Gifted & Talented

REACH

Resources for Extending Academic and Creative Horizons
Hudson City Schools

Fourth Grade and part of Fifth Grade, East Woods,  - Direct Services to Students Who Meet Program Eligibility Criteria
Mrs. Susan Factor
330-653-1256
factors@hudson.edu

District REACH Coordinator - Please contact via email during the summer.
Ms. Virginia Snyder
330-653-1441
snyderv@hudson.edu

Significant Changes in our Programming - Because of the changes instituted by the Gifted Operating Standards from the Ohio Department of Education, and because of changes in state and local funding for gifted education, we have once again had to re-structure our programming for the 2011-2012 school year. 

In third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades, we are offering REACH Enriched Language Arts to all students who have a CSI score - from any school year -of 135 or above.   This Language Arts class will be scheduled just as any regular LA class and the Gifted Intervention Specialists teaching them will be the teachers-of-record, assigning grades, etc.  Parents and students will be notified by mail of this placement.

All REACH Language Arts class content will be based on the State Standards from the Ohio Department of Education. In this context, daily activities and objectives will emphasize high-level creative and critical thinking skills and questioning, abstract reasoning and problem-solving, delving deeper into literature, theme, characterization, and purpose in creative writing.  Greek and Latin roots will be part of vocabulary acquisition and students will become familiar with SAT vocabulary, also.  These students will demonstrate mastery as all 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students are required to do through district levels tests, nationally normed tests, district writing samples, "Short Cycle Assessments", and common grade level assessments.  These assessment results are examined by the teacher to determine if any instructional interventions should come into play for the students.

Kindergarten, First, and Second Grades:  The regular classroom teachers at these grade levels will be responsible for differentiation and enrichment for our high ability learners.  We have provided the teachers with a wide variety of exciting instructional materials to assist them in meeting the unique needs of these students.

The above is a description of our Gifted Education Services.  The following is a description of our Gifted Identification Practices as specified by Ohio Department of Education. 

 Ohio Department of Education (ODE) Law Governing Identification of Children Who Are Gifted (CWAG): Hudson City School District Department of Gifted Education Services, "REACH", uses results from The In-View/TerraNova III, which is given every year to second, third, fourth, fifth, and seventh graders. In this process, we examine all subtest scores to determine if a student reaches ODE's criteria for "gifted identification". This law dictates that we identify children who are gifted - CWAG - in the following areas: Cognitive Ability (determined by an I.Q.-like Score - the CSI - Cognitive Skills Index), Math, Reading, Science, Social Studies, Superior Creative Ability, and/or Superior Ability in Visual & Performing Arts. The law also specifies cut-off scores for "Gifted Identification" and, subsequently, data entry into EMIS - Education Management Information System - the statewide database that stores a variety of information regarding our school children. Test scores from other districts are accepted if the specific test is one of the state-approved tests and has been administered within the last 24 months.

*A note to parents about gifted identification in Visual and Performing Arts:  Every spring, Art and Music teachers can nominate student(s) for these areas of gifted ID.  Parent permission is obtained and the evaluation process is completed.  Parents are also able to nominate their child for gifted identification in these areas.  Just call the REACH Office and we will let you know what this entails.

**The Educational Option of Acceleration:  Another way we strive to meet the unique needs of our students is by making available the instructional/placement option of acceleration. This can be in the following forms:

-Early Entrance to Kindergarten

-Whole-Grade Acceleration

-Single-Subject Acceleration

-Early High School Graduation

We have a Board of Education-approved process for each of these options.  For further information, please contact District REACH Coordinator, Virginia Snyder    330-653-1441    snyderv@hudson.edu

For further information about our testing schedule or any other testing questions regarding gifted identification, please call Virginia Snyder in the REACH Office at 330-653-1441.