We don’t want to bog down the development of services for Gifted and Talented students by recreating an IEP type process, which is required by law for special education services. Rather, we need to build on the initiatives for Gifted and Talented Students that were begun this past year. Superintendent Roy Belson received an award from the Massachusetts Association for Gifted Education for his leadership in this area. In addition Medford applied for and was awarded a Javits grant of $30 thousand for two years for the training of school personnel. Teachers will be working with their colleagues to provide differentiated instruction within the classroom so that the needs of high achieving students can be better met.
While academic curiosity and achievement are vital areas of Gifted and Talented education, it is important to look toward the work of multiple intelligences by Howard Gardner and support students who are gifted in other ways. Some of our students excel in music and art; some are gifted athletically, while others demonstrate leadership and entrepreneurial skills. Ultimately, the goal for our school system is to encourage all children to reach their potential and we do that in a variety of ways both during and after the school day. Partnering with Tufts has been a particularly productive way of enhancing opportunities for students.
