1. The School-wide Enrichment Model: Focus on Talent Development You Can Make This Approach Work at Your School! By Mary Alice Osborne, Upper School Librarian ACST

2. “ The principal goal of education is to create men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done.” — Jean Piaget—

4. Why didn’t these individuals fit into the regular school system?

10. How can we explain these gifted behaviors?

13. As educators, what can we do to meet the needs of Gifted and Talented students?

19. What is “The Spark”? “ The Spark Program” is a student Talent Development Program, which is modeled after the School-wide Enrichment Model (SEM) developed by Joe Renzulli and Sally Reis at the University of Connecticut. SEM is a research-based model for Gifted and Talented Instruction that works to meet the needs of all students by nurturing and developing gifted behaviors. SEM has been successfully used for over twenty five years in thousands of classrooms around the world. The program provides a variety of opportunities, resources, and activities to “ Spark ” interests and develop Gifted and Talented behaviors in WRVS students.

21. What is the Schoolwide Enrichment Model?

22. “ A Practical System for Identifying Gifted and Talented Students ,” by J. Renzulli, The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented University of Connecticut

24. Schoolhouse Giftedness Schoolhouse giftedness might also be called test-taking or lesson-learning giftedness. It is the kind most easily measured by IQ or other cognitive ability tests, and for this reason it is also the type most often used for selecting students for entrance into special programs.

25. Creative-Productive Giftedness Describes those aspects of human activity where premium is placed on the development of original material and/or products that are purposely designed to have an impact upon one or more target audiences.

26. What can we do to provide enrichment opportunities for a diverse population of students with multiple intelligences?

29. “ The Triad Model” by J. Renzulli, Director The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented University of Connecticut

33. Author Joseph Citro visited Waits River

34. Computer Controlled Microscope in the Library

35. The Garden Club visited Long Wind Organic Tomato Farm

36. Author / Illustrator Gail Gibbons spoke with students about how she creates her books.

37. Peace Train, a musical group from South Africa performed at our school

40. A “debriefing” in which teachers question students to see if they are intensely interested in the subject follows these activities. Students will self-identify for further enrichment activities as they reflect upon the Type I. They may express interest in pursuing the subject in a more sophisticated and in-depth way.

45. Growing flower and vegetable seedlings in the library using grow labs

47. The Crime Scene Detective Group doing research for their project

48. Fingerprinting at the State Police

50. The Chess Club met during lunch

52. Model Railroading

53. Cosmetology

54. Gymnastics

56. Odyssey of the Mind Competition

59. Legos Mindstorm Robotics

61. Photography

73. A Waits River Times reporter

74. Editors Shea and Amber facilitate a Waits River Times meeting

76. Hi Mary Alice! Wow, Tunisia sounds so cool, especially those shipwreck things! I miss you, and WRVS too. I went to Open House, and when I went into the library, I almost started crying! But Thetford is a really nice school, and I'm doing well--we just got progress reports back and I'm getting all A's, as per usual, but I have to actually work for them, which is nice. I entered a poetry contest, back in July, and I'm a semi-finalist, and I'm going to be published in a book!!! The poem (the full version; I had to cut some out) is at the bottom, if you have time and want to read it. That article I did on Elizabeth MacDonald (did you hear what happened to her? It's so sad--she's in a nursing home and they auctioned off all her stuff, even though she has no idea :( ) is going to be put in the Topsham Town History II book! It's hard to imagine that I was reluctant about doing the interview in the first place! (being so shy and all--I've opened up a lot more now!) I can't wait to hear more from you, whether by personal message or a group email! AMBER 