Enrichment (Formerly GTD)
Philosophy
Oak Park Elementary School District 97 recognizes that outstanding talents are present in children from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavors. As a result, services for students who are academically talented must be accessible, equitable and part of an overall educational program. It is our responsibility to discover, nurture, and develop the potential of each student.
We encourage continuous staff development and collaboration among teachers, parents, and administrators, to better meet the needs of all students through the philosophy of differentiated instruction, strategies, and practices associated with differentiation.
Goals
- To identify outstanding intellectual potential in students and recognize that demonstrated exceptional abilities require differentiated educational services that match student needs.
- To offer a continuum of services designed to challenge students and to provide opportunities for the development of intellectual behaviors.
- To integrate differentiated services into the school environment through collaboration, implementation, and evaluation among all teachers, parents, and administrators.
- To support the district’s commitment to this program by providing educators with appropriate staff development and resources to meet the needs of academically talented students.
- To communicate the nature and needs of all students within the school and community in order to build awareness and develop an understanding of students’ needs.
Implementation
All students must be given educational experiences appropriate to their level of ability if they are to reach their potential. Appropriate rigor and challenge in the curriculum may include, but not be limited to, acceleration, advanced content, a higher degree of complexity, flexible grouping, curriculum compacting, in-depth studies, enrichment opportunities, flexible pacing, and differentiated content, process, and/or products.
The enrichment specialists will work with the classroom teacher to deliver a flexible model of academically enriched instructional programming. The enrichment specialist and classroom teacher will develop a plan to ensure that the needs of all our students are met within this flexible program. The enrichment specialist and classroom teacher will ensure that there are opportunities to provide fluid experiences for all children.
Click the headings below to learn more about the Elementary School Enrichment (formerly GTD) Program by grade level.
- Enrichment specialists will push into K-2 homeroom classrooms on a regular basis.
- Enrichment Specialists will provide support and resources to address differentiation of needs for all K-2 students.
- Enrichment specialists will push into all 3-5 classrooms to teach Critical Thinking Skills (CTS) lessons. This allows all students the opportunity to extend and enrich their academic reasoning.
- Enrichment Specialists will work with classroom teachers to provide fluid math differentiation for all 3-5 students though small and/or whole group enrichment.