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Gifted and Talented Services

The Georgia Board of Education defines a gifted student as "a student who demonstrates a high degree of intellectual, creative, and/or artistic ability(ies), possesses exceptional leadership skills, or excels in specific academic fields and who needs special instruction and/or special ancillary services to achieve at levels commensurate with his or her abilities."

CSD Gifted Services Mission
The mission of the Gifted Program is to work directly with students and faculty designing instruction and creating a supportive school environment to meet the intellectual, academic, social, emotional, and motivational needs of gifted and high-ability learners.

CSD Gifted Services Goals

  • Ensure equitable access to appropriate services for all gifted learners by using the student identification process and measures defined by Georgia Board of Education policy, employing assessment of multiple criteria (mental ability, achievement, creativity, and motivation).
  • Continually use a variety of data to assess student progress and identify student needs.
  • Employ differentiated curricula and research-based instructional practices to address the range of needs of gifted learners, including critical and creative thinking, problem-solving activities, and social and self-awareness.
  • Provide services that are comprehensive, structured, sequenced, and appropriately challenging to meet the demonstrated needs of K-12 gifted learners.
  • Provide ongoing professional learning for school personnel annually in regards to the nature and needs of gifted learners and appropriate instructional strategies and curricula.
Gifted Specialist picture
  DHS Gifted Specialist
  Eleta Andrews
  eandrews@csdecatur.net

 

 

What Do Gifted Services Look Like at DHS?

The mission of the Gifted program at Decatur High School is to work directly with the students and faculty to design instruction and create a supportive school environment to meet the intellectual, academic, social, emotional, and motivational needs of gifted and high-ability learners. 

Cluster Model

A group of identified gifted students are placed into an otherwise heterogeneous classroom led by a teacher who holds the gifted endorsement.  The teacher develops and documents challenging assignments designed to advance students' learning. 

Advanced Content

DHS offers many different Advanced Content courses that challenge students to delve deeper into more complex lessons in a given subject. Student may select from a variety of Honors, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate coursework.

Gifted Directed Independent Study

Students are offered an optional elective to study independently.  Students can study subjects of interest that are not offered at DHS.  They collaborate with the gifted specialist to write a contract, complete 4 mini-projects and a summary portfolio.