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Gifted‑education team outlines PEAKS identification and programming; district serving hundreds weekly
Summary
District PEAKS coordinators told trustees they identify gifted students through universal 3rd‑grade screening and serve roughly 382 students weekly with 30 minutes of direct services; presenters discussed MSU partnerships, plans for elementary enrichment and staffing challenges.
Bozeman School District’s two‑person gifted‑education team presented an update to the board Nov. 11 on the PEAKS (gifted and talented) program, identification practices and program activities across elementary, middle and high schools.
Hillary Klug and Ferrier Shockley described a universal screening approach piloted in Title I schools and expanded districtwide; screening aims to reduce bias and better reach nonverbal and nonnative‑English learners. Current identification rates cited in the presentation: roughly 10% of 4th–5th graders, 14% of 6th–8th graders and stated counts (approximately 107 4th–5th, 217 6th–8th and 194 9th–12th graders). Presenters said they currently serve 382 students in grades 4–8 with at least 30 minutes of additional direct enrichment weekly, delivered via pull‑out and push‑in models where feasible.
Staff highlighted partnerships with Montana State University (honors‑college mentoring for 4th–5th graders), hands‑on projects (tiny houses, MaKey MaKey banana pianos, STEM trips to Yellowstone) and a revived 'successful learner grants' program for high‑school students. Presenters described constraints—two staff serving hundreds of students—and laid out aspirational staffing and program expansion goals, including field‑trip fundraising to support physics events and a desire for more site‑based gifted teachers.
Trustees asked how PEAKS differs from regular instruction; presenters replied PEAKS allows extension, enrichment and inquiry‑driven experiences that are not easily delivered in the regular classroom. Staff said the program has increased identification among previously under‑represented groups through the new screening tool and that administrative coordination has allowed growth despite limited staffing.
Why it matters: The presentation documented program scale and equity goals as the district balances rising MLEL (multilingual learner) populations and staff capacity. Trustees praised the work and asked staff to continue seeking scalable supports.
Next steps: The coordinators invited trustees to visit classes and will return with any recommended staffing or resource requests as part of future budget considerations.
