Colonial Heights Public Schools

The PROMISE and CREATE Programs
Grades K-5

The goal of the PROMISE (Providing Real Opportunities to Make Individuals Successful in Education) program is to identify students in grades K-2 who demonstrate high academic ability and, thus, have the of being identified gifted. The PROMISE program focuses on nurturing and further developing these students' cognitive abilities. At the end of grade 2, all PROMISE students will be tested for participation in the gifted program (CREATE) for the following year. Nationally, the number of students identified as gifted is about 3% of the total school population. Therefore, it should be noted that many of the PROMISE students will not be found eligible for participation in the CREATE program.

The emphasis of the CREATE (Creative Resources for Exceptional Academic and Talented Endeavors) program in grades 3-5 is on the learning processes which will enable each gifted student to reach their academic potential and to become contributing members of the larger society later in life. Progress reports are sent home at the end of each semester.

Both programs consist of four components: cluster grouping, in-class activities, pull-out services, and differentiated classroom programs which are designed by the classroom and gifted resource teachers.

PROMISE & CREATE
Student Selection Process

Every year, all incoming kindergartners are screened for participation in the division's K-2 PROMISE program. In addition, transfer students and/or non-participating students may be referred for evaluation for admittance to the program. Classroom teachers, parents, peers, and other adults who are aware of students' abilities are able to refer children for testing. Furthermore, students are permitted to self-refer. Any student may be referred for formal identification at any time during the school year. At the end of grade 2, all PROMISE students will be tested for participation in the gifted program (CREATE) for the following year.
The screening process uses the following criteria to determine eligibility:

• Nonverbal ability test
• Teacher Assessment Scale
• Individual interview
• Creative products

Evaluation for the CREATE program is a continuous process designed to identify students from all cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. The identification process is the joint responsibility of 1) the school counselor, 2) the gifted resource teacher, and 3) the classroom teacher who will review the following:

• Achievement test data
• Ability test data
• Honor roll grades
• Superior student products (based on professional judgment)
• Teacher Assessment Scale to indicate those students who demonstrate behaviors indicative of giftedness.

The CREATE Program
Grades 6-8

Identified gifted students are cluster grouped in middle school honors classes. Two CREATE resource teachers work with students and honors teachers to ensure courses are firmly grounded in instructional practice best for the gifted learner. The gifted resource teachers use push-in and pull-out models to differentiate instruction for regular education and identified gifted students. The CREATE resource teachers also work with identified gifted students to ensure their individual needs are met.

Grade 6: CREATE students participate in honors English and honors math classes. CREATE resource teachers collaborate with students and core teachers to ensure the courses are firmly grounded in instructional practices that are deemed to be best suited for the gifted classroom. An elective class, CREATE Exploratory, offers students instruction in leadership studies, Lego Robotics, SCRATCH programming, engineering and videography is available to identified gifted students in sixth grade. Additionally, Honors Math is taught by one of the CREATE resource teachers, and instruction is focused on being able to mathematically reason through real-world problems.

Grade 7: CREATE students participate in honors life science, honors English, and pre-algebra. The resource teachers also collaborate with core teachers to ensure the classes are firmly grounded in instructional practices that are deemed to be best suited for the gifted classroom. Additionally, Honors English is taught by one of the CREATE resource teachers, and instruction is focused on being able to create products that demonstrate a higher-level understanding of English concepts such as symbolism and theme.

Grade 8: CREATE students participate in honors physical science, Civics, honors English, and algebra. CREATE resource teachers collaborate with honors instructors and students to ensure the classes are firmly grounded in instructional practices that are deemed to be best suited for the gifted classroom. Additionally, Honors English is taught by one of the CREATE resource teachers, and instruction is focused on being able to communicate higher-level connections found in texts.

Student Growth
CREATE students work with the resource and classroom teachers to set individual goals and to create a personalized Differentiated Education Plan (DEP). DEPs guide student learning throughout the school year. At the end of each semester, the resource and classroom teachers use a rubric to evaluate student progress toward meeting their DEP goals. Gifted student progress reports are sent home at the end of each school year. Additionally, teachers are urged to use student-led conferences and student portfolios as a communication tool with parents.

The Gifted and Talented Program
Grades 9-12

At the high school level, the gifted resource teacher advises identified gifted students in grade 9 on issues surrounding career planning, academic coursework, and personal counseling. While gifted students in grades 10-12 receive counseling services from other high school counselors, they meet with the gifted resource teacher frequently throughout the year. In addition to providing counseling services to students in grade 9, the gifted resource teacher collaborates with 9-12 classroom instructors to ensure that differentiated instruction is used to meet the needs of identified gifted students.

Students' academic needs are met through honors, Advanced Placement (AP), and dual-enrollment classes. Dual-enrollment classes are organized through local colleges and universities. AP courses are college-level classes for which most colleges and universities grant transcript credit, provided the student receives a passing score on the AP final exam. Any student who meets the school's criteria for enrollment may participate in these courses without formal gifted identification. The highest quality of student performance is expected in all honors and AP classes.
Colonial Heights High School
Advanced Courses

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Student Growth
High school students work with the guidance department to plan for college and career. Through course selection (honors, dual enrollment, and AP) students are challenged with a rigorous curriculum. High school teachers utilize formative and summative assessments, as well as rubrics to communicate student progress toward rigorous curricular goals. Students are encouraged to take advantage of specific counseling addressing their individual needs as gifted students. AP and dual enrollment classes are particularly helpful in preparing students for the demands they will face in college. Students develop habits of mind and learn strategies to help prepare them so they may properly handle rigorous college expectation.