Elementary School: We are working on ways to increase Gifted and Talented services at the elementary level next year. Stay tuned for more information in the fall.

Middle School: Fifth grade students receive pull out services/enrichment during their extra Math and Language Arts blocks on Mondays. Students identified for gifted and talented services in grades 6-8 are served by enrollment in accelerated Math and ELA courses, a variety of elective classes, weekly GT services during alternate advisory, and lunch clubs/extra curricular activities throughout the year.

The Gifted and Talented program at Belgrade schools is designed to be qualitatively different (offering distinct, specialized learning experiences) and quantitatively different (operating at a faster pace or greater depth) from regular curriculum. With those goals in mind, we have been working hard to create thematic units for each grade level that provide enrichment opportunities different from those they would receive in their regular classroom and tied to rigorous academic standards. Below is a quick preview of the thematic units we have planned for each grade level next year. More detailed information will be shared about each unit in the fall.

Second grade students will discover that the world is made of interconnected parts that must work together to function. Throughout this unit, students will explore and compare many different types of systems. They will start with macro-systems like our solar system and weather systems. They will then examine how systems are interconnected in nature and explore what happens when a system is disrupted. The unit will also explore ways humans and animals rely on systems for communication and order. This progression will directly prepare students for their final project, where they will synthesis everything they've learned throughout the year to research and analyze a real-world local issue and present their own systematic solution.

Students in both 3rd and 4th grade will explore the story of energy development in the United States, starting with the oil boom in Beaumont, Texas and ending with today's energy needs. Along the way, they will conduct research and experimentation to learn more about how energy can be harnessed, transformed, and transferred. To connect our classroom learning to the real world and humanities, we will be reading The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Young Reader's Edition) and learning from MSU's Wind Energy Research Institute.

Fifth grade students will be working as historians, data analysts, and technical writers to explore how language, culture, science, and math work together to solve complex human problems. We will be anchoring our unit with two phenomenal novels: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster and The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller. Through these novel studies, students will investigate how we build organized societies, how we use data to question the world, and how we explore solutions using the engineering design process.

In middle school, our approach to Gifted and Talented services changes to match the growing independence of our students. Instead of leaving class for GT services, advanced learning opportunities are built into the middle school schedule. Many of our students are enrolled in Accelerated Math and Advanced Language Arts classes. These classes are designed to move faster and dive deeper into complex ideas. Students in the middle school also have the opportunity to participate in specialized elective classes and academic clubs that allow them to explore creative projects, develop leadership skills, and focus on their unique interests alongside like-minded peers.

As part of their service plan, we will continue to pull students for a weekly check-in and short enrichment opportunities during their alternate advisory times each week. The focus this year will be "The World According to Me". Over the course of the year, students will explore advanced concepts across core curricular areas while also exploring how their unique identities, strengths, and values shape the way they view the world. To pull it all together, each student will design, build, and formally defend their own "Utopian Society". This project requires them to establish a government, an economic system, and societal values that reflect their personal beliefs, all while justifying their choices using the knowledge acquired throughout the year.

This integrated approach to gifted education allows your child to receive advanced instruction every day and explore their unique passions without feeling isolated or having to catch up on missed classwork.

A number of our middle school students have asked for book recommendations for the summer. Mrs. Cardwell has created the following "Summer Reading Challenge" for middle school students. Please feel free to print these pages for your record keeping this summer. Happy Reading!

The Gifted and Talented Advisory committee is planning to meet three times next year to create and review program goals for the academic year. Meetings will be held at the Old City Library on the following dates:

Thursday, September 17, 2026

Thursday, January 21, 2027

Thursday, April 22, 2027

If you are interested in being a part of this committee, we would love more parent involvement. Please contact Selina Innes at sinnes@bsd44.org and she can add you to the committee calendar and communication.