Gifted Specialist - Nicole DeVargas / LS Gifted Testing Information

Vision: Empowering all students to reach their optimal potential through meaningful connections.

Mission: Advocate, Educate, Engage with integrity and compassion

A continuum of services is offered in grades K-12 throughout the district. Gifted services support a challenging and rigorous curriculum that aligns with Florida’s Framework for K-12 Gifted Learners in addition to research-based gifted materials.

In K-5, the Blend Model is described by the state of Florida’s Bureau of Standards and Instructional Support as a classroom with identified gifted students intentionally placed with a teacher who has earned the gifted endorsement and clearly documents differentiated lesson plans and specially designed instruction for gifted Education Plan goals.

Gifted students in grades 6-8 are served in the Advanced-Content Model and are grouped based on achievement and interest in specific content areas. Gifted students should be intentionally placed in a minimum of one course in the daily schedule which is taught by a gifted-endorsed teacher. Courses taught by a gifted-endorsed teacher ensure differentiation is clearly documented in the lesson plan and is at a level of rigor to maximize student potential.

Gifted students in grades 9-12 are served in the Consultation Model. A teacher of the gifted monitors the student’s progress to ensure the gifted student achieves successful accomplishment of the gifted goals in the general education setting. The consultation teacher is required to maintain a record of the services as related to the EP goals. Consultation occurs at least once a month or more frequently as determined by the needs of the student.


Gifted Resource and Curriculum Enrichment Team (GRACE Team)

*Build relationships with students/teachers/stakeholders: Visibility, Flexibility, Communication, Supportive Expertise

*Continue K-12  resource pull-out opportunities for gifted students to develop affective and cognitive skills and interact with like-minded peers, i.e. Enrichment Time, Lunch Bunch, Clubs, etc.

*Continue instructional leadership and professional development for all faculties in specially designed instruction, differentiation and/or issues related to characteristics of giftedness

*Continue K-12 ESE support at all schools, i.e. compliance, FTE, EP/IEP plans, eligibility and progression meetings

*Continue K-12 community involvement and relationship building with all stakeholders, i.e. GPAC, Teacher Toolbox, Parent & Family Engagement, etc.

*Continue & expand facilitation of Gifted Endorsement courses throughout the district

 

Gifted eligibility defined: A student is determined to be eligible for gifted service as defined by current State Board of Education Rule 6A-6.03019, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), Special Instructional Programs for Students Who Are Gifted. This rule states (1) “Gifted. One who has superior intellectual development and is capable of high performance. (2) Criteria for eligibility. A student is eligible for special instructional programs for the gifted if the student meets the criteria under paragraph (2) (a) or (b) of this rule.

(a) The student demonstrates: 1. Need for a special program. 2. Most characteristics of gifted students according to a standard scale or checklist; and 3. Superior intellectual development as measured by an intelligence quotient of two (2) standard deviations or more above the mean on an individually administered standardized test of intelligence.”

(b) “The student is a member of an under-represented group and meets the criteria specified in an approved school district plan. For the purpose of the rule, under-represented populations are defined as groups who are limited English proficient (LEP) or who are from a low socio-economic status (SES) family.”

Any student may be nominated as a potential candidate for gifted services. Following the completion of assessment and evaluation, a team will convene to review the evaluations and determine the student’s eligibility based on state criteria for eligibility for gifted.

 


GPAC: Gifted Parent Advisory Council

What is GPAC?

The SJCSD Gifted Parent Advisory Council (GPAC) is a broad-based district gifted advisory committee representing educators, parents, and stakeholders who meet quarterly to discuss ways to support the gifted program and its students. Through collaborative learning, engagement, and advocacy, the members of GPAC support one another in navigating appropriate academic and affective learning paths for our gifted learners. All parents and/or caregivers of a SJCSD gifted student are encouraged to participate.

For more information about GPAC, please reach out to:

Sherri-Lee Heath, Gifted Program Specialist, K-12

[email protected] or (904) 547-6058

or the Gifted Resource and Curriculum Enrichment itinerant teacher at your child’s school

View the GPAC Meeting Schedule.


Please refer any questions to:

Sherri-Lee Heath
Gifted Program Specialist
[email protected]
or (904) 547-6058

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