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New enrichment program in P'edge set for okay The Plainedge School Board is expected to approve a plan to accelerate its K-5 enrichment program following input from residents at its March 7th meeting who said the district was not doing enough to address the needs of its gifted and talented students. The discussion took place at a budget meeting and as the school board struggled to strike a balance between programs and costs for the coming school year. The district originally proposed a five-year schoolwide enrichment program that would have afforded all students in the 5th grade the opportunity next year to complete advanced projects without identifying any gifted and talented students until the 2008- 09 school year. The new proposal would accelerate the program to provide a program for advanced students in the first year, with the addition of teachers certified to work with gifted and talented students. Each year, with board approval, the program can expand to other grade levels, providing even more students with these opportunities. The enrichment program, unlike a traditional gifted and talented program, focuses on all students, not just those who have been identified as gifted and talented. Any student who displays an interest in a certain area gets the opportunity to do so with special projects and a curriculum designed to suit the needs of individual students. "[The enrichment program] provides for all students in terms of enrichment," said Joan Ripley, assistant to the superintendent. Ripley added that the program would also help students with their social and emotional needs. "The new proposal is a huge step in the right direction," said Donna Macpherson, a lifelong Plainedge resident who had expressed concerns about the initial program's design. "We understand the district can't implement an entire plan for K through 5 overnight," said Macpherson. She added, however, the population of gifted and talented children has been "grossly underserved." She said she believes that the compromise improves the education of this group of students and can be done in a fiscally responsible way. Macpherson and others have been fighting for a comprehensive gifted and talented program in the district and she has researched the subject. She said that gifted and talented children have specific education needs like special education children but "on the other end of the spectrum." "They exhibit different needs and abilities and require the extra attention and challenge that a gifted program provides," she said. She explained that unless their needs are adequately addressed these students can become bored and may be incorrectly classified with problems such as ADD, or just simply disturb the class. Nancy Giris, another resident agreed that the new proposal, if passed, would be an asset to both the students and the district. "I would be thrilled to see this group become recognized again," said Giris. The Enrichment Program proposed by the district is based on Joseph Renzulli's School Wide Enrichment Model. Renzulli is a professor of educational psychology at the University of Connecticut and director of the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. Plainedge is currently trying to develop the curriculum, which by design and flexibility allows students at different levels of "giftedness" to participate and reach their personal potential. Students will complete projects that are of interest to them but that are not a part of the regular curriculum. In this way, students fulfill their emotional and social needs as well as their educational potential. "They can really showcase their talents," said Ripley. The next business meeting is April 17th. The regular school board meeting will be held April 19th, 8 p.m. | |||||
