Mars Area School District provides Gifted Support for identified primary through secondary students. Children qualifying for gifted services receive a Gifted Individual Education Plan (GIEP) and work with a gifted support teacher on a program tailored to meet their needs.

The Gifted Education program is offered through inclusive instruction and as individualized and small group opportunities. Academically challenging opportunities are designed or selected on an individual student basis and may include subject/skill compacting, independent study, subject/grade acceleration, Advanced Placement (AP) and College within the High School (CHS) courses, distance learning, early entry to college and individualized approaches to enhancing the depth of curricular concepts. These challenges provide students the opportunity to maximize their potential.

When parents and teachers have reason to believe a student could qualify for Gifted Education programming they should contact their Building Administrator or School Guidance Counselor to initiate the data collection and referral process. Team meetings will be convened for discussions and decision making. Parents and teachers will work together to assure each child’s needs are met.

 

The following are presentations addressing Gifted Education, offered as part of programs presented by the District:

 

Legal Requirements of Pennsylvania Gifted Education

• PA Gifted Education Guidelines - https://www.education.pa.gov/Documents/K-12/Gifted%20Education/Gifted%20Program%20Guidelines.pdf 

State Organizations

• PAGE - Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education - https://www.giftedpage.org
• A Parent's Guide to Gifted Education in Pennsylvania - https://www.giftedpage.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Parents-Guide.pdf

General Information

• National Association for Gifted Children - https://www.nagc.org
• Association for the Education of Gifted Underachieving students - https://www.aegus1.com
• Davidson Institute for Talent Development - http://www.davidsongifted.org
• Duke University Talent Identification Program - https://tip.duke.edu
• Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth - https://cty.jhu.edu
• Prufrock Press - https://www.prufrock.com
• Hoagies' Gifted Education Page - http://www.hoagiesgifted.org
• World Council for Gifted & Talented Children - https://world-gifted.org
• Institute for Research and Policy on Acceleration - http://www.accelerationinstitute.org/Default.aspx
• Renzulli Center for Creativity, Gifted Education, and Talent Development – https://gifted.uconn.edu/#
• Carnegie Mellon University: Leonard Gelfand Center - https://www.cmu.edu/gelfand/
• Northwestern Center for Talent Development - https://www.ctd.northwestern.edu
• SENG - Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted - https://www.sengifted.org
• Social/Emotional Aspects of Giftedness - https://www.hoagiesgifted.org/social_emotional.htm