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  3. Elementary

Elementary

Four students work on assignments at a red table in a classroom setting.

Welcome

Welcome to our Elementary AIG Program! CCS is committed to nurturing the strengths of gifted and high-ability learners by providing opportunities that challenge their thinking, spark creativity, and support academic and personal growth. On this page, you'll find information about how we serve identified students, what families can expect, and how we partner with schools to ensure each child’s needs are met.

To better meet the needs of our gifted learners, we’ve made thoughtful changes to the way we deliver AIG services in our district. Research and feedback from the state and stakeholders helped guide this shift. Rather than focusing on how much time a child receives, we’re prioritizing what happens during that time—making sure services are meaningful, targeted, and aligned with each student’s specific area of identification. This approach allows us to move away from a one-size-fits-all model and instead offer more intentional support that honors each child’s strengths, needs, and potential. Our goal is to create learning experiences that are engaging, challenging, and designed to help gifted students grow.

AIG At-Home Enrichment 

Text AIG At Home, K-2 Resources, 3-5 Resources

Below you’ll find information about the gifted services available at the elementary level. Our program is designed to support advanced learners through engaging enrichment opportunities and personalized learning that helps each child grow at their own pace.

  • Purpose:  Elementary students in 1st and 2nd grade will have the opportunity to experience enrichment classes that extend the curriculum in the regular classroom.  These LIFT (Learning Interventions for Talented) classes provide students, the regular classroom teacher, and the teacher of gifted education a chance to partner together in the cultivation of potential in young high ability students.  

    Curriculum:  The LIFT program consists of whole group and small group lessons focusing on Convergent, Divergent, Visual/Spatial, and Evaluative thinking skills using the Primary Education Thinking Skills curriculum (Pieces of Learning). PETS is a systematized enrichment and diagnostic thinking skills program that serves the dual purpose of helping in the identification of academically talented students and teaching students higher level thinking skills. 

    Format:  The entire class is given the opportunity to experience the challenge of the thinking skills through whole group lessons facilitated by the school’s AIG teacher.  Based on teacher observation and student performance, a small group of students is then given further opportunity to explore the thinking skill in a variety of in-depth small group activities.  During the second grade small group activities, the AIG teacher is able to evaluate student potential further and to plan student programming accordingly. 

    Throughout the program, the AIG teacher and regular classroom teacher will collaborate by collecting data through observations and work samples. After each thinking skill is introduced, the AIG teacher will provide the regular classroom teacher with possible resources that they may use for enrichment within the classroom.

    Please understand that students pulled for small groups in 1st grade may not necessarily be pulled for small groups in 2nd grade.  Group participation is determined by a student’s individual strengths.  Additionally, small group participation does not necessarily mean that they are formally identified by AIG; it just means that they are strong in a variety of thinking skills and the AIG teacher is going to build upon those skills.  The formal identification process will take place in 3rd-5th grade.

     

  • A table outlines service support and identification methods for different grade levels.