Philosophy
Program Learner Outcomes
Who's Who
Elementary Programs 1-6
Middle School Programs, 7-8
High School Programs, 9-12
Acceleration
Credit for Learning
High School Cocurriculars
Eden Prairie Council for the Gifted and Talented
Philosophy of the Gifted/Talented Services
The philosophy of the Eden Prairie School District is Success for All Students.
Learners thrive best in an academic environment that fosters mutual respect and
celebrates diversity. Some learners have academic skills, cognitive abilities, leadership
abilities, and creative talents that differ in degree and dimension from their chronological
age peers. We seek to identify these gifted and talented learners and provide services
to meet their unique needs.
Eden Prairie School District students, staff, parents and community members are
partners in working toward educational excellence. Each member of the partnership
shares responsibilities for removing barriers and ensuring access to learning opportunities
so gifted and talented learners' potential may be fully realized.
We believe:
- gifted and talented learners should be identified district wide through appropriate
multiple criteria.
- gifted and talented services should be an integral part of the entire educational
program with articulated form, direction and continuity.
- services offered for the gifted learner should be student and curriculum based,
such as sendout, guided and independent study, and advanced classes. A portion of
the student's total program should include interaction with gifted and talented
peers.
- the educational experience for gifted and talented learners should include opportunities
which differ from the regular curriculum in process, pace, depth, organization,
interdisciplinary approach and expected outcomes.
- gifted and talented learners have unique social and emotional needs specific to
their giftedness, which need to be addressed.
- the specific educational needs of gifted and talented learners require staff development
in identification of, and instructional strategies for, these learners. This staff
development should be offered at the awareness, application and advanced levels.
- gifted and talented services need to utilize current research and technical resources.
Program Learner Outcomes
Program outcomes should be used in concert with learner outcomes in each individual
subject area. Through the blending of these outcomes we can ensure that gifted and
talented learners as well as learners of every ability receive the education which
develops their potential and interests.
Gifted and talented learners will demonstrate performance which qualitatively differs
in degree and dimension from their age peers in the following areas:
- Learners will demonstrate and apply skills in creative and critical thinking,
problem solving strategies and effective communication.
- Learners will develop independence, self-direction, and discipline in learning,
and assess their own strengths, interests and abilities.
- Learners will explore career opportunities related to their interests and abilities.
- Learners will value their unique abilities and talents.
- Learners will use their unique abilities and talents to make contributions to the
global community.
- Learners will articulate and demonstrate an ethical awareness in relationship to
the use of their talents.
- Learners will produce quality products appropriate to their interests and talents.
- Learners will identify personal goals and take risks in relation to them.
- Learners will collaborate as team members in pursuit of group goals and products.
Who's Who in the Gifted and Talented Program
Elementary Gifted Program
Eden Prairie Schools provide two avenues at the elementary level for meeting individual
students' needs for challenge.
- For all students, the regular classroom curriculum is designed to include higher
level thinking activities, authentic assessments, and numerous opportunities for
extensions and enrichment.
- The second avenue is the KEY program, in which a gifted and talented resource teacher
is available at each building to work with identified gifted and talented students
in a resource setting.
KEY Program
KEY is a program for gifted and talented students in first through seventh grade.
All KEY students engage in activities utilizing problem solving, higher level thinking
skills, and advanced topics.
In grades one through four, students meet with the gifted resource teacher for approximately
two hours per week, and study advanced topics in an interdisciplinary format.
In grade 5 and 6, KEY students meet with a teacher trained in gifted education during
their language arts time to accomplish KEY program goals and language arts goals.
Identification
Students can be referred for placement in the KEY program by teachers, parents,
or through self-referral.
Identification for the KEY program is through a formal process that includes standardized
testing. Decisions about KEY placement are made by a placement committee which consists
of classroom teachers, gifted resource teachers, and administrators, and may include
a school psychologist and other professionals as needed.
The committee makes placement recommendations based upon reviews of comprehensive
student profiles, which consist of:
- teacher assessments of classroom performance
- aptitude scores in the verbal, quantitative, and visual/spatial areas
- achievement scores (grades 3-7)
- scores measuring higher level thinking skills
- parent questionnaire
The needs of students who move into the district prior to or during the school year
will be reviewed on an individual basis.
Middle School Gifted Program
Schools provide two avenues at the middle school level for meeting individual students'
needs for challenge.
- For all students, the regular classroom curriculum is designed to include higher
level thinking activities, authentic assessments, and numerous opportunities for
extensions and enrichment. Classrooms emphasize providing opportunities for students
to interact with peers with similar skills and interests and to explore the content
of that course at an appropriately challenging level.
- Seventh grade students identified as needing an intense level of gifted service
meet in a scheduled class for one period each day. At the eighth grade level, it
is common for KEY (see below) students to participate in one
or more enriched courses. A gifted and talented resource teacher is available at
Central Middle School to work with teachers and with gifted and talented students
in a resource setting.
KEY Program
KEY is a program for gifted and talented students with the most intense need for
services. In seventh grade, KEY students meet with a teacher trained in gifted services
during the language arts time to accomplish KEY program goals as well as language
arts goals. Activities encourage students to engage in problem solving, higher level
thinking, and advanced topics. In grade eight, KEY students are placed in enriched
English, science and/or math classes as appropriate.
