New Jersey Curriculum Mandates

GOALS OF THE PROGRAMS

• To challenge gifted and talented students who demonstrate a need for rigor beyond the regular curriculum for their grade level.

• To provide an environment that encourages the development of critical thinking skills such as analysis, evaluation, synthesis, and complex problem solving strategies.

• To provide an environment that encourages divergent thinking and supports the development of originality, fluency, flexibility, and elaboration.

• To develop confidence in expressing ideas in discussions, debates, expository writing, and creative writing.

• To advance the process of inquiry through the application of skills in investigations of real-life problems and research.

• To provide students with opportunities to develop leadership skills through positive group interaction.

• To encourage a lifelong commitment to independent learning.

Continuum of Services

The gifted and talented programs in Harrison Public Schools are needs-based services designed for those students who, when compared to their chronological peers, possess or demonstrate exceptionally high levels of ability in one or more content areas. The programs provide additional and appropriate educational challenges and opportunities to meet the needs of these students. The curricula for the various G&T programs are created by the G&T Coordinator and teachers, and peer-reviewed by members of the county consortium, designed to provide appropriate challenge to intellectually and academically advanced learners, and approved by the Board of Education. The range of services offered by the Harrison Public School District include pull-out programs, specialized content courses, advanced classes, varied grouping strategies, acceleration, and differentiation of curriculum and instruction in the classroom.