School District U46 is planning to expand its gifted program to all eight of its middle schools for the 2016-17 school year.
The program is currently offered at five middle schools, according to district officials.
This expansion will allow seventh and eighth graders to attend their home middle school while undertaking the program, district spokeswoman Mary Fergus said.
“Offering gifted programming at all middle schools honors the social, emotional and academic needs of students,” she said. “This shared classroom environment allows both instructors and students to develop and engage in cross-curricular instruction, critical thinking, problem solving and other higher-thinking practices and skills.”
Such an expansion also reflects the district’s philosophy that the individual needs of students be met within their home schools, Fergus said.
Students and families have long requested that such special programming follow the district’s standard feeder program whenever possible, she said.
Fergus said the district does not expect to have to allocate additional resources to staff the program.
“All middle school teachers interested in teaching in the gifted program will be offered the opportunity to attend professional development this June that will allow them to receive credit,” she said.
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