Frisco ISD is hosting a webinar from 6:00 to 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday regarding the Gifted and Talented program, a service intended to meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of gifted learners.
“This webinar can be helpful in telling parents what the program is and how to know if their child qualifies for gifted and talented,” lead counselor Amanda Zambaisi said. “There is a window to test into the program and the district will inform parents of those.”
According to GT Humanities teacher Sarah Wiseman, students who qualify greatly benefit from gifted and talented services.
“Students gain a lot from being in the gifted and talented program,” Wiseman said. “They are around peers who have similar intellectual, social, and emotional needs. Students who are grouped like this tend to have higher academic achievement.”
For GT Humanities teacher Elizabeth Evans, it is important to acknowledge a common misconception regarding the program.
“I think it’s really important that parents of gifted students understand that gifted students think differently, and our classes are not just ‘harder’, but they really meet the unique needs of these kids,” Evans said. “Some people think it’s simply harder than other classes rather than being a different way of learning.”
This webinar should provide parents with insight into the program and understanding if it is the right fit for their child.
“The webinar is targeted toward parents who are interested in gifted services for their students,” Wiseman said. “It should help them make the decision of whether or not to refer their students for the gifted program.”
For those interested in the program, testing is conducted in elementary, middle, and high schools.
“Students are eligible to screen for GT every school year as long as it has been more than 12 months since their last screening, we don’t screen people any closer together than that,” Wiseman said. “Test scores are considered valid for 24 months from the date of the test.”
For those who are considering the program, there can be a lot to take away from it.
“GT classes meet the unique needs of gifted students by allowing them to do more project based learning,” Evans said. “We provide a lot of opportunities for them to expand their thinking beyond what is typical for the classroom.”
