• WHAT IS GIFTEDNESS?

    The state of Florida recognizes "giftedness" as "students who have superior intellectual development and are capable of high performance". Osceola County identifies these students through a variety of methods, including teacher identification, screening, and test data evaluation.

    Students who are identified as gifted may qualify for support services for their giftedness which can range from being grouped in classes with other gifted students, to being placed with teachers who understand their special needs, to having consulting teachers who meet with them on a regular basis.

    HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR CHILD MIGHT BE GIFTED?

    • Gifted students will often ask “why?” to every thing

    • Gifted students will be heavily committed to a task they are interested in (this may not be school related…)

    • Gifted students may be very emotionally mature, expressing concerns for world issues at a young age or wondering about their place in the world.

    OSCEOLA COUNTY'S GIFTED PROGRAM

    In Osceola County, gifted students are served based on their individual needs at each individual school. While every school may serve gifted students differently, here are a few common programs found in our county:

    Elementary - Students in Elementary are often served through what is called a "cluster model". This means that students are placed in a classroom with other gifted students who can have challenging conversations with your gifted student and keep pace with them on activities. These classes are led by a Gifted Endorsed Teacher who has taken classes to help understand what giftedness is and how it is best served. Classrooms should provide "differentiated instruction" that offers classwork for your student that is challenging to them and encourages productive struggle.

    Middle - Students in Middle Schools are often offered either the cluster model or a form of a gifted elective course. This course often focuses on supporting gifted students in their academic endeavors and providing social-emotional affective support to help your students with their gifted asynchrony. Teachers of these courses are gifted endorsed and trained in understanding the talents and traps of giftedness.

    High - High Schools in Osceola County offer what is called the "Consultation Model". Gifted students on this model will be provided with a minimum of a 15 minute consultation on their giftedness and academics each month with a gifted endorsed teacher. These consultations can serve your student in topics from academic to social-emotional to collegiate support. Students can request help with scheduling, finding challenging opportunities, and getting enrichment during the school day.

    Odyssey of the Mind - Most schools also offer the "Odyssey of the Mind" enrichment program that is great for helping your gifted student grow their creativity and enriching their learning. Students in this club are given problems that require a range of skills and creativity to accurately solve over the course of many months without adult help. Team participate in a tournament in February. For more information on Odyssey, contact an administrator at your student's school, or visit the Osceola County Odyssey of the Mind page.

    CONTACT INFORMATION

    Gifted Contact: Kris Rodgers, kris.rodgers@osceolaschools.net

    IMPORTANT LINKS

    Information on the Universal Gifted Screener: Universal Gifted Screener Information
    National Association of Gifted: www.nagc.org
    Florida Association of Gifted: www.flagifted.org
    Davidson Academy's Gifted Page: www.davidsongifted.org
    FL Department of Education Gifted Page: http://www.fldoe.org/academics/exceptional-student-edu/gifted-edu.stml
    Parent Info for Gifted:
    You Know Your Child is Gifted When: https://www.freespirit.com/pages/resource.cfm?file=2267