Gifted Education
It is the policy of DoDEA to identify giftedness among its students and to develop a plan for gifted education. Smith Elementary School provides gifted students a comprehensive program that assesses their giftedness and provides appropriately differentiated learning experiences. Giftedness describes those students with outstanding talent who perform or show the potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared to others of their age, experience, or environment. These students exhibit high academic performance and/or excel in specific academic fields. A student's eligibility for gifted education services is based on a documented need for modifications in the student's instructional program to ensure continuous academic challenges and supporting services.
A Gifted Review Committee is established at the school to determine a student's eligibility for gifted education services. Optional ability testing may be used as one source of data for identification, but are not required components in the identification process. Other assessment data such as rating scales, anecdotal information, observations, performance assessments coupled with information from parents are essential elements as well. The Gifted Education teacher works with these identified students using those programming options that meet the particular student's academic needs. Classroom teachers also use differentiating instruction in addition to collaborating with the Gifted Education Teacher to deepen and expand upon areas of study. Opportunities to address the social and emotional needs of the gifted are provided in the course of working with students on a regular basis.