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Orange City SD adds Torrance test to gifted screening; fifth-graders present tree and hospital service-learning projects
Summary
Gifted coordinators updated the board on identification procedures and screening tools, including adding the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking for second- and fifth-grade screening. A fifth-grade group presented projects including a virtual tree tour and mindfulness journals for hospitalized children.
The Orange City School District Board of Education heard an update on gifted services and a student presentation at its Oct. 9 meeting.
Gifted coordinators submitted the district’s annual review of identification procedures for students who are gifted. The district noted updates to assessments used for identification to align with the state-approved assessment list and added the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking for second- and fifth-grade screening this year.
Gifted services staff brought a group of current fifth graders to present work from service-learning projects developed in resource-room settings. Teacher Jean Metzger introduced the students and described the service-learning process and the 20 first-century learning skills used in the work.
One student team, identified as "Team Orange Trees," described creating a virtual tree tour of the school campus to educate peers about campus trees, their importance to biodiversity and climate indicators. Another project, called "Care for Kids," collaborated with child-life staff at Akron Children’s Hospital and first-grade classrooms to create original mindfulness journal pages and collect socks for hospitalized children.
Student presenters introduced themselves on the board dais. "My name is Lucas Shao," said one presenter, followed by other students who identified themselves and described their work. The students noted that trees provide habitat and help identify long-term climate change indicators and demonstrated the virtual tour developed for the campus.
Board members asked several procedural questions about the new assessments. Gifted staff said the Torrance assessment is expected to provide "a little bit more valuable data" during screenings. Board members thanked the students for their presentations.
No board action was required on the presentation; the updates to screening tools and the identification procedures were provided for the board’s annual review.
