ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES  (ESOL) 

The goal of the School District of Oconee County's English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Program is to provide equal opportunities to students who have a primary home language other than English. The central focus is to provide an English-rich environment enabling students to become proficient in English as soon as possible.

This program, beginning in Kindergarten and continuing through high school, will provide each English Learner (EL) the opportunity to be successful in academic areas and to develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing proficiency to ensure academic success in the mainstream curriculum.

GIFTED AND TALENTED

Mission:

The mission of gifted education is to maximize the potential of gifted and talented students by providing programs and services that match the unique characteristics and needs of these students.

Definition of Gifted and Talented Students:

Gifted and talented students are those who are identified in grades 2-12 as demonstrating high performance ability or potential in academic and/or artistic areas and therefore require an educational program beyond that normally provided by the general school program in order to achieve their potential. (Regulation 43-220, Gifted and Talented)

Purpose of the Program:

The purpose of the programs that serve gifted and talented students is to provide curriculum, instruction, and assessment that maximize the potential of the identified students. Educational programs for academically gifted and talented students exhibit the following characteristics:

• Content, process, and product standards that exceed the state adopted standards for all students; 

• Goals and indicators that require students to demonstrate depth and complexity of knowledge and skills; 

• Instructional strategies that accommodate the unique needs of gifted learners; 

• An integrated approach that incorporates acceleration and enrichment; 

• Opportunities for worldwide communications/research; and 

• Evaluation of student performance. 

Program Models:

The following models are used to deliver services to academically gifted and talented students:

• Pull-Out Class - In this model, gifted and talented students are removed from the regular classroom for a specified period each week to receive differentiated instruction. 

• Special Class - This model is a self-contained gifted and talented class organized around one or more academic disciplines. The special class delivers services to identified students through a curriculum accelerated to meet their needs. 

Who may refer a student for screening?

• Referrals for the gifted and talented program may be made from administrators, parents, teachers, and/or students. Contact the school directly to begin the referral process. 

Please contact your child’s school to make a referral or to ask specific questions about the gifted and talented program.