The Gifted Student
A student who demonstrates a high degree of intellectual, creative abilities, exhibits an exceptionally high degree of motivation, and/or excels in specific academic fields, and who needs special instruction and/or special ancillary services to achieve at levels commensurate with his or her abilities.
Gifted Placement
Students are identified and placed in gifted education based on criteria established by the Georgia General Assembly and the state Board of Education. Students who transfer from gifted education programs within the state will be placed into the Gwinnett program, providing the original placement was correctly completed. Students who transfer from out of state must meet Georgia requirements.
The eligibility criteria for the gifted program is collected from four categories : mental ability, achievement, creativity, and motivation. Performance standards must be achieved in 3 of the 4 areas for a student to become eligible for gifted education services.
Once a child is placed in the FOCUS program, they do not have to be retested and placed again the following year. A child may be dismissed from the program for a variety of reasons. Parents are notified before any action is taken. Also, parents have the right to request their child be exited from the FOCUS program if they feel that is beneficial to the child.

GCPS Gifted Programs
Gwinnett County’s Gifted Programs serve students by providing academic challenges for those who are intellectually advanced. The gifted program is called FOCUS at the elementary school level, PROBE at the middle school level, and is referred to as gifted education and QUEST in high school. The program is designed to help each child reach his or her full potential. Students participating in the program receive additional instruction during their school day. This instruction may be in the form of a gifted education resource class, cluster group class, and/or content based class. The classes offer accelerated learning and enriched academic curriculum experiences that focus on and extend Gwinnett County Public Schools’ Academic Knowledge and Skills.
The gifted curriculum standards are divided into seven areas: (1) Creativity, (2) Thinking Skills, (3) Problem Solving, (4) Autonomous Learning, (5) Discovery, (6) Leadership and (7) Research. These seven areas are fundamental to Gwinnett County Public School’s curriculum for gifted students. Learning experiences that develop the use of the seven areas of curriculum standards enable gifted students to make informed decisions, to understand and apply concepts, to make reasonable judgments and to define, create and implement strategies for solving problems.

Starling Elementary Gifted Program

Fostering
Originality
Creativity
Understanding
Self Awareness

This pamphlet briefly describes the FOCUS program at Starling Elementary. This gifted program provides academic challenges for those who are intellectually and academically advanced based on state criteria. The classes offer enriched curriculum experiences that extend Gwinnett County Public Schools AKS.

The Nuts and Bolts of Starling Elementary School’s FOCUS Program
Gifted Program Teachers
Resource
Darlene Bartik (2nd, 4th, 5th)
darlene_bartik@gwinnett.k12.ga.us
Shannon McMillen (3rd)
shannon_mcmillen@gwinnett.k12.ga.us
Advanced Content Math Teacher
(Grades 3-5)
Dr. Kristy Hendricks
kristy_hendricks@gwinnett.k12.ga.us
Cluster Teachers
Jessica Douglas (5th)
Dr. Kim Sturgill (5th)
Christal McKinley (4th)
Katrina Ferebee (3rd)
Lisa Williams (2nd)
CQI Enrichment
Dawn Blount
When, Where, and How
Starling Elementary implements an “all day” gifted education model to eliminate scheduling conflicts and maximize and enhance learning time within the FOCUS classroom. Students attend lunch and special area classes with their homeroom class. Some students will also attend a gifted math class and/or meet with a gifted certified teacher during daily CQI time for enrichment.

Grading
All FOCUS resource work is evaluated on a rubric or scale of 1-4. This mirrors the FOCUS report card.
Level 4 - Student consistently shows initiative and commitment to tasks, goes beyond AKS extension requirements and works in a timely, self-sufficient manner.
Level 3 - Student consistently demonstrates mastery of AKS extensions and/or successfully completes required tasks in allocated time.
Level 2 - Student inconsistently demonstrates mastery of AKS extensions and/or has difficulty completing required tasks in allocated time.
Level 1 - Student does not exhibit sufficient mastery of AKS extensions and/or is unable to complete many required tasks in allocated time.
Advanced Content classes replace the regular classroom grade on the report card. Grading procedures are determined by the school-wide grading policy.
Make Up Work Policy
FOCUS students are responsible for mastery of all grade level AKS. However, due to the nature of the gifted program, they will, in most cases, be excused from daily work missed while attending FOCUS class.
Communication
FOCUS students will receive a FOCUS report card each 9 weeks and newsletters as we begin new units. These are the two formal communication tools used. In addition to these, we will utilize parent e-mail groups to communicate as needed. Please e-mail your child’s FOCUS teacher so she will have a record of your e-mail address or send a handwritten note requesting paper communications in lieu of electronic updates.

Classroom Discipline Plan
Step 1: Verbal Warning
Step 2: Student signs the classroom discipline notebook and the FOCUS resource teacher records it in the Friday Folder/discusses the behavior with the classroom teacher
Step 3: Time out in another classroom; parent phone call; student will complete a school-wide discipline plan
Supply Request
A voluntary monetary donation to help defer costs of unit supplies would be greatly appreciated.

We FOCUS on Excellence!

Puckett's Mill Elementary