Spartan Splendors

Purpose

To enrich and engage the learning experience for students who show giftedness potential.

Mission

Empowering students to succeed in a changing world.

Services at Creekside

At Creekside, we offer a Spartan Splendors Exploratory program after-school. We strive to provide students with opportunities to extend and strengthen their gifts as well as enhance their interests. We use project and problem-based learning as well as unique thematic units to frame these after school sessions. Although we cannot offer the Spartan Splendors program to all of our Creekside learners, teachers work hard throughout the day to enrich and extend the learning in classroom to engage all learners.

Partnership

The Spartan Splendors program is fully-funded by the Spearfish Foundation for Public Education. Coaches, snacks, and supplies are all purchased through SFPE. Thank you to all who support SPFE to make Spartan Splendors possible at Creekside.

About Spartan Splendors

We are constantly evolving and reflecting on how to best meet the needs of above average learners in the Spearfish School District. Spartan Splendors consists of about 85 learners who are high-achieving and demonstrating gifted potential. We will offer 3 sessions this year; each lasts about 8 weeks each. Each session meets twice a week during the 8-week session and runs about an hour. Spartan Splendor Coaches aim to spark and engage learners in using their imagination, creativity, wonder, critical thinking, and problem solving as the content and learning unfolds. Each session ends with a product and showcase night for family and friends to celebrate with each learner.

Referral Process

During the first 6 to 8 weeks of the school year, classroom teachers take time to collect a body of evidence through observations, student artifacts, and assessments. Once teachers have had time to collect data in their classroom, teachers analyze the data looking for students who are high-achieving and demonstrating gifted characteristics. Then, teachers make a referral list. In collaboration with a data team, Katie Garcia, Ashley Anderson, and Principal, Dan Olson, learners are selected for the Spartan Splendors program. Students receive a program overview letter and select their preferred session for the year.

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