem and demonstrate the student’s ability to apply skills and knowledge to the problem.

Mentoring – Students work with a resource teacher, media specialist, parent volunteer, older student, or community member who can guide their growth in a particular area.  Some mentorships may focus on design and execution of advanced projects, some on exploration of careers, some on affective development and some on combinations of the above mentioned goals.  Mentorships may focus on areas of strength, particular curricular areas or may be a social/emotional support for a student.

Subject Acceleration – For part of the day, a student is placed at a more advanced level for one subject, because it is an extreme talent area (see Appendix B).

Grade Acceleration – A student is moved ahead of normal grade placement.  This could be done a year (a current fourth grader moved to fifth) or at the end of the year (a third grader starts fifth grade in the fall – See Appendix B).

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The Able Learner/Staff Development Facilitators strive to provide staff development opportunities for teachers on Differentiating Instruction and Best Practice, in meeting the needs of able learner students.

 ABLE LEARNER CO-CURRICULAR OPTIONS

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WRPS FACULTY ABLE LEARNER PROGRAM

ABLE LEARNER SUPPORT GROUP

The Able Learner Parent Support (ALPS) Group was formed in September 2000 by parents who had participated in the WRPS Able Learner Study Committee during the 1999-2000 school year.

ALPS is open to any parent or guardian in the South Wood County area whose child or children attends public or private school or who are home schooled.  ALPS’ goal is to education adults about able learner programming, including:  Identification, programming options, social and emotional needs and more.

Monthly meetings are held in the WRPS Central Office Conference Rooms, 510 Peach Street, from  7:00 – 8:30 p.m.  Handouts are provided which emphasize a given topic area or inform parents about local, state, and national program opportunities.

During the 2000-01 school year, ALPS hosted the following programs and speakers:

Overview of Able Learner Programming in WRPS

• Midwest Talent Search (Jeanna Johnson, Advisory Board member of the Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth – WCATY)
• Center for Academically Talented Youth – WCATY
• Gifted Education, Talent Development, Able Learners (Dr. Dorothy Kennedy, Director of the Network for Gifted Education – UWSP)
• Social and Emotional Needs of Able Learners (Dr. Dorothy Kennedy)
• Green Bay Gifted and Talented Conference for Parents and Educators
• Emotional Intelligence (Gene Noonan)
• Programming Options for Able Learners (Dr. Byron Barrington, UW – Marathon County)

Persons interested in joining the Able Learner Support group should contact Sharon Schwab at 325-3827 or Sami Sadjhari at 424-1620.

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ADDITONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIVE WEB SITES

TAG Family Network, http://www.teleport.com/~rkaitwas/tag/index.html

Gifted Education Resources Across the Nation:  Links to State Organizations/Associations, http://members.aol.com/cacgl/gifted.htm

Understanding Tests and Measurements for the Parent and Advocate, http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/assessment/tests_measurements.html

The Support Society for Children of High Intelligence, http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~tutorcom/chi/

Gifted & Talented Children, http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/farmer/Gifted.html

OTHER INFORMATIVE RESOURCES

Books on Parenting Gifted Children Through Adolescence and Beyond!

Alvino, James. Parent’s Guide to Raising a Gifted Child.  Gifted Children Monthly, 1985.

Armstrong, Thomas, Ph.D. In Their Own Way.  Los Angeles, Jeremy P. Tarcher, Inc., 1987.

Berger, Sandra. College Planning for Gifted Students. Council for Exceptional Children, August 1998.

Cohen, Dr. Leo Nora M. and Dr. Erica Frydenberg. Coping for Capable Kids. Australia, Hawker Brownlow, Inc., 1996.

Davis, Gary A. Creativity is Forever.  Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, 1992.

Delisle, James R. Guiding the Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Youth. New York, Longman Publishing Groups, 1992.

Estell, Doug; Michele L. Satchwell, and Patricia S. Wright. Reading Lists for College Bound Students. Hungry Minds, Inc. August 2000.

Galbraith, Judy MA and Jim Delisle Ph.D. The Gifted Kids’ Survival Guide. Free Spirit Publishing, 1996.

Princeton Review Publishing Staff. Best 331 Colleges 2001. Princeton Review Services, August 2000.

A number of these and other resources are available for check-out at the Thomas A. Lenk Educational Services Center, 510 Peach Street, Wisconsin Rapids.  Contact Barb Manlick at      422-6021 for more information.

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Check List:  Are You a Gifted Parent?
The more gifted a child, the more he needs parents who are gifted in helping him/her discover and develop his abilities.  In that sense, the gifted child needs gifted parents.

This check list is not all-inclusive and there is no passing score.  It is intended as a set of reminders as to what are the most important principles for promoting a child’s giftedness.  The parent who can answer “yes” to a large proportion of these questions can feel he/she is effectively promoting his/her child’s gifts.

1. Do you answer your child’s questions with patience and good humor?

2. Do you take advantage of your child’s questions and expressions of interest to guide him/her into further learning and exploration?

3. Do you help your child develop physical and social skills as carefully as you encourage mental growth?

4. Do you help him/her learn how to get along with children of all levels of intelligence?

5. Do you avoid criticizing your child by comparing him/her with his or her brothers and sisters or companions?

6. Do you set reasonable standards of behavior for your child and then see that he/she meets them?

7. Do you impose firm and fair discipline that is consistent and neither too harsh nor too permissive?

8. Do you show your child that he/she is loved for his/her own sake and not for his/her intellectual achievements?

9. Do you try to find something specific to praise when your child shows you his/her work?  (a generalized compliment means little to gifted children.)

10. Do you help him/her to select worthwhile reading materials and television programs?

11. Do you provide your child with hobby materials and books of his/her own?

12. Do you provide places where your child can study, work at hobbies, and display his/her work?

13. Do you participate in some of your child’s activities?

14. Do you let him/her learn about and share in some of your hobbies and interests?

15. Do you take your child on trips to points of interest?

16. Do you enable your child to take advantage of lessons and activities offered by private groups of community organizations?

17. Do you teach your child how to budget his/her time, organize his/her work, and improve study habits?

18. Do you help your child to make his/her own plans and decisions?

19. Do you give your child increasing independence as his/her ability to handle responsibility increases?

20. Do you give your child household responsibilities and other tasks suitable for his/her age?

21. Do you avoid overstressing intellectual achievement?

22. Do you avoid “pushing” your child too hard by not being too demanding about after-school lessons or activities?

23. Do you resist the impulse to show your child off before relatives and friends?

24. Do you resist any temptation to exploit his/her gifts commercially?

25. Do you teach your child to use his/her gifts for the benefit of society rather than only for his/her own selfish purposes?

26. Do you encourage your child to set high educational and vocational goals?

27. Do you refrain from trying to pick your child’s vocation for him/her, but try to help your child learn about as many occupations as possible?

28. Do your expressions of attitude and your behavior set the example you want your child to follow?

29. Do you avoid talking down to your child and speak to him/her as you do to adults?

30. Do you try to speak as correctly as you want your child to do?

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WRPS Able Learner Links