Is my child gifted?
Often parents are unsure if their child is bright or truly gifted. The following is a link to a list of common characteristics to the bright child versus the gifted child. Deciding whether your child should be evaluated or not is a personal decision. The list of characteristics is merely a starting point to see what gifted behavior MAY consist of. Bright versus Gifted Characteristics
Should I have my child tested?
To determine if a student is gifted or not a child must be recommended, by a teacher or parent, to the guidance department. Many steps will follow the recommendation to determine if testing is truly warranted. Course grades, standardized testing grades, and teacher observations will be taken into consideration for the student. The testing process is multifaceted and in depth. It looks at IQ as well as acquisition and retention rates.
If it is determined that the student is a candidate for testing the parents will receive a "permission to evaluate form" to sign and start the process. The school psychology can explain this process more if you have questions.
What courses should my child be taking?
This is a personal decision of the student. What courses do they want to take to prepare them for their intended college major? The gifted coordinator can and will step in if there is a need for acceleration or college courses. If your child is academically challenged in their courses they are correctly placed. Sometimes this may or may not be placing them in advanced classes.
Why financial responsibility does the school have?
According to Ch 16 regulations school districts in Pennsylvania have no financial responsibility to the gifted student. Schools are to have a gifted program and provide the opportunities for enrichment and acceleration if they are warranted.
What do I need to know about National Merit Scholarship?
Please go to the College preparation tab at the left to read about this topic.
What schools should my child and I be looking into?
What do I need to know about financial aid?
Our guidance department holds financial aid night workshops throughout the year to help explain as much as possible about this part of the college application process.
When should my child and I start looking into scholarships?
The earlier the better! There are scholarships available from middle school through high school. Different projects, competitions, and essay based scholarships exist. The guidance department has a link on their page to the monthly scholarship newsletter provided at the high school level. The gifted coordinator also provides students, and parents, with other scholarship opportunities.