Hempfield School District provides gifted support services for students who have been identified as gifted students and need additional services beyond the regular education curriculum. A multi-criteria process, based on Pennsylvania State Guidelines, is used to identify students for gifted support services.

The mission of the Hempfield School District’s gifted support services in partnership with families is to provide educational support and extend the regular curriculum while promoting the unique abilities of individual students, which will enable them to become independent, continuous learners and contributors to the community. The goal of our gifted services is for students to view learning as a lifelong process that enriches the individual and benefits society.

The instructional focus is based on engaging the student in challenging tasks, whether these tasks are replacement or core instruction:

• Extending and refining knowledge through the development of complex reasoning skills such as comparing, classifying, abstracting, inductive reasoning, deductive reasoning, constructing support, analyzing errors and analyzing perspectives.
• Students participate in complex tasks and educational opportunities, which foster their creative expression, enrich their knowledge base, and stimulate them to excel as self-directed learners.
• Guiding students to use knowledge meaningfully with skills such as decision-making, problem solving, experimental inquiry, system analysis and investigations.
• Promoting habits of the mind that exemplify critical thinking, creative thinking, and self-regulated thinking.
• Developing the personal and social awareness of each student.

Students develop the appropriate skills, concepts and attitudes to be a successful life-long learner. The students will comprehend their own giftedness in relationship to self and society. They will develop a better understanding of self and their interests, aptitudes and areas of strength. The students will demonstrate the development of interpersonal skills. They will comprehend the importance of career decision-making and explore careers related to areas of personal interest.

Differentiation/responsive learning experiences occur at all levels as the teachers plan lessons to meet the needs and strengths of their students. Gifted support services are a combination of time with the gifted support teacher and with the regular education teacher.

Gifted Services in Our Schools

Click through the left-hand navigation bar to find more information on gifted services at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.