Gifted Programming at SMSD

The South Middleton School District offers a K to 12 gifted education program.  Supports and services may consist of a pull-out enrichment program, grade or subject acceleration, independent enrichment projects, and/or modified classroom instruction. The make-up of an eligible student's gifted program is based on academic needs.   In terms of pull-out support,  students receive direct instruction from the gifted support teacher.  Instruction is guided by the Gifted Individualized Education Program (GIEP) and may consist of challenging, collaborative activities based on grade level content, independent studies and/or projects based on student interest.

The gifted program consists of two gifted support teachers; one assigned to grades K-5 and the other assigned to grades 6-12.  In addition, selected high school teachers may serve as case managers to help facilitate the secondary program.  The gifted support teachers provide enrichment, opportunities for acceleration, or both for students as provided in each student's GIEP.  Enrichment opportunities may include but are not limited to curriculum-based extensions, compaction, differentiated instruction and assignments, pull-out class, and academic competitions.  Acceleration may include but is not limited to online learning, advanced curriculum instruction and assignments, subject specific acceleration, and grade skipping. The district Acceleration Protocol is used when making decisions regarding whole grade and subject specific acceleration.