Gifted & Talented

Gifted and Talented Center School

To request a 30 minute after school student tour, click here.

Please email Ben Hershelman at Benjamin.Hershelman@jeffco.k12.co.us for all inquiries around enrollment at the North Arvada GT Center

The GT Department will continue working with schools to support Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) implementation, progress monitoring, and goal completion for identified gifted learners this year. We will also continue to accept GT identification referrals, though we may not be able to make determinations until we have a complete body of evidence when normal operations resume.

Consider the following in supporting your gifted learner in a remote environment

Social Emotional Considerations:

Some of our students may be hesitant with change, struggle with lack of normalcy/schedule/predictability, get frustrated, become overwhelmed, and experience increased sensitivity to words, sounds, light, etc. Many gifted and twice-exceptional students may show some of these ‘overexcitabilities’ that can make remote learning more challenging. Encourage positivity and hope in relation to their current situation. See this article, Helping Your Child Manage Stress Through Mindfulness, from the National Association for Gifted Children’s (NAGC) Parenting for High Potential.

Academic Considerations:

If students are feeling like the pace of learning is too slow, encourage them to explore ‘passion projects’ related to the content where they can go deeper with learning related to their interests.
If students feel the format of learning is too challenging, encourage them to self-advocate with their teachers in a positive way.

Remember, all of us are figuring our way through this new environment, teachers included. See this Gifted Student Self-Advocacy Tip Sheet from NAGC for ideas on this.

For additional support and ideas for both academic and social emotional considerations, reach out to your child’s GT Resource Teacher during the office hours noted above.

Advanced Learning Plan

North Arvada Middle School develops an Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) to guide programming for every identified gifted student.

Learn More

Gifted & Talented in Jeffco

The Jeffco Public Schools Gifted and Talented (GT) Department’s vision is to Actualize Learners’ Potential for gifted and high-ability learners through a focus on access, equity, inclusion and diversity. All students deserve an education that provides meaningful growth academically, socially and emotionally.

Each year, every second grader in Jeffco takes The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) which measures reasoning skills with different types of verbal, quantitative and nonverbal questions. The results of this test inform teachers which students may be identified as gifted and talented.

What Is A Gifted Student?

GT students are learners between the ages of four and 21 whose abilities, talents or potential for accomplishment are so exceptional or developmentally advanced that they require special educational programming. Children under five who are gifted may also receive early childhood special educational services.

Gifted students include students from all backgrounds who have exceptional abilities or potential. Gifted students are capable of exceptional performance, production or learning behavior and have one or more of these areas of giftedness: