Student nominations taken for GT

Nominations are being taken for the El Campo Independent School District's Gifted and Talented Program that serve students in grades K-12 in language arts, science, social studies and mathematics areas. Gifted and talented individuals frequently behave in these ways:

• Writes in detail;

• Works consistently two or more years above grade level;

• Behaves in mature ways; • Infers sophisticated ideas;

• Thrives on complexity;

• Masters new ideas/skills with only one or two repetitions;

• Reads and comprehends above grade level with ease; and

• Manipulates information to create new thoughts.

Students enrolled in El Campo ISD who frequently behave in the manner just described may be nominated for the GT Program by their parents. Further information about the GT Program is available at each school office by contacting Pat Buss at 543-5812.

Completed parent nomination forms must be submitted to the school office no later than 9 a.m. on the following dates:

• Nov. 16, 2007 for students in kindergarten only; and

• Dec. 7, 2007 for students in grades 1-11.

The district definition of giftedness is based on the state definition:

"Gifted and talented student" means a child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who: (1) exhibits high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area; (2) possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or (3) excels in a specific academic field. (Texas Legislature 1995.)

Gifted learners may possess from one to a number of the following traits:

• Are intellectually curious, innovative, and playful with ideas.

• Enjoy the challenge and involvement of intellectual and creative tasks.

• Have a keen and sometimes unique sense of humor.

• Are independent thinkers and seek to act independently.

• Develop attitudes and interests at an early age that may lead to divergent and nonconformist behavior.

• Formulate abstractions and show facility in moving from concrete to abstract levels of thinking and of communicating.

• Prefer complex tasks and process information in complex ways.

• Read at an early age and comprehend with advanced understanding.

• Read widely and intensively in areas of special interest.

• Acquire basic skills rapidly with minimum practice.

The definitions of the areas of giftedness addressed by the district include:

• General Intellectual Ability- The student possessing general intellectual ability is consistently superior to other children in the school to the extent that he/she needs and can profit from specially-planned educational services differentiated from those provided by the standard school program.

• Specific Academic Ability- The child possessing a specific academic ability is that student who has an aptitude in a specific subject area that is consistently superior to the aptitudes of other children to the extent that he/she needs and can profit from specially-planned educational services differentiated from those provided by the standard school program.