FAQ's
Saydel ELP Mission Statement: To provide services designed to meet the educational, social and emotional needs of gifted learners and to cultivate and refine the skills for those learners to be able to reach their maximum potential as responsible, productive citizens and life-long learners.
The mission of the Saydel Community School District is to serve the unique learning needs of each and every student.
FAQ’s @ Saydel’s Extended Learning Program
How do I know if my child is gifted?
Gifted children show the potential for performing at exceptionally high levels compared to their age peers. Gifted children usually learn at a faster pace, use a large vocabulary, ask many questions, and need activities that are complex and challenging. They may also be highly sensitive, creative, and intense. These are only some of the characteristics of a gifted child.
What do gifted students need in a school setting?
- Gifted students’ learning needs are best met when parents, teachers, and the school community collaborate to provide educational opportunities
- They need opportunities to explore their passions and interests in order to develop their talents, promote self-direction and encourage life-long learning
- Gifted students require qualitatively differentiated curriculum and instruction that includes, but not limited to , increased rigor and appropriate pace
- These students learn best in the company of their intellectual peers
- They require appropriate opportunities to develop 21st Century skills as noted in the Iowa Core
How are needs of Saydel’s high ability students met?
- course compacting
- project based learning
- community service projects
- content acceleration
- cluster grouping with intellectual peers
- grade-based acceleration
- collaboration with classroom teachers
- competitions
- AP Classes
- online independent study
- mentoring
- early graduation
- goal-setting
How are Saydel students identified for ELP services?
Students are formally screened for ELP services in 3rd and 6th grades
Testing criteria used for identification will be targeted towards students scoring at the “Highly Proficient” level (95%+) and therefore in need of possible enrichment and/or acceleration curriculum.
3rd Grade Data Collection includes:
- Iowa Assessments
- Kingore Observation
- aReading / aMath
- FAST
- CogAT
- Teacher recommendation
6th Grade Data Collection includes:
- Iowa Assessments
- CogAT
- MAP
- Classroom Teacher Recommendation survey (5th and/or 6th grade).
9th Grade Data Collection includes:
- Iowa Assessments
- MAP
- CogAT
- Classroom Teacher Recommendation survey (5th and/or 6th grade).
Who identifies students for ELP services?
Extended Learning Program (ELP) Identification Committee:
- grade level teachers
- ELP coordinators
- guidance counselor
- building principal
What if we move into the district?
Data of students new to the district will be reviewed by the guidance counselor for possible ELP services and information will be passed to ELP staff for evaluation of possible program services.
If a student moves in from another school district and has Personal Education Plan (PEP) from his/her previous school, the guidance counselor/principal will pass the information on to the ELP staff for follow up data collection and evaluation. Decision for academic needs will be discussed before the next grading period.
Are students identified at any other times?
Students are informally identified K-12 as needed.
Ongoing Grade Data Collection may include:
- Kingore Observation Inventory
- Classroom Teacher Recommendation
- Iowa Assessments
- CogAT
- MAP
- aReading / aMath
- ACT/SAT/PSAT scores
- Testing from another school
- Classroom assessments
- Student interview and/or parent interview.
What kind of educational programming does Saydel provide to students?
Targeted/Formal Enrichment.
These students are identified with a PEP (Personal Education Plan) which creates and guides the level of challenge and rigor beyond the typical classroom curriculum in order to meet the students’ specific academic needs
What is a PEP?
An appropriate Personal Education Plan (PEP), with collaboration from ELP staff, classroom teacher, parent and student, will be developed and written for each identified student .
This plan will become a part of the student’s cumulative record.
It will include:
a. Programming options which ensure a qualitative differentiated educational plan
b. Personal performance goals and objectives
c. Resource, product and evaluative records
d. Activities in which the student has participated
e. Strength areas, learning styles, interest areas and future needs to set long term goals for student (middle school, high school, post-secondary, career)
f. Progress monitoring and annual review.
The Personal Education Plan (PEP) will include program information and student goals. This plan is shared with appropriate classroom teachers to ensure programming needs are being fulfilled.
Monitored Enrichment
These students score at 85% or higher in core subject areas and are those who need differentiated instruction to progress toward increasing academic challenge and complexity.