Talent Development, Academic Challenge & Gifted Support (TAG)

In Level One, rigorous and enriching opportunities are provided for all students. These opportunities may include classroom lessons, Makerspace, Genius Hour, engineering projects, guest speakers, community building or community service events. Lessons are focused on creative thinking skills, analogies, growth mindset and mindfulness.

Differentiated support is provided by the TAG specialist to classroom teachers in order to support all students with challenging learning opportunities that help them discover their unique interests and strengths.

All students are placed in heterogeneous classrooms. “Clustering” is used to create instructional groups in each third through fifth grade classroom. This practice will reduce the range of the instructional groups within a classroom, allowing the teacher to better provide a differentiated learning experience for each student. This “clustering” approach is based upon the Total School Clustering Model developed by Marcia Gentry at Purdue University.

Enrichment and enhancement opportunities are provided through pull-out classes. These sessions focus on Verbal, Non-Verbal and Quantitative skills. Level Two services, while targeting specific ability areas, are designed to introduce and build "How to Learn" skills in our students. These skills include (but are not limited to):

• Becoming creative thinkers, problem solvers, strategic researchers and skilled communicators
• Efficiently using technology
• Determining how to best share information with a targeted audience to produce a desired result

Extension and challenge are provided through pull-out sessions. Sessions may include a more rigorous version of Level Two programming. Additional core course extensions such as Continental Math League and WordMasters may also be provided.

Students are involved in independent investigations which are designed to provide opportunities to investigate a special area of interest. Students will develop a project and share their findings. These independent study projects will be facilitated by the TAG Specialist. In addition to independent investigations, the following may be an option for some students:

• Full grade acceleration
• Single subject acceleration
• Participation in advanced coursework through university partners or other agencies

Additional after-school enrichment opportunities are available at many sites, including:

• Math Masters
• Destination Imagination
• District 279 Children’s Chorus
• WordMasters
• Community Education classes