Changes to Elementary Gifted Services Next Year Equals More Services for More Students

Beginning next school year, changes to the structure of Lakota's gifted services at the elementary grade levels will result in more students being served as well as more services. A professional development plan implemented by a modified team of gifted intervention specialists (GISs) will shift gifted education for math to the traditional classroom, while adding a new opportunity for gifted instruction in English Language Arts plus and increased support for social-emotional learning for all students.

Beginning in the fall, the GIS team will no longer pull students in order to teach a separate class, but will instead join the classroom teacher where there are clusters of gifted students. This will allow the GIS team to support the gifted students while working alongside the classroom teacher. Targeted professional development will be given to classroom teachers so that they will be able to instruct gifted students as well. 

“By approaching the way we teach differently, more teachers are being trained to provide these services,” said Lauren Webb, Lakota’s assistant director of gifted services. “This, in turn, will increase the number of students receiving services in a class instead of serving a smaller number of students by pulling them out of the classroom setting.” Click here to read the complete update on Lakota’s website or watch the video for a thorough explanation of these changes.