May 19, 2013
Questions
1)  Who is responsible for nominating students for the Gifted and Talented Program or the Gifted Fine Arts Program?
2)  When are nominations for the gifted programs accepted?
3)  What is the difference between the Gifted and Talented Program and the Gifted Fine Arts Program?
4)  Can a student participate in both the Gifted and Talented Program and the Gifted Fine Arts Program?
5)  When will we know if our child qualified for gifted services?
6)  If a child is identified once, is he/she always in the program?
7)  If a child is tested, but not identified, can he/she later be identified?
8)  If my child does not qualify for the Gifted and Talented Program , what resources are available to my child?
9)  Can I take my child to a private psychologist for an IQ test?
10)  How many students will qualify for the Gifted and Talented Program and the Gifted Fine Arts Program ?
11)  What is the average class size in the Gifted and Talented Program and the Gifted Fine Arts Program?
12)  Are students participating in the Gifted and Talented Program and the Gifted Fine Arts Program required to make up missed classroom work?
13)  How much time do students spend in the gifted pull-out programs?
14)  Are the regular education teachers trained to meet the needs of the gifted and talented students?
15)  Does my child need to be identified for the Gifted and Talented Program in order to qualify for high school Advanced Placement (AP) or honors classes?
16)  What educational training is available to the gifted specialists in the Webster Groves School District?
17)  If I have further questions regarding the Webster Groves gifted programs, whom should I contact?
 
Answers
1)  Q Who is responsible for nominating students for the Gifted and Talented Program or the Gifted Fine Arts Program?
A
Students (grades 1 - 12) may be referred to the Gifted and Talented Program for screening by a teacher, administrator, parent/guardian, or community member familiar with the student. In grades 7-12, students and peers may also nominate. Students (grades 2 - 11) may be referred to the Gifted Fine Arts Program for screening by a teacher, administrator, parent/guardian, or community member familiar with the student.
2)  Q When are nominations for the gifted programs accepted?
A

Nominations may be submitted any time during the year.  Nomination forms must be completed and returned to the building WINGS instructor, gifted specialist or district gifted coordinator by the district-wide deadlines of November 15 (for high school consideration for second semester only) and March 15 (for consideration at any grade level during the current school year). Nomination forms for the Fine Arts Gifted Program must be completed and returned to the gifted specialist or gifted coordinator by the district-wide deadline of March 15 of each year. The deadlines will be honored in order to allow adequate time for the screening and evaluation process to take place.


