Gifted Education in Nazareth

Since less than 5% of students are typically in a gifted education program, it doesn't tend to gain vocal support from parents or the community in large numbers.

Nazareth's program was not in good shape and the NASD created a Task Force on Gifted Education which began meeting in September 2005 to "evaluate the established and functioning Gifted Education Program to ensure it was current and meeting the needs of students." I participated on this task force. The task force found that there was no formal description of Gifted Education, there was no measure of program effectiveness, the program was not consistent from level to level and building to building, there were no annual development goals, and the method of gifted identification was inconsistent

I noticed that in the area of communications, measures that were implemented following the task force recommendations have already been stopped.

Then word came that NASD would be using a part time reading teacher to implement gifted education for grades K-3 in the new building reorganization.

This got some parents at Shafer concerned and they attended the recent PTA meeting with Dr. Lesky as the guest speaker. At that meeting it was indicated to me by those in attendance that the administration made a different, updated, presentation to them, then was made to the board as it related to using reading specialists as part-time gifted teachers.

The new proposal for the 2009-2010 school year has one gifted teacher for the HS, one for the new MS, one for the IM and one to support all three elementary schools.

When asked who would be considered for the elementary position, Dr. Lesky said the person would likely come from the existing pool of teachers (there are three part-time teachers currently).

The state regulations put the per teacher caseload maximum at 65 students. With 1300 students projected for K-3 that year, a 5% recognized pool of gifted students would put them right at that limit. Shafer currently has 33 students in gifted (slightly less than 5%), but over the caseload maximum (part-time teacher = half full case load or 32.5 student maximum).

Upcoming board meetings will be critical as it relates to all programs and staffing. The impact of creating the new school on student academics is only now coming to be known as staffing is being indicated in concrete terms. Be sure to pay attention at the upcoming board meetings (April 21, 28 and May 12 & 19) or you may be surprised to learn a staff or program you were expecting is no longer in place or is being conducted in a much different way.