Identification
Students can be referred for placement in KEY by teachers, parents, or through self-referral.
Identification for the KEY program is through a formal process that includes standardized
testing. Decisions on KEY placement are made by a committee which consists of classroom
teachers, gifted resource teachers, administrators, and other professionals as needed.
The committee makes placement recommendations based upon review of comprehensive
students profiles, which consist of:
- teacher assessments of classroom performance and learning characteristics
- aptitude scores in the verbal, quantitative, and visual/spatial areas
- achievement scores
- scores measuring higher level thinking skills
- parent questionnaire
High School Gifted Program
Eden Prairie High School offers a variety of enriched and Advanced Placement (AP)
courses in all subject areas to meet the needs of students with talents.
AP classes include:
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Microecomonics
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Composition
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Literature
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Statistics
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Calculus AB
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Calculus CD
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Computer Science: Java II
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Chemistry
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Physics
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European History
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Comparative Politics
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Calculus III
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The superior academic caliber of our courses has enabled students to take exams
for these and additional subjects with a high success rate.
College In The Schools:
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French IV, V
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German IV, V
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Spanish IV, V
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Eden Prairie has a high quality performing arts program that includes student written,
directed and acted works as well as competitions and traditional music and theater
presentations. The music program provides quality, comprehensive opportunities and
experiences for vocal and instrumental musicians.
Post Secondary Enrollment Options
In 1985 the Minnesota Legislature adopted the Post Secondary Enrollment Option Act
which enables high school juniors and seniors to enroll in courses or programs at
eligible post-secondary institutions. The purpose of this Act is to promote rigorous
educational pursuits and to provide a wide variety of options to high school students
by enabling them to enroll full or part-time, without cost, in non-sectarian courses
or programs.
Eden Prairie will grant academic credit to students enrolled in a course or program
if that student successfully completes the course or program attended. The credits
are to be counted toward graduation requirements and subject area requirements in
the school district. The student will receive both high school and college credit.
There is no charge to the student for tuition, textbooks, materials or fees.
Mentor Connection
This course is designed to provide academically talented juniors and seniors with
an opportunity to study a specific topic with a mentor in the community. The course
is year-long and meets off campus. Students are required to provide their own transportation
to the mentor's place of work. Students accepted into the Mentor Connection Program
earn two high school credits. For more information, contact Dorothy Welch, Intermediate
District 287 Mentor Connection instructor, at 763-559-3535.
Early Graduation
Students desiring early completion of the requirements for graduation must submit
a plan, in writing, to their counselors prior to the start of second semester of
their junior year. Interested students should see their counselors.
Acceleration Program
Acceleration may consist of a student being placed into a higher grade
level in a single content area (subject acceleration) or moving to a higher grade
level (grade acceleration).
A classroom teacher, parent, student, or gifted specialist may request that a student
be considered for acceleration. The parent will be communicated with at this step.
The gifted specialist will then interview the classroom teacher to gather information
on reasons for the request, current classroom enrichment interventions, and student
classroom performance. The specialist will complete the initial acceleration assessment
form. If necessary, the specialist may suggest that more classroom interventions
be offered prior to an acceleration team meeting.
An acceleration team should include the following school personnel: principal, current
and previous year's classroom teachers, a teacher representative from the next grade
level, the gifted specialist, curriculum resource instructor, parent, psychologist,
and other specialists as deemed necessary.
The team will consider scores on achievement tests; scores on post-tests and authentic
assessments in a specific subject area; scores on an ability test; the student's
social and emotional maturity; the student's interest and motivation.
The acceleration team will meet and review the student information and will recommend
a course of action.
Credit for Learning
An Eden Prairie secondary student may receive credit for a course by
demonstrating competence in the skills and concepts of the course. The assessment
of this competence may include such tools as written and/or oral examinations, product
or performance exhibitions, and teacher input.
A review committee will determine the appropriateness of each request for credit
for learning. The review committee, along with the subject area teacher, will also
identify the assessment procedures(s) to be used with each student in awarding credit
for learning.
As a result of the assessment, one of the following will occur:
- No credit for learning will be awarded.
- Credit for learning will be awarded and the student will be placed in another course.
- Credit for learning will be awarded, and the student will progress by means of supervised
independent study or alternative enrichment.
Students interested in obtaining credit for learning should discuss this request
with a teacher, counselor, or case manager. As appropriate, the student will complete
an application to be submitted to the review committee.
April 1 is the preferred application deadline for the following year. Departures
from this date will be agreed to by the student and the review committee.
Eden Prairie Council for the Gifted and
Talented
Eden Prairie Council for the Gifted and Talented (EPCGT) is:
- a local chapter of Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented (MCGT).
- a parent support network.
- a resource for sharing information about gifted and talented children.
- parents interested in volunteering and providing assistance to teachers to meet
the needs of gifted students.
- an advocate of enriched learning opportunities for all students in our school district.
For more information, email to info@epcgt.org
or visit the Council's website, www.epcgt.org.