Midway ISD Gifted and Talented Handbook 2020-2021

Midway ISD
Gifted and Talented
    Handbook
    2020-2021

Beliefs
 We believe that gifted and talented (GT) students are passionate about learning, solve problems in
 unique ways, and require support from trained teachers who are sensitive to their individual needs.
 We believe that appropriate services for Gifted/Talented students will enable them to work successfully
 alone, with other gifted students, and with students not identified as gifted.

 Philosophy
 GT students come from all races, socio-economic strata, geographic locales and environments. They
 display unique needs and possess unusual abilities and talents which merit recognition and nurturing.

 Mission Statement In order to nurture the unique needs of GT learners, Midway ISD offers a
 comprehensive array of differentiated learning experiences that provide greater depth and complexity
 than what is included in the district’s core program.

 MISD GT Objectives
 *Identify students in kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) to be served in the MISD Gifted and
 Talented program.
 *Identify the abilities and needs of each gifted and talented student to provide appropriate services.
 *Develop and/or identify appropriate curricula, instruction, and materials to support program and
 student goals.
 *Provide trained professionals, teachers, and administrators on each campus with knowledge and skills
 necessary to provide services for the gifted and talented students and implement programs for
 identified students.
 *Involve parents and community members in the implementation of the Gifted and Talented programs.

 GT Program
 Adjustments to GT services due to Covid-19: Due to the safety guidelines set forth by state and local
 entities, the elementary GT service model will not include bussing to River Valley Intermediate for the
 2020-2021 school year. Students will be served through google meets with their GT teachers during
 their campus WIN time. This virtual service will also include any identified GT students being served
 virtually for general education.

 Elementary students identified for the Midway ISD gifted and talented program participate in a one day
 a week GT pull-out service. This program seeks to develop critical and creative thinking, problem solving,
 independent inquiry, research skills and affective learning. Through the use of rigorous and challenging
 curriculum, the program provides gifted and talented students the opportunity to develop individual
 interests and abilities.

Intermediate students in grades 5 and 6 are served through differentiated instruction in the regular
classrooms. These classrooms consist of English Language Arts, Reading, Science, and Social Studies. The
curriculum in these classrooms will follow the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) set forth by the
state for each grade level and content. The lessons in the classrooms will strive to enrich, extend, and
challenge the gifted student. In addition to this classroom service, students in grades 5 and 6 will also receive
pullout services each week.

Middle school students in grades 7 and 8 are served through a GT Humanities course. The GT Humanities
course is a two period course for identified Gifted and Talented students designed to meet the social,

emotional, and academic needs of the gifted learner. This course grants credit in both history and
English/Language Arts by integrating reading, language arts and Texas history through student-centered
chronological thematic units of study. Infused with literary analysis, close examination of the author's
purpose and craft, and composition, emphasis is placed on critical thinking, creativity, and the rights and
responsibilities of the individual in a society.

High school students in grades 9-12 have their GT needs met through Pre-AP, AP, and dual credit courses that
are placed on a weighted system.

Identification
Identification of students for the GT program is based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative
measures. These include but, are not limited to: cognitive ability measures, achievement tests, parent
surveys, teacher surveys. Parents and staff members have the opportunity to refer students for
screening each year.

Nomination Procedures
At all levels students, parents, and teachers may make nominations.
Kindergarten: All Kindergarten students are pre-assessed using the KOI (Kingore Observation Inventory).
This is conducted by the classroom teacher. Using the information gathered from this screener, teachers
may nominate students for further testing.
Grades 1-12: Nominations may be made for students in these grades during the nomination window.
(*All second grade students are screened.)
Testing:
1. Quantitative Testing:
Cognitive Ability Measure (Kindergarten) Cognitive Ability Measure (Grades 1-12) Achievement (Grades
K-12) (MISD reserves the right to choose from our battery of nationally normed assessments as needed.)
2. Qualitative Measures:
Parent Inventory; Renzulli Teacher Inventory

Elementary MISD GT Testing Timeline
Fall Semester:
      GT Nomination Window Opens

Spring Semester:
     GT testing begins in the spring. Specific dates will be communicated through campus
        newsletters and websites. Notification of results will occur in the form of emailed letters to
        parents indicating a status of qualify or did not qualify.

Secondary MISD GT Testing Timeline
Intermediate Campuses
Spring Semester:
     GT Nomination Window Opens
    ● GT testing begins in the spring. Specific dates will be communicated through campus
        newsletters and websites. Notification of results will occur in the form of emailed letters to
        parents indicating a status of qualify or did not qualify.

