Gifted & Talented

Franklin Township School District is committed to an educational program that supports the
unique needs, talents and abilities of its students. Central to our approach is identifying services
that promote gifted behaviors, rather than labeling children as having reached a state of
“being gifted.”

How Giftedness Is Defined

The district applies the Three-Ring Conception of Giftedness (J.S. Renzulli, 1986), which defines
giftedness as the interaction of three traits rather than a single test score:

• above average to superior academic ability
• a high level of task commitment
• a high level of creativity

Program Goals

The program for students identified as highly academic, creative and task-committed aims to:

• use multiple criteria to identify students
• engage students in higher-order and creative thinking
• provide opportunities for leadership and self-directed learning
• enhance social, communication and presentation skills
• facilitate collaboration with peers
• engage small groups in intensive learning experiences

What Students Do

The program provides individual and small-group investigations of real problems at an advanced
level of depth and complexity. Students pursue authentic problems using research skills and inquiry
methods, extend content skills they have already acquired, and work at a professional level of
thinking and collaboration.

Identification

Under Board Policy 6171.2, the district maintains an ongoing identification process using multiple
measures covering intellectual ability, creativity and specific academic areas. The process considers
all students, including multilingual learners and students with an Individualized Education Program
(IEP) or 504 plan.

Documents

• FTS Stretch Program (PDF) — the full program description.
• Gifted and Talented Policy 6171.2 (PDF) — the Board policy governing identification and services.

Draft note for the Steward — delete before publishing: Both PDF links are on the live page and should be carried across. I have written the page from their contents so the page is readable without downloading either. The live page is currently a banner image with no text — Standard 2.1’s named example of non-compliance.

Questions

Mrs. Amelia Lamonde, Vice Principal/Supervisor of Curriculum and Academic Achievement
Extension 1160 · alamonde@ftschool.org