Gifted & Talented

Timnath Middle High’s Gifted and Talented program strives to nurture the development of exceptional abilities so that all gifted students demonstrate positive self-esteem, high-level thinking, and creative productivity.

Gifted students are identified by their strength areas and needs. Educational programming is implemented to match their identified needs. Student progress and achievement is monitored through on-going assessment.

Gifted children are students between five and 21 whose abilities, talents, and potential for accomplishment are so outstanding that they require special provisions to meet their educational needs. Gifted students include gifted students with disabilities (i.e. twice exceptional) and students with exceptional abilities or potential from all socio-economic and ethnic, cultural populations.

Areas of giftedness include:

• General or specific intellectual ability.
• Specific academic aptitude.
• Creative or productive thinking.
• Leadership abilities.
• Visual arts, performing arts, musical or psychomotor abilities

Blended ICAP (Individual Career and Academic Plan/ ALP (Advanced Learning Plan)  at TMHS

• Gifted and Talented (GT) students at Timnath Middle High School work with the GT coordinator, teachers, and parents to choose goals for their annual ICAP/ALP. 
• ICAP/ALP Goals are a directed way to guide our GT students to follow a passion, make a difference, and/or work towards a personal goal throughout the year. 
• An ICAP/ALP is an opportunity-driven experience. Therefore, students will get out of their ICAP/ALP what they put into it. 
• We ask that students choose their ALP goal with thought and care. We want them to pick something they are passionate about. The ICAP/ALP isn’t about extra work, it is about taking advantage of provided opportunities for further growth here at TMHS. 
• The blended ICAP/ALP allows the GT coordinator, counselors, parents, and teachers to easily access their student’s goals in Xello and help support them in their self-exploration and future plans.
• All of our ALP goal choices tie to one (or more) of the national 21st Century Skills. At TMHS, our whole staff works very hard to help guide all students towards attaining these 21st Century Skills to make sure we prepare them for high school, college, and the workplace.  

Student Support for Gifted Learners at TMHS

• Middle school GT students meet with the GT coordinator during ELO on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in small groups based on their goal choices, around 8 times a year.
• High school GT students have the opportunity to attend lunch seminars on relevant topics. 2024-2025 will feature a career panel each month to expose students to as many career options as possible. 
• College campus visits and enrichment field trips will be planned for all grades. 
• We use Google Classroom for updates, meeting calendars, and announcements. 

Helpful Links:

• PSD Gifted and Talented homepage - https://www.psdschools.org/academics/gifted-and-talented
• Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented (CAGT) - https://www.coloradogifted.org/
• National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) - https://nagc.org/
• 48 Essential Links for the Parents of Gifted Children - https://www.oedb.org/ilibrarian/50-essential-links-for-the-parents-of-gifted-children/
• TMHS Resource Library for GT Families  - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1q3m1qwDV-udM_tGy8_JpcyTzMpZMi5gxYbY0dPxFBAw/edit?usp=sharing

Parent Partnership Contacts for GT Programming

• Timnath Middle High School’s Gifted and Talented Site Coordinator:  

Kristin Fernandez  kfernandez@psdschools.org    970-419-3523

• Poudre School District Gifted and Talented Program Coordinator: 

                Kirstan Morris kirstanm@psdschools.org  

• Poudre School District Secondary Identification Specialist:  

                Emily Vangermeersch evangerm@psdschools.org