Philosophy and Program Goals

Students receiving services in Woodridge School District 68 will be provided direction, time, encouragement, and resources to maximize their potential. District staff members will work with parents, students, and community members to identify students from all backgrounds. Woodridge 68 will offer these students the differentiated instruction and support they need to thrive and succeed.

Students who are gifted perform, or show the potential for performing, at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of their age, experience, or environment. These students exhibit high performance capacity in intellectual ability and/or a specific academic field. Gifted students can be identified in any cultural group or within any economic stratum and require special instruction, services, and/or activities not ordinarily provided by the general education program.

The Woodridge District 68 Gifted Services Program is designed to accomplish the following core directives:

• Provide a coordinated, continuous district-wide gifted education program of a differentiated, advanced curriculum for identified students which develops problem solving abilities, high levels of thinking, reasoning abilities, and provides for individual growth.

• Provide for mastery of cross-curricular skills at a pace and depth appropriate to the capacities of individual learners.

• Develop high levels of student skills in the inquiry model that includes oral, written, and research skills and methods.

• Develop high levels of advanced problem solving.

• Provide appropriate staff development for faculty and administration in the areas of identification, characteristics of gifted students, and instructional delivery to those students.

• Provide information and support services to parents of students receiving gifted services.

• Evaluate the program services systematically.