As a part of the interview process, we ask teacher candidates questions about GAL including (write examples) .  This allows us to make informed decisions about hiring and placement.

RPEMS has a partnership with The Ingenuity Project, and advanced math and science program for grades 6-8. Due to the depth of the content in their curriculum and the gifted characteristics in the majority of students, teachers must also interview with the Ingenuity Project to be hired for any of the Ingenuity courses taught. Those teachers may still still honors courses to our other students. 

In order to ensure  our teachers are adequately trained, every year teachers are required to attend professional development in areas that will engage and serve all archetypes of our gifted gifted and advanced students outside of their regular content trainings.

This resume is from our current GAL Coordinator who oversees the support and education of over 500 gifted and advanced students each year. Her background and experience in gifted education and other aspects of education demonstrate her competency to be in a position that supports our teachers in supporting their GAL students in grades K-8. She meets regularly with content leads and teacher teams.

This resume is from our current Math Coach for grades PK-3. She leads our K-3 content and planning meetings. Her background and experience in gifted education demonstrates her competency to be in a position that supports our teachers in supporting their GAL students since our classrooms are mixed ability in grades K-5.

This resume is from our current Math Coach for grades 4-8. She leads our content and planning meetings. Her background in high-level math and science demonstrates her competency to be in a position that supports our math teachers in examining their data at a deeper level and planning for gifted-level content. She has a GAL student of her own in our building that has been grade-accelerated so she has a vested interest as well.

This resume is from our current Literacy Coach for grades PK-3. She leads content and planning meetings. Her background in Special Education and differentiation demonstrates her competency to be in a position that supports our teachers in supporting their students since our classrooms are mixed ability in grades K-5. She has been pivotal in working with some of our 2E students with reading difficulties.  She has a GAL student of her own in our building so she has a vested interest as well.

We maintain this tracker of professional learning completed by our teachers to ensure everyone is regularly participating in learning opportunities about GAL.

Every month, we share a newsletter with articles, podcasts, strategies, and district opportunities, etc. The newsletters are shared with the whole staff by email and posted on our GAL Support Board. The GAL Lead is then able to follow-up in smaller planning meetings.

This is an example of a professional learning opportunity all of our staff participated in during a staff meeting.  This is done annually at the beginning of the school-year to show staff how students are identified and how services are offered in grades K-8.

All classroom teachers in grades K-2 must complete the Primary Talent Development PD sessions in order to plan and implement the two units per year. This documentation shows agendas from each grade level involving training for new teachers and reflection for seasoned teams such as K and 1. 

All teachers in grades K-8 are required to attend monthly content meetings. This artifact demonstrates the integration of GAL strategies into content for all teachers. Strategies for enrichment were given and referred back to during the data dives on how to better serve students who are already performing above grade-level. Content coaches collaborate with the GAL Lead prior to meetings for appropriate content.  

All staff were required to attend a training on Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs). We discuss what they are and why they are important for gifted children, especially in the regular classroom. 

We use the district office's GAL online modules to support learning of our staff which include a wide array of topics around the characteristics of giftedness as well as how to best meet the needs of our students. Teachers can access on their own time and they can be used in meetings when a topic is applicable. For example, Jacob's Ladder when working with ELA teachers on small-group instruction. 

A version of this slide deck is presented to our entire staff each year in the opening school PD week or first staff meeting. The first few slides in this presentation relate to gifted characteristics. Slides 6 and discuss an overview of instruction and resources. This was presented in the 22-23 SY. That principal is gone so there is not access to sign-in.

The GAL Lead participated in 7 of the 8 offered webinar sessions. These sessions were led by experts in the field and addressed characteristics of giftedness and implications for curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Two of the sessions addressed under-served populations which is helpful with our diverse population. The documentation includes registration confirmations and reflection on each of the sessions. 

Our school reads our monthly newsletter for issues related to giftedness.  These articles cover a range of topics. I have include one that discovers archetypes, one on gifted behaviors, and both include a monthly resources. There are always reminders for staff PD offereings as well. 