Middle School Campus
New student enrollment prior to mid-August:
     ● New student (only) testing will be offered during the month of August prior to the start of
        school.
Fall:
     ● Any new students enrolling in the district after the August testing date who are coming from a
        private school, home school, or school district that did not offer GT testing will be tested within
        2-3 weeks of enrollment.
     ● Nomination window opens for all other students referred by a parent or teacher for GT testing.
        Specific dates will be communicated through campus newsletters and websites.
Spring:
     ● GT testing begins in the spring. Specific dates will be communicated through campus
        newsletters and websites. Notification of results will occur in the form of letters to parents
        indicating a status of qualify or did not qualify.

NOTE: For students who were identified as GT in another school district, please see the transfer policy
(EHBB Local) below.

SELECTION (EHBB LOCAL)
A selection committee shall evaluate each nominated/referred student according to the established
criteria and shall identify those students for whom placement in the gifted and talented program is the
most appropriate educational setting. The committee shall be composed of at least three professional
educators who have received training in the nature and needs of gifted students, as required by law, and
shall be established at each campus.

Appeal Procedures (EHBB LOCAL)
A parent or student may appeal any final decision of the selection committee regarding selection for or
exit from the gifted program. Appeals shall be made first to the selection committee. Any sub-sequent
appeals shall be made in accordance with FNG (LOCAL) beginning at Level Two.

Transfer Students New to District (EHBB LOCAL)
TRANSFER STUDENTS INTERDISTRICT When a student identified as gifted by a previous school district
enrolls in the District the selection committee shall review the student’s records to determine if
placement in the District’s program for gifted and talented students is appropriate.
The selection committee shall make a determination within 30 calendar days of the student’s
enrollment in the District and shall base the decision on transferred records, observation reports of
District teachers who instruct the student, and student and parent conferences.

Furloughs and Exits from Program (EHBB LOCAL)
FURLOUGHS The District may place on a furlough any student who is unable to maintain satisfactory
performance or whose educational needs are not being met within the structure of the gifted and
talented program. A furlough may be initiated by the District, the parent, or the student.
In accordance with administrative regulations, a furlough shall be granted for specified reasons and for a
specified period of time. At the end of a furlough, the student may reenter the gifted program, be
placed on another furlough, or be exited from the program.

EXIT PROVISIONS The District shall monitor student performance in the program. If at any time the
selection committee determines it is in the best interest of the student and his or her educational needs,
the committee may exit a student from the program. If a student or parent requests removal from the
program, the selection committee shall meet with the parent and student before honoring the request.

MISD Gifted and Talented Pull-Out Program Grades 1-4 GT Instructional Start Dates
Grades 1-6 will begin GT instruction the second week of school.

GT Specialists and Campus
Castleman Creek Elementary-Amy Owen
Hewitt Elementary-Kaitlyn Kavanagh
Speegleville Elementary-Christine Cofer
Spring Valley Elementary-Kaitlyn Kavanagh
South Bosque Elementary-Lindsey Stevens
Woodway Elementary-Amy Owen
River Valley Intermediate-Jennifer Stanley
Woodgate Intermediate-Jennifer Stanley
Midway Middle School-Jennifer Stanley

GT General Parent Meetings
The times and dates for any general parent meetings will be listed on all GT websites and notes will go
home with GT students prior to the meetings. All parents are encouraged to attend.

Elementary General Education Teacher
Teachers should use pre-assessments to determine each student’s individual needs for instruction on
any assignments or material missed on a pull out day. Students that show proficiency in the content
covered should not be required to complete all missed assignments. Effort should be made to keep
makeup work to a minimum. Time before and after GT pull out may be used on those days to complete
tests or introduce new skills in a small group for the GT students. Campus administrators will
communicate expectations for classroom teachers’ instruction on the days students are receiving service
in the GT pull-out.

GT Hours and Update Hours
Any general education teacher, who has GT students in his or her classroom, must obtain their required
GT 30 Hour Training. This can be obtained through the following methods:
    ● Midway ISD TAGT on Demand modules (paid for by MISD)
    ● Baylor GT Conference (paid for by MISD)
    ● Region 12 GT Workshops )must be specific GT workshops and will be paid for by teacher or
       campus). These courses must have prior approval of district GT coordinators.

General education teachers with their 30 hours of initial GT training (GT Awareness Certificate) must
acquire their six hour GT update by the end of October in order for it to count for the current school
year.