Philosophy of Hartland-Lakeside School District

Gifted and Talented Services  

The Hartland/Lakeside School District acknowledges and values the talent in all its students.  The process of screening, identification, and service delivery for gifted and talented has been developed in order to meet the unique needs of all learners. Within the context of the 21st century learner, programming for gifted and talented learners does not occur in isolation, rather, it is embedded in the context of the school environment in order to establish a school community that is responsive to the needs of all students. A wide range of learning opportunities must be provided for students identified as gifted and talented in order to extend, expand, and enrich the exceptional capabilities and interests of gifted students in one or more of the following areas:  general intelligence; specific academic ability; creativity; visual or performing arts; leadership.  The majority of services provided for students, who have been identified as gifted and talented, are provided within the general education classroom.  The Hartland Lakeside School District believes that differentiated curriculum is essential for meeting the needs of all learners in the classroom. Within the context of the classroom, students must be provided rich learning opportunities in order to build critical thinking skills, expand their problem solving ability, enhance their oral and written communication, and to expand their ability to collaborate with the community and the world.
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s Comprehensive Integrated Programming Model for Gifted Education served as a foundation for the Hartland Lakeside School District’s gifted education and talented service delivery philosophy.

Goals of Gifted and Talented in Hartland Lakeside School District

1. To support the implementation of differentiated instruction and enriched learning experiences in order to challenge students in a manner that extends, expands, and enriches students’ potential.

2. To ensure valid and reliable identification of gifted students in five areas (general
intelligence, specific academic ability, creativity, visual or performing arts, and leadership) through the use of multiple criteria and an identification plan approved by the district. The identification process will guide the development of services by providing information about the student’s unique academic, behavioral, or social-emotional needs.   

3. To provide professional development for all staff on differentiation and the ability to recognize and nurture the needs of students with exceptional academic, intellectual, creative, visual or performing arts, and/or leadership capabilities.
 
4. To support the development of students’ leadership and collaboration skills with the world and community by supporting students’ social and emotional development.