The ingenuity Program shared this presentation with all 6th grade families and teachers. Middle school is a whole new level for many students who come to RPEMS from small schools where they never had homework or switched classes. This presentation shares strategies to help students with organization, time-management, and other executive functioning skills that are keys to academic success. 

Our Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) consists of teachers, coaches, and administrators. The ILT typically meets twice per month to analyze data, discuss implications and hopefully create change. The SPP goals are included at the top of every agenda to direct our focus.  This meeting focused on how to create accessible instruction and included strategies.

Each year we universally screen all kindergarten students. These students come to us from all different levels of exposure to academic and critical thinking. The plan was created to work with our teacher schedules before testing so the students would have exposure to the technology and types of activities they would be assessed on. Two of our K teachers are seasoned and have completed the Analogy and Legends of Learning training. Two of the teachers are new. The GAL lead showed examples, modeled lessons, and explained the importance of student exposure for our under-represented populations. 

Our teachers who work directly with GAL students attend the MEGS conference annually.

Our teachers attend a variety of offered professional development opportunities relating to gifted education or topics that will assist them in planning for GAL students in their own content.

As part of his weekly communication, our Assistant Principal for grades 3-5,  has a PD corner. His focus for the first few weeks of the year was metacognition for both students and teachers. Many of our most gifted students struggle with perseverance and reflecting on their own struggles. Each week, they discuss strategies for success. 

Each week our Principal send out weekly communication to staff in the Ran's Weekly. This is required reading. You will always find the Equity Corner and GAL Corner on the first or second page.  Both include topics of professional learning, resources, and our thoughtful reflection on instructional practices.

This support board is next to our main copier. The support board has a section for GAL, ELL, and 504.  The thinking is that as teachers are waiting for copies, they will read and/or re-read resources that may be applicable to them and their students.  This board is from the end of 23-24 and includes GAL newsletters from several months, "alternate assessment" packets for both elementary and middle school, and higher-order questioning.  

Just as we differentiate for students, we also differentiate for teachers. This is a copy of the plan created for our PK-3 teachers for this school year. The groups were created based on classroom observations, teacher content knowledge, and teacher experience. The literacy, math, and GAL leads are responsible for the follow through. 

The Modern Classrooms Project was offered to district educators. Training was provided to create "modern" classrooms with blended learning, self-paced instruction and mastery-based learning. This is great for GAL students who sometimes feel held back. Our principal completed the course as well as all assistant principals and content leads.

After completing the Modern Classrooms training, our principal was accepted to one of only 20+ spots in the MCP Leadership Collaborative. Leaders from across the country are training to become "Modern Leaders." He is encouraging teachers to use mastery-based lessons and self-pacing to differentiate for students. 

Each month, our principal chooses a focus area for our content leads and administration to come together.  This artifact demonstrates intentional content for leaders to keep in mind when working with our large and diverse student body.  Sign in aqnd agenda are attached.

Need sign in 

Monthly, the coaches who oversee teachers in math and literacy PK-8, administrators and other content leads (including the GAL lead) come together to analyze data, discuss trends, and plan instructional walks to monitor implementation. This meeting's focus was math and as a school our focus in math has been creating opportunities for all students to have productive struggle. This can be especially difficult for gifted students who are not comfortable with "failure."

Our school principal places importance on rigor  and not holding students back. He came from a school with little experience in gifted education and is putting the effort into better understanding our large GAL population.

The GAL Lead attends professional development outside of school to learn about issues affecting the gifted population. Included in the reflection notes for each of the 7 different webinars are: Key Ideas Covered in the Webinar, Topic’s Connection to Local Issues/Needs, How you will use the information learned, and Questions for Further Study.

SENG is a nonprofit network of people who guide gifted, talented, and twice-exceptional individuals to reach their goals intellectually, physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.  The GAL Lead completed the training to be a SENG facilitator which benefits the work with children and other staff members in understanding the unique needs of gifted and advanced learners.

The Assistant Principal for grades 3-5 is all about the kids! He also teaches in education at the college level. His support of our GAL students and their needs has been great. When the GAL Lead was out on leave, he covered that role when he was teaching 4th grade. This letter demonstrates the professional learning he has taken part in.