Gifted & Talented
Philosophy
The Conway School District has a long history of commitment to excellence. Part of the commitment to excellence entails helping every student meet his/her potential. Providing for the needs of gifted & talented students is a consequence of that goal. The Conway School District recognizes and supports the concept of differentiated curricula for students placed in the gifted and talented program. How are students placed in the GT Program?
A comprehensive procedures guide for the referral, identification, and placement of the students is utilized. Identification is an ongoing process. Referrals may come from staff, peers, parents, community, or students.
Subjective and objective measures which assess both cognitive and noncognitive areas are used to evaluate student need for services. Each school has a school-based committee, which reviews the case-study data collected and makes recommendations for student placement based upon student need. Students moving in from other districts or states will be reevaluated using the placement criteria of the Conway program.
What are the instructional options for students placed in the program?
For more information contact Donna Whiting, Director of Gifted & Talented.
The Conway School District has a long history of commitment to excellence. Part of the commitment to excellence entails helping every student meet his/her potential. Providing for the needs of gifted & talented students is a consequence of that goal. The Conway School District recognizes and supports the concept of differentiated curricula for students placed in the gifted and talented program. How are students placed in the GT Program?
A comprehensive procedures guide for the referral, identification, and placement of the students is utilized. Identification is an ongoing process. Referrals may come from staff, peers, parents, community, or students.
Subjective and objective measures which assess both cognitive and noncognitive areas are used to evaluate student need for services. Each school has a school-based committee, which reviews the case-study data collected and makes recommendations for student placement based upon student need. Students moving in from other districts or states will be reevaluated using the placement criteria of the Conway program.
What are the instructional options for students placed in the program?
- The elementary "Pinnacle Program" and 6th-9th Pre-AP/GT instructional models are academically enriched programs in which the curriculum is differentiated. Instruction is student-centered, involving student choices, and is quicker paced. Topics emphasize creativity, problem solving, and higher level thinking skills. Mastery of a topic of study is not the sole objective. Additional objectives include: a depth in thinking, breadth and depth of activities, personal interpretation, personal challenge, and attainment of concepts at higher levels of abstraction or complexity. The curriculum is meant to be interesting as well as to provide creative experiences with challenging projects and quality production. Students are to work on developing responsibility for their own learning and growth.
- College Board Advanced Placement courses are offered in English, mathematics, science, social studies, computer science, and foreign languages at the high school. A counseling component is also available.
- Quiz Bowl, Destination Imagination, News Bowl
- Pre-Advanced Placement accelerated courses in the core areas at the secondary level
- Arkansas Governor's School
- Acceleration is an option for those students who need a change in grade placement
For more information contact Donna Whiting, Director of Gifted & Talented.
