Gifted and Talented

Posted August 27, 2024

Dear Families at Oakland Elementary,

I would like to introduce myself as the teacher/point of contact for gifted education services at Oakland Elementary. My schedule this year will be every Tuesday from 7:30 a.m – 3:30 p.m.

Throughout my tenure with DPS, I have worked as a classroom teacher, Interventionist and MLE teacher for a variety of age groups. I received my undergraduate degree from University of Kansas and my Master’s in Second Language Learning from University of Colorado, Boulder. I wanted to reach out to let you know my responsibilities for Gifted and Talented (GT) my availability, and where to find more information about GT services in Denver Public Schools. Gifted and Talented students may demonstrate advanced ability in multiple areas which may include academic (math, language arts, world language, social studies, and science), creative and productive thinking, leadership, and/or talent (visual arts, music, psychomotor, dance, performing arts). Characteristics indicating giftedness can vary across different racial, cultural, and ethnic groups. These characteristics are considered during the identification process and in GT services. As the GT teacher, my responsibilities this year will include:

Supporting the administration of cognitive testing, including the district-wide Universal Screening (for Kindergarten, 2nd, and 6th grade), as well as students nominated in other grade levels.
Developing and/or collaborating on Advanced Learning Plans (ALP) for formally identified (H)GT students.
Creating a school wide plan with leadership on how gifted services will be provided within the building (all plans available on the http://gt.dpsk12.org website by mid-fall).
Continually reviewing students’ body of evidence and communicating with teachers to ensure identification of referred students. This may include administering assessments or observational scales.
Collaborating with classroom teachers on ways to differentiate instruction for these students.
Participating in professional learning training within the GT department, district, and other organizations, and implementing/providing the knowledge gained into practice with our school staff. This includes culturally responsive education and equity in gifted education.
Providing direct gifted services or talent development to students, as time permits.
Advocating for new opportunities in the classroom and community to promote equal access for enrichment and GT services.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or want to learn more about the program for gifted students at our school. I look forward to working with students, teachers and families. For additional information about gifted and talented services in DPS, please visit: http://gt.dpsk12.org.

Sincerely,

Kate Hutson

Kathleen_Hutson@dpsk12.net

Gifted and Talented Itinerant