Gifted & Talented Services

Staff Contacts

Judy Woolfrey, Ed.D.

Executive Director of Elementary Instruction

jwoolfrey@ocss-va.org

(540)661-4550 x1548

Renee Honaker, Ed.D.

Executive Director of Secondary Instruction

rhonaker@ocss-va.org

(540)661-4550 x1551

Kathryn Clemmer

OES Gifted Resource Teacher

kclemmer@ocss-va.org

(540)661-4449 x2606

Melina Downs

LGMS Gifted Resource Teacher

mdowns@ocss-va.org

(540)661-4480 x7633

Betsy Hamilton

PHMS Gifted Resource Teacher

bhamilton@ocss-va.org

(540)661-4399 x2501

Dana Moran

GBES Gifted Resource Teacher

dmoran@ocss-va.org

(540)661-4500 x2001

Nicole Acker

LGES Gifted Resource Teacher

nacker@ocss-va.org

(540)661-4440

Laura Wright

LES Gifted Resource Teacher

laurawright@ocss-va.org

(540)661-4250 x3002

Orange County Public Schools believes that all students benefit from challenging instruction that results in the attainment of meaningful academic goals. It is the mission of the Orange County Public School System to properly identify and provide appropriate educational services to gifted learners among all ethnic, racial and socioeconomic groups.

Gifted students are those who exhibit exceptional ability at a level such that differentiated educational opportunities must be provided to meet their instructional needs.

The Orange County Public School System understands these needs and is committed to:

identifying the gifted learner utilizing multiple criteria for eligibility,
providing a differentiated K-12 curriculum which challenges the gifted learner,
staffing with certified individuals who are knowledgeable concerning the needs, interests and abilities of gifted learners and providing them with professional development, and
providing opportunities for dialogue among parents, staff and community.

OCPS Gifted Plan

Academic Gifted Model

The Orange County Public School division seeks to identify students who demonstrate high levels of accomplishment, or the potential for high levels of accomplishment, when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment in the areas of English and Mathematics. Beginning in kindergarten, student performance will be monitored. In the spring of second grade, eligible students will demonstrate outstanding strength in English and/or Mathematics through norm referenced achievement tests, reports from teachers and parents, and examples of student work. Documentation will include evidence that the student is performing significantly above his/her same age peers in English or Mathematics.

Identification Process

It is the mission of the Orange County Public School System to properly identify and provide appropriate educational services to gifted learners among all ethnic, racial and socioeconomic groups. Gifted students are those who exhibit exceptional ability at a level such that differentiated educational opportunities must be provided to meet their instructional needs.

Students entering third grade and above may be identified for Specific Academic Ability in Mathematics and/or Reading.

Referrals for gifted identification can come from:

Teacher: Process begins with modification of instruction and referral form.
Parents/Guardians, Community Members: Process begins with referral form, available from the Gifted Specialists or on the gifted website.

Screening Materials

When gathering information for gifted identification, Orange County may use a variety of materials such as:

MAP
Gifted Behavior Rating Scales
CogAT
Task Commitment and Creativity
Gifted Behavior Rating Scales
Interview and Writing Sample
Profile of Creative Abilities Test

Nomination & Identification Process

Student work samples and a completed referral form
Permission to test letter
Gifted Specialist gathers data
Gifted Identification Committee meets to review student profile in the Fall and Spring
Committee’s recommendation communicated to parents
Permission to serve form is signed

Right to Appeal:

Parents/guardians wishing to appeal an eligibility decision must file a letter stating the reason for the appeal within thirty (30) days of the date of notification. Those reasons may indicate concerns about the achievement testing, social or emotional concerns, or individual (other) concerns. This letter should be addressed to the building principal.

Upon receipt of the appeals letter, the building principal notifies the Executive Directors of Instruction, who assemble the division appeals committee. This committee will be provided with the original eligibility documents for review. The appeals committee is a totally separate entity; no members of the previous eligibility committee serve on the appeals committee. It is made up of two central office administrators, a teacher, and an administrator. The Director of Instruction serves only as the liaison to the appeals committee, to expedite additional testing, collection of data, or fulfilling the requests from the appeals committee.

The committee reviews the existing data to determine one of two paths:

The committee may uphold the original decision or
The committee may request that specific, additional information be collected to assist in making the decision.

Once the committee has received additional requested data, a decision committee meeting will be held within fifteen working days. The parent/guardian is informed in writing of its decision.