Upper Freehold Regional Elementary School and Middle School

Mission Statement and Goals
for
EQUITY: Excellence, Quality, and Understanding in Instruction of Talented Youth

A Sub-Committee of the UFRE/MS PTA
And a Sister Committee to RISE (Recognizing Issues in Special Education)

Mission Statement:

EQUITY is a group of parents, educators, students, and community members working together to support educational experiences in the K to 8 environment appropriate to the needs of all children, with an emphasis on those who demonstrate advanced performance or potential. We seek to provide information and support to strengthen and enhance development of schools and classrooms in which both equity and excellence are persistent goals for each child, enabling each and every child to achieve his or her maximum potential.

Goals:

1. Sponsor, organize, and support in-school, after-school, and summer enrichment opportunities for all students. Examples include:

Language/Literature/Debate
Spelling Bees
Battle of the Books
Book Clubs
Junior Great Books
Debate Team
Mock Trial
Foreign Language Club

Science/Technology/Math
Math Olympiad
Continental Math League
Math Counts
Computer Contest
Science Olympiad
Science Fair
NJ Lego League Tournament

Leadership/Creative Problem Solving
Boys State/Girls State
Career Day
Odyssey of the Mind
Peer Tutoring/Internship

Other
Geography Bee
Electronic Pen Pal
National History Day
Field Trips
Chess Club

* From this list, our initial goal is to offer at least one program per marking period.

In addition, we will sponsor annual academic, leadership, and community service awards for middle school students (5th through 8th grade).


2. Act as an information exchange and sharing group for parents, educators, and our community. Provide consistent support services that will enhance the capabilities of individuals who demonstrate advanced performance or potential. Support services include:

· Monthly meetings
· Information pamphlet
· Outside speakers on topics of interest
· Resource library
· Web site containing articles and links to relevant topics
· Submissions to District Newsletter
· Research on educational models
· Research on exemplary schools and school programs
· Middle School Curriculum Task Force


3. Raise awareness in our community with regard to the revised New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) Administrative Code (New Jersey law for gifted education, a summary of which is attached); the corresponding “Curriculum Frameworks” documents (NJDOE suggestions to local districts for identifying students and for implementing gifted and talented programs within the core curriculum subject areas); and the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Pre-K to Grade 12 Gifted Program Standards.

Advocate and support the Upper Freehold Regional School District in development of “appropriate curricular and instructional modifications” for students who demonstrate advanced performance or potential. There are a variety of ways in which a school can modify the curriculum to make it more appropriate for high ability learners. Current research suggests the following types of modifications:

· Independent Study
· Mentoring or Peer Tutoring
· Pre-testing and Curriculum Compacting
· Cluster Grouping
· Differentiation
· Acceleration

* Brief definitions of these instructional techniques are attached.

To achieve this goal, we will:

· Research different methods to appropriately educate high ability learners (such as those listed above)
· Participate in the Middle School Curriculum Task Force
· Advocate for the needs of high ability learners to the Board of Education (BOE)
· Support training of teachers to meet the needs of children of high potential by identifying opportunities and grants for training.

Research Findings That Support Our Goals

According to research conducted by the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, gifted students already know between 40 and 50 percent of the materials to be covered in class. Many of these students are required to “re-learn” or review material they have already mastered. Often they are not given educational modifications appropriate to their level, to keep them stimulated and to help them realize their potential. Gifted children often do not thrive without support or appropriate educational modifications; many tend to underachieve, withdraw, or develop behavior problems. According to Karen Rogers, “Recent researchers, such as Katharine Hoekman (1998) in Australia, have found that the best way to maintain a gifted child’s positive self-concept, motivation to learn, and readiness for new cognitive challenges is for the child to have taken on a challenge he didn’t think could be done and then succeed. Dr. Hoekman found much higher levels of anxiety, nervousness, and negative self-esteem among those bright children who have literally never been challenged.”

Summary

Working together, we can support and advocate programs within the Upper Freehold Regional School District that increase opportunities for all students. By translating research on effective learning into practice, the result will be higher expectations and maximizing their academic potential. In conclusion, by recognizing and addressing the needs of students who demonstrate advanced performance or potential, and providing the appropriate educational modifications, we will help our advanced learners be self-confident, prepared, and ready to make contributions to society and the world.