Hello! This year’s Gifted and Talented/Talent Pool class is going to be filled with so many fun, exciting, and challenging projects, field trips, and events including but not limited to: the DPS Shakespeare Festival, science exhibits, DCPA theatrical performances, hands-on projects, brain teasers, debates, writing contests, and more. I can’t wait to meet and collaborate with everyone!
What does Marrama Elementary School do to program for gifted students?
At Marrama Elementary School, we have a total of 56 out of 476 (12%) students enrolled in our Talent Pool/GT Program for the 2023-24 school year. Students within this program receive appropriate programming options and/or interventions to further support their academic and affective strengths and needs. Program settings include differentiated instruction within mainstream classrooms, push-ins and pull-outs with the Talent Pool/GT teacher, on-site and off-site field trips, and Denver-based performances and competitions. Strategies used within these settings include but are not limited to: social-emotional supports, tiered learning targets, advanced product options, higher order questioning, project-based learning, and service learning/real-world applications such as community mentorships.
How will Marrama Elementary School use consultation, professional development training, and/or peer coaching to support classroom teachers in understanding gifted learners and providing appropriate instruction?
During our school-wide professional development training for the 2023-24 school year, participants will be able to examine and thoroughly understand Integrated Content Language Development (ICLD) best practices as well as Unit Internalization in an academically and culturally diverse classroom. ICLD and Unit Internalization topics covered throughout the professional development include content language objectives, maintaining rigor, simultaneous implementation of content and language during student talk and writing, as well as ICLD alignment at the lesson plan and unit levels, walkthroughs of classrooms, ongoing demographic-based summative assessment analyses, and data driven instruction for language and content. With coaching support, classroom teachers will then synthesize and apply ICLD and Unit Internalization strategies by utilizing differentiation tools/strategies and by creating a framework of cultural responsiveness for optimal learning in order to meet the varying needs of all students.
How does Marrama Elementary School engage families of gifted learners and support a deeper understanding of the needs of gifted/talented in your school?
Parent communication highlighting and specifying the identification process, testing options and windows, ALP updates, classroom projects/events, and GT department opportunities will be given on a consistent basis. Parents and community members will also be invited to attend and partake in GT/TP family nights and all of the school-wide events. Parents will be welcome and encouraged to advocate for their children, as well as to volunteer, contribute to, and participate in our program throughout the school year.
What will Marrama Elementary School’s main area of focus for this school year be to further develop gifted programming?
To further develop gifted programming at Marrama Elementary, a school-wide emphasis will be placed on rigor (I.2) in which students will not only utilize explicit academic language at the word, phrase, and discourse levels, but will also analyze complex texts, critique numerous sources of evidence, and justify reasoning to peers, so they may exhibit higher-level thinking and perform at an advanced level of proficiency on CMAS in Literacy for the 2023-24 school year.
For more information regarding the GT/TP program at Marrama Elementary School, please contact Mrs. Roche (aka Ms. Collins-Erikson) at 720-424-5820.
As always, thank you for your support!
Kind regards,
Mrs. Roche
Gifted and Talented/Talent Pool Teacher
Andrhea_Collins-Erikson@dpsk12.net
ACollins@dpsk12.net
Denver Public Schools is proud to bring Destination Imagination to Marrama Elementary! Destination Imagination is preparing Colorado’s kids to be the innovators of the future by combining the arts, sciences, and technology with creativity, teamwork, and problem solving. In order to be successful and offer this opportunity to our students, we also need adult volunteers as well. If your student is interested in competing this year, please consider co-managing a team and contact Mrs. Roche. Thank you so much for your support!
The GT program at Marrama serves those students formally identified as well as those students that show potential, but lack enough indicators for formal identification. They may be advanced in one subject but not all academic areas. Students are grouped into cluster classrooms from 3rd-5th grades. GT instruction is delivered through pull out classes for 1st through 5th grades. Ability grouping is used as well as differentiating content.
Three different indicators must meet or exceed a specified level or score in order for the student to be identified. Denver Public School District begins the process with the NNAT test in 2nd grade and continues with different assessments annually. Teachers and parents complete questionnaires annually. Parents may choose to have their child tested on the COGAT test in November. Schools may choose to informally service students with proven academic success earlier than 3rd grade, which Marrama does.
Instructional practice in the GT program centers around content integration and 21st century skills. Instruction compliments DPS curriculum and expands concepts to challenge GT students to reach their full potential. The curriculum is standards based and inquiry driven. Each of the five grades received instruction on a weekly basis.
5th grade GT students can audition for a Shakespeare play to be performed at The DPS Shakespeare Festival in May. The school choir, band, strings, and student council are also current programs offered to outstanding students.
For the 2023-24 school year, students will benefit from the enriched reading, writing, math, and computer instruction. The content areas taught depend upon the grade levels of the students as well as the amount of class time available. These students range from 1st grade through 5th grade.
For more information regarding the GT program at Marrama, please contact Ms. Roche at 720-424-5820.