Avery County Schools believes all students should have the opportunity to explore their individual interests and be intellectually challenged to ensure future success. Gifted learners present a wide-ranging set of attributes, gifts, and skills requiring intentional nurturing and fostered development. The vision of the Academically and Intellectually Gifted Program for Avery County Schools is to provide an enriched educational environment, bolstered by strong family and community partnerships allowing for gifted students to explore individual interests, achieve at high academic levels, and develop stronger leadership capacity that will support them throughout their lives.
Academically/Intellectually Gifted
Gifted students perform, or demonstrate the potential to perform, at high levels of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age and background.
As a formal screening process, all 2nd grade students complete a group administered aptitude test (CogAT Assessment). The Director of Academically/Intellectually Gifted shares results with local principals and/or MTSS teams for students scoring in the 90th percentile or above in either verbal or non-verbal portions of the assessment.
Teams may also review EOG scores for students in grades 3-8. High school teams review EOG/EOC scores as well as reports from PreACT, ACT, and PSAT tests.
Additionally, grade level teams and/or individual teachers may refer students for potential placement using a case study approach. Teacher referrals include quantitative data (MClass, iReady, EOGs, etc.), anecdotal qualitative data describing student giftedness, as well as rating scales of gifted characteristics.
Parents may also nominate a child based on parent observations and/or private testing (paid for by the parent) by a licensed psychologist. Students may nominate themselves. All nominations must be submitted in writing.
Teams evaluate the data for referred students, and a decision is made regarding placement.
A Differentiated Education Plan, or DEP, outlines how an AIG student's needs will be met through differentiation strategies.
North Carolina's Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) has approved six standards to guide local AIG programs. Additionally, each school district must create an AIG plan every three years. This plan outlines local goals for meeting the needs of gifted learners. Our current plan is for the years 2025-2028.
Dr. Logan Burleson (loganburleson@averyschools.net) -- Director of AIG
Joelle Poore (joellepoore@averyschools.net) -- AIG Specialist