School-Based Services

• Each elementary school has a Gifted Education Contact who oversees the gifted/enrichment programs for students.
• Identification and programming decisions are the responsibility of the child's home school. Service at elementary usually begins as students are identified , using Ministry of Education guidelines . School-based service may provide adapted or differentiated curriculum in the classroom , and/or pull-out programs featuring specialized topics and activities. All programming for gifted students is outlined in an Individual Education Plan . An IEP outlines strategies for varying content, process, product, pacing, and/or learning environment, based on the goals for growth for the student .
• Individualized academic tasks requiring complex thinking can provide challenge and choice for students . Compacted curriculum can give students time to work on other activities that support developmental growth.
• Several elementary schools are cluster grouping their gifted students, within a regular classroom context. See SHARP for more information.
• Leadership and creative-problem-solving clubs and extracurricular activities, such as Odyssey of the Mind, Canadian Heritage Fair, and Canadian Math League and Gauss Math Contests are available in some schools.

District- and Community-Based Services

• In the SD #43 Elementary Zone Challenge Centres, located at Mundy Road, Aspenwood, and Cedar Drive, specialist teachers offer four 10-week sessions per term (Fall, Winter, and Spring). Each session is a weekly morning or afternoon session. Challenge Centres sessions are open to identified gifted students as an optional support. Students are referred to sessions by school-based teams. Parents arrange transportation.

 Contact Louise Malfesi, Gifted Education Coordinator, for more information.