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Oakwood Schools

   

Oakwood Gifted Program logo
Our mission is to provide services necessary for gifted students to realize their potential.

The Oakwood Gifted Program

Almost half of Oakwood students are identified as gifted, according to the State of Ohio’s definition, in at least one of the domains of giftedness: Superior Cognitive, Specific Academic (math, science, language arts, social studies), Creative Thinking and Visual & Performing Arts.

Most gifted students in Oakwood are served through differentiation provided within the general education program. The Oakwood Gifted Program assesses students for giftedness, provides professional development for educators and resources for parents, and provides additional services for those gifted students who require more extensive enrichment/extension.

Students who receive gifted services require a Written Education Plan (WEP). The purpose of a WEP is to outline the academic goals for the student in his or her area(s) of talent or gifted ability. WEPs are written by the teachers in collaboration with the gifted intervention specialists at the beginning of the school year. Progress toward WEP goals are sent home with the report cards of students in grades K through 6.  For junior high and high school students, the WEP goal progress is part of the course grades and comments each quarter.

For more information on the Oakwood Gifted program, go to FAQ about Oakwood Gifted Education.   

To access the required forms and additional information, go to Gifted Forms and Resources.

For more information about raising a gifted student, go to Links.

Gifted Identification Referrals Now Being Accepted  

According to Ohio House Bill 282, all Ohio public school districts are required to identify students for giftedness. This law, however, does not mandate any services for identified gifted and talented students.  Areas of gifted identification include: superior cognitive ability and achievement, specific academic (math, reading, science, and social studies), creative thinking, and visual/performing arts (visual art, dance, drama, music).

Assessment procedures vary for each area of identification.  Visual/performing arts assessments are offered throughout the school year on an annual basis.  All teachers, counselors, and administrators receive notification of students who have been identified as gifted in any of the domains. 

If you would like your child to be assessed for gifted identification, referral forms are available in the school offices and through the building gifted intervention specialist (GIS).

The referral form can be completed by parents/guardians, teachers, or peers of children who perform, or show the potential for performing, at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of their age, experience, or environment (state definition). If your child has been identified as gifted in one or more of the above domains, additional referral/assessment for that domain is not necessary.  Once a student has been identified as gifted in a domain, the student maintains the gifted identification throughout his/her schooling in Ohio.  To maintain the eligibility for services, scores attained within the previous 24 months are used. Matrices for gifted services are available online on the Gifted Intervention Specialists’ websites or at your child’s school. 

Whole-grade gifted assessment is regularly completed throughout a child’s school career.  In grades 2, 4, and 6, students take the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and the Cognitive Abilities Test.  These tests can be used to help identify students as gifted in the domains of Superior Cognitive Ability and Specific Academic Ability.  The SAT and ACT can also be used to identify giftedness. Additionally, our Gifted Intervention Specialists coordinate assessments based on parent/teacher referrals. 

Department Staff

Katie Poppa
OJH / OHS Gifted Intervention Specialist
937-297-5328

Ceci White

Ceci White
Smith Elementary Gifted Intervention Specialist
937-297-5335

Mallory Bright

Mallory Bright
Harman School Gifted Intervention Specialist
937-297-5338

Resources