Gifted Department
Vision
Our vision for gifted education is to provide programming opportunities which meet the academic needs and the social emotional needs of ALL gifted learners in a multi-tiered system of support:
- In which we continue to improve our identification, assessment, and program practices for all gifted learners
- In which we ensure equity, inclusion, and access for all gifted learners
- In which we ensure program evaluation and improvement of gifted education for all gifted learners in Durango District 9-R.
Durango 9-R's definition of a gifted student is aligned with the definition provided by the Colorado Department of Education:
"Gifted students" are persons between the ages of five and twenty-one whose abilities, talents, and potential for accomplishment are so exceptional or developmentally advanced that they require special provisions to meet their educational programming needs. Children under five who are gifted may also be provided with early childhood special educational services. Gifted students include gifted students with disabilities (i.e. twice-exceptional) and students with exceptional abilities or potential from all socio-economic, ethnic, and cultural populations. Gifted students are capable of high performance, exceptional production, or exceptional learning behavior by virtue of any or a combination of these areas of giftedness:
- General or specific intellectual ability
- Specific academic aptitude
- Creative or productive thinking
- Leadership abilities
- Visual arts, performing arts, musical or psycho-motor abilities