Gifted and Talented
Our Mission
The Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District, in partnership with the community, is committed to excellence, empowering and challenging all students to learn while preparing them for an ever-changing global society.
Our Vision
Our schools will provide a high quality and comprehensive education for all students to work to their fullest potential through a variety of pathways.
Our Beliefs
Identification
CFAUSD . . .
Provides clear identification of gifted and talented students with specific criteria for: general intellectual, specific academic, creativity, artistic/visual, and leadership that is decided by all stakeholders (parents, staff, and students) through continuous conversations.
Utilizes multiple non-biased, equitable, and culturally responsive approaches to identify students’ gifts and talents.
Programming
CFAUSD . . .
Offers experiences that transcend traditional pathways of learning and incorporate students’ strengths, interests, and needs throughout their school career.
Develops culturally responsive, differentiated instruction and creates opportunities that are mindful of college and career readiness.
Includes a systemic, ongoing, fluid, and strategic individualized learning plan which engages families and challenges students to develop talents. The learning plan is monitored and evaluated annually at minimum.
Promotes the development of the whole child: self-awareness, self-advocacy, self-efficacy, confidence, motivation, resilience, independence, curiosity, and risk taking.
Professional Development
CFAUSD . . .
Provides opportunities for educators to learn, apply, and collaboratively reflect on their impact on student engagement and lifelong learning.
Provide stakeholders with resources related to identification, differentiated instruction, and social and emotional supports for students with gifts and talents.
Promotes a growth mindset and flexibility in stakeholders’ thinking and ways to openly communicate differentiation strategies.
Communication
CFAUSD . . .
Provides parents/guardians and students with culturally responsive information and characteristics that are associated with giftedness.
Shares commitment and coordinated services through regular collaboration among students, families, community and the school.
Models high expectations and provides feedback that focuses on effort, on evidence of potential to meet high standards, and on mistakes as learning opportunities.
Enhances students’ skills in oral, written, and artistic forms of communication, teaming and collaboration.
Ensures policies and programming are clear, accessible and transparent.