Talented and Gifted Welcome Letter

Dear Parent(s):

  I would like to welcome you and your child to the Colonial Heights Public School's programs for the gifted. In conjunction with our Local Plan for the Education of the Gifted, the division has made a number of improvements to our K-12 program.

  Programs at the elementary level continue the effort to identify and develop high ability learners from all student populations. The goal of the PROMISE Program in grades K-2 is to identify students who have the potential of being formally identified gifted in grade 3. The PROMISE Program works with these children to further develop their cognitive abilities. The CREATE program serves identified gifted students in grades 3-5. We are particularly excited about the recent effort to infuse differentiated science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) instruction into the elementary gifted classroom. Classroom and resource teachers collaboratively develop and deliver instruction to meet all students' needs.

  Several years ago, we made a higher level exploratory elective course available to sixth grade students. This course includes a range of topics such as Lego robotics, videography, computer programming and leadership. The initiative has grown over the years. An elective class with a narrower focus on Robotics and computer programing is now available to seventh grade students. We are especially excited to announce that the elective course sequence was completed with the addition of a computer coding course for eighth graders last year. It is a unique high school credit-bearing course that will be available to interested eighth grade students again this year.
An expanded course catalog at the high school includes Advanced Placement Environmental Science, Advanced Placement Computer Science, Dual Enrollment Statistics and Dual Enrollment College Composition. Similar to the eighth grade elective, a new computer coding course is available to all 10-12 students. What is more, Colonial Heights High School is proud to participate in Code RVA, which is a school that offers online coding courses to ninth grade students this year. We continually analyze course offerings and adjust our curriculum to meet diverse student needs. In addition to providing opportunities to explore their individual abilities and interests, the addition of these courses provides high ability students with a differentiated curriculum that is as expansive as it is rigorous and relevant to the twenty-first century.

  The purpose of this website is to provide parents with information about these changes, as well as the traditional programs for identified gifted students at the elementary, middle and high school levels. In addition to summarizing the division's philosophy and goals for gifted education, I have included a parent resource section that will help you provide academic, social, and emotional support for your child at home.

  It is our hope that your child will find his/her participation in the gifted program full of rich experiences that will inspire their love of learning—both inside and outside the classroom, and throughout life. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your child's gifted resource teacher, school principal, or me. It is with great enthusiasm that I welcome those of you who are new and those of you who are returning to our program.

Sincerely,

Dr. Joseph A. Douglas
Coordinator of Gifted Education

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