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3)  Q What is the difference between the Gifted and Talented Program and the Gifted Fine Arts Program?
A
The Gifted and Talented Program serves academically gifted students. The Gifted Fine Arts Program serves students gifted in the arts.
4)  Q Can a student participate in both the Gifted and Talented Program and the Gifted Fine Arts Program?
A
Any student accepted into both the Gifted and Talented Program and the Gifted Fine Arts Program must choose only one in which to participate.  Students participating in the WINGS Program may also participate in the Gifted Fine Arts Program.
5)  Q When will we know if our child qualified for gifted services?
A
Families will receive notification by mail when the screening and/or evaluation is complete. In the Gifted and Talented Program, evaluations are completed by the end of the semester in which the nominations was submitted. In the Gifted Fine Arts Program, evaluations are completed at the end of the school year in which the nomination was submitted.
6)  Q If a child is identified once, is he/she always in the program?
A
Once a child qualifies for gifted services, the child always remains eligible for gifted services.
7)  Q If a child is tested, but not identified, can he/she later be identified?
A
Yes. Students who do not meet entrance criteria after a screening or a full evaluation administered by the Webster Groves Gifted and Talented Program are eligible for retesting by program personal. Retesting can be requested by a parent/guardian or staff member by using a standard nomination form. (See Gifted/Talented Program Nomination Form.) If requested, the Webster Groves School District will provide up to two full evaluations per student for the duration of the student's enrollment in the district. Students can be considered for retesting by the gifted program after two years have elapsed since the initial testing took place. For students who did not meet the minimum screening score on the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI), one year must elapse before that test can be re-administered.
8)  Q If my child does not qualify for the Gifted and Talented Program , what resources are available to my child?
A
The gifted specialist can provide your child’s regular classroom teacher with strategies for working with your child's strengths. Students in grades 1 – 6 may qualify for the WINGS (Webster INdependent Guided Study) program, another level of service for gifted and talented students in the Webster Groves School District. See the gifted website, gifted handbook, or contact your gifted specialist for information about the WINGS program. In grades 6 – 12, enrichment opportunities are available through extensive after school programs and clubs.
9)  Q Can I take my child to a private psychologist for an IQ test?
A
Yes. Families may seek outside testing at their own expense if their child receives a FullScale IQ score of 120 or higher on the intelligence test administered by the Webster Groves Gifted and Talented Program. Outside testers must be a certified psychological examiner, school psychologist, or licensed psychologist. A list of qualified testers is available from the gifted coordinator's office.
10)  Q How many students will qualify for the Gifted and Talented Program and the Gifted Fine Arts Program ?
A
Up to 7% of the total district population can be served in the Gifted and Talented Program. Up to 2% of the total district population can be be served in Fine Arts Gifted Program.
11)  Q What is the average class size in the Gifted and Talented Program and the Gifted Fine Arts Program?
A
Class or group sizes within the gifted program range from 5 to 15 students, with an average of 10 students per class.
12)  Q Are students participating in the Gifted and Talented Program and the Gifted Fine Arts Program required to make up missed classroom work?
A
Students are required to master the concept/skill presented in their absence, and to make up work that is taken for a grade or a test.
13)  Q How much time do students spend in the gifted pull-out programs?
A

In the Gifted and Talented Program , students receive the following minutes of service weekly: Grade 1 - 90 minutes Grade 2 - 150 minutes Grades 3 - 5 / 250 minutes Grades 6 - 8 / 150 minutes Grades 9 - 12 / 200 - 300 minutes In the Gifted Fine Arts Program , students receive the following minutes of service weekly: Grades 3 - 8 / 150 minutes Grades 9 - 12 / 200 - 300 minutes

These minutes are given in approximate times.

14)  Q Are the regular education teachers trained to meet the needs of the gifted and talented students?
A

All school staff is made aware of the nomination procedures and the nature and needs of gifted students at annual staff meetings. Study groups and professional development opportunities are also offered to all district staff.  The district staff also partipate in ongoing initiatives that support responsively educating gifted students.  These initiatives include:  Response to Intervention, Differentiated Instruction and Social Justice.


15)  Q Does my child need to be identified for the Gifted and Talented Program in order to qualify for high school Advanced Placement (AP) or honors classes?
A
No. Students enrolled in high school AP and honors classes have met the Webster Groves School District criteria for placement in those classes. For specific criteria for AP and honors classes, please contact your child's guidance counsellor or Sheryll Coulter, high school gifted coordinator.
16)  Q What educational training is available to the gifted specialists in the Webster Groves School District?
A
All gifted specialists are certified in the area of gifted education by the state of Missouri.Throughout the school year and during the summer, professional development opportunities are offered to all K-12 teachers. Expert teachers in the district, as well as outside educational consultants and speakers, offer classes and forums for teachers to learn about and reflect on instructional practices. Teachers are encouraged to attend local, state, and national conferences on gifted education and other current educational topics related to gifted education.
17)  Q If I have further questions regarding the Webster Groves gifted programs, whom should I contact?
A
The district gifted coordinator, Kristy Daniels-Jackson, can be contacted at 918-4366 or via email danielsjackson.kristy@wgmail.org Sheryll Coulter, gifted coordinator at the Webster Groves High School, can be contacted at 918-4607 or by email coulter.sheryll@wgmail.org Each school site has a gifted specialist who can provide program information and serve as support to parents and teachers. School principals are available to provide program information. The district gifted website also contains detailed information and resources. The site can be accessed at www.webster.k12.mo.us/gifted