Gifted and Talented / Gifted and Talented

Gifted and Talented Program

Manasquan Elementary School

Mr. Rick Coppola, Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Gifted and Talented Coordinator

rcoppola@manasquan.k12.nj.us

The Manasquan School District’s Gifted & Talented (G&T) program aims to reach students at all grade levels, providing them with opportunities for enrichment, exploration, and academic rigor in their specific areas of strength and interest. While the criteria to qualify for these enrichment opportunities vary based on grade level and content area, teachers and administrators consistently look for ways by which to provide a variety of opportunities for students to excel.

Students identified for the G&T program will be provided with exciting, project-based enrichment opportunities two to three times a month from our Gifted and Talented teachers. Students will be given passes to participate in an independent “pull-out” program to participate in these experiences. Please note that students must make up any work missed from their regular classes. In addition, the Manasquan School District also partners with the Shore Consortium for the Gifted and Talented to provide unique opportunities for student discovery and exploration.

Each student is evaluated by multiple measures to assess their abilities in STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Math), Humanities, and Visual Arts. Students demonstrating potential or ability to perform at an exceptionally high level beyond what is normally found with children of the same age, experience, or environment will be identified in one or more of these areas.

Gifted & Talented STEM (Science - Technology - Engineering - Math)

Students were selected to participate in the Gifted and Talented program for STEM based on the multiple measures outlined for each grade level below:

Grade Level	STEM
Kindergarten	iReady (September 2022) KG Screener Teacher Recommendation
1	iReady (June 2022) Teacher Recommendation
2	iReady (June 2022) Teacher Recommendation
3	iReady (June 2022) Teacher Recommendation
4	iReady (June 2022) NJSLA Math Teacher Recommendation
5	iReady (June 2022) NJSLA Math Teacher Recommendation
6	iReady (June 2022) NJSLA Math Teacher Recommendation
7	iReady (June 2022) NJSLA Math Math Honors Placement Exam Science Honors Placement Exam COGAT Quantitative Teacher Recommendation
8	iReady (June 2022) NJSLA Math Math Honors Placement Exam Science Honors Placement Exam COGAT Quantitative Teacher Recommendation

Gifted & Talented Humanities

Students were selected to participate in the Gifted and Talented program for Humanities based on the multiple measures outlined for each grade level below:

Grade Level	Humanities
Kindergarten	Kindergarten Screener Dibels (September 2022) Teacher Recommendation
1	Dibels (September 2022) Running Records (March 2022) Teacher Recommendation
2	Dibels (September 2022) Running Records (March 2022) Teacher Recommendation
3	Dibels (September 2022) Running Records (March 2022) Teacher Recommendation
4	Dibels (September 2022) Running Records (March 2022) NJSLA ELA (2022) Teacher Recommendation
5	Running Records (March 2022) NJSLA ELA (2022) Teacher Recommendation
6	Running Records (March 2022) NJSLA ELA (2022) Teacher Recommendation
7	NJSLA ELA (2022) ELA Honors Placement Exam Social Studies Honors Placement Exam COGAT - Verbal Teacher Recommendation
8	NJSLA ELA (2022) ELA Honors Placement Exam Social Studies Honors Placement Exam COGAT - Verbal Teacher Recommendation

Gifted & Talented Visual Arts

Parent Nomination - Student Application Process

The District’s Gifted & Talented program looks to reach students in all grade levels, providing them with opportunities for enrichment, exploration, and academic rigor in their specific areas of strength and interest.

To serve K-8 students who may exhibit enhanced talents, interest, and abilities in Visual Arts, we are providing students and/or their parents/guardians with a nomination form where children can be identified as a candidate for the G&T Visual Arts program. As part of the application process within this form, students will be asked to submit a short essay discussing their interest in Visual Arts. Students who submit the application and essay will then be given an in-class performance task evaluated by our G&T Visual Arts teacher.

Students who meet the qualifying criteria will be accepted into the Gifted and Talented - VPA program for this school year. Students identified as “gifted and talented” in Visual Arts will be provided monthly project-based enrichment opportunities through a “pull out” schedule. Please submit the application form using the link below and the student essay below no later than November 9th.

G&T Visual Arts Nomination-Application

Gifted & Talented Appeals Process

Parents, students, and teachers may appeal the decisions of the selection committee regarding selection or removal from the gifted program by following these steps:

Submit an appeal letter to the building principal no later than 15 working days after the committee has notified the parents of the selection decision.
1. The committee members will review their decision and will respond to the person making the appeal no later than 15 working days after receipt of the letter of appeal.
2. The committee may request additional testing or data collection and may interview the student and/or parents.
If dissatisfied with the decision of the committee, file a complaint with the Manasquan Board of Education. The BOE shall issue a decision, in writing, to affirm, reject, or modify the district’s action in the matter.
If dissatisfied with the decision of the Board of Education, file a petition of appeal of the board’s written decision to the Commissioner of Education through the Office of Controversies and Disputes in accordance with N.J.S.18A:6-9 and the procedures set forth in State Board of Education regulations.

For more information regarding the Gifted and Talented Program, please consult Board of Education Policy #2464 (Gifted and Talented Pupils).