Mission CISD (Consolidated Independent School District) is now accepting Gifted and Talented (G/T) program nominations for current kindergarten students. The G/T program is an educational program for gifted and talented students enrolled in Mission CISD. The program is designed to meet the needs of those students who excel in general intellectual ability, in grades K-12.
Students may be nominated for the gifted and talented program by teachers, counselors, parents, or other interested persons. Contact the student’s classroom teacher or the campus G/T contact person to make a nomination. Nominations will be accepted through Thursday, January 16, 2014.
Kindergarten students are identified and begin G/T services by March 3, 2014.
According to education code, a gifted and talented child means, “A child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who exhibits high performance capability in an intelligent, creative, or artistic area, possesses an unusual capacity for leadership, or excels in a specific academic field.”
Is Your Child Gifted?
Parents of bright students who perform well in school often wonder if their child may be gifted. Successful students are often high achievers. They make good grades, do very well on criterion-reference testing, and work hard in school. These students’ need for academic challenge should be met in the regular classroom, not through the GT program. Consider the differences between high achievers and gifted students.
| High Achievers | Gifted Learners |
| Knows the answers | Asks the questions |
| Is interested in learning | Is highly curious |
| Copies accurately | Creates a new design or way of doing it |
| Is attentive in class | Is mentally and physically involved |
| “Loves the teacher” | Loves ideas |
| Answers the questions | Discusses in detail, elaborates |
| Good memorizer | Good, informed guesser |
| Completes assignments | Initiates projects |
| Works hard | Plays around, yet tests well |
| A top group student | Is beyond the group |
| Is pleased with his/her own learning | Is highly self-critical |
| Learns with ease | Already knows |
| Wants the “rules” of the assignment | “I want to do it my way” |
| Enjoys peers | Prefers older students or adults |
If your child consistently shows characteristics of giftedness rather than characteristics of high achievement, you may want to refer your child for the Mission CISD Gifted and Talented Program.
For more information, contact the Mission CISD office of advanced academic services at 323-5506.
# # #