Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, December 5, 2002 Published Every Thursday Since 1890 OUR 113th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 13-113 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. www.goleader.com
[email protected] FIFTY CENTS Westfield BOE Reviews New Gifted and Talented Program By CHARLOTTE LEDERMAN identification for this program, which of 145,” while “a secondary criterion Specially Written for The Westfield Leader included screening in grades two and (150) was set for extremely high “Bright shiny apples” were the five, as well as summer testing ad- verbal scores.” focus of Tuesday night’s board of ministered by psychologists trained Ms. Kielley continued, in the “fall education meeting. That was the term specifically for this task. of 2002: (the) pilot students (were) used to describe those high-achiev- Dr. Edmunds showed that based clustered in elementary and middle ing students who benefit from the on the testing scores, “the major schools.” Moreover, “All third grade gifted and talented program. criterion was set at three standard teachers and sixth grade science and The board feels strongly that, in deviations above the mean, a score CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 the words of Superintendent Dr. Wil- liam Foley, “it’s a need-small group intensive instruction” for these stu- dents. The way in which these gifted students are identified and subse- quently taught at the elementary level was what was up for review. Indeed, intense discussion amongst the board members resulted from the presentation of a program review of gifted education and differentiation of instruction, given by Assistant Superintendent of Schools Dr.