Gifted & Talented - Secondary

St. Mary’s County Public School begins screening students for gifted identification in third grade. Multiple measures of aptitude, potential, and achievement are used for identification. Students can be identified as gifted in the areas of reading and/or mathematics.  At the middle school level, the following process is used for identifying new students or reconsidering returning students for gifted identification.

STAGE 1 (ALL STUDENTS)

Student data is collected and used to make recommendations for course placement in English/Language Arts and Mathematics.

STAGE 2 (BY REQUEST)

Students may be screened for gifted identification at the request of a parent/guardian, teacher, or student. Requests for screening should be made to the school principal. Only one screening request may be made each school year.

During the screening process the following data is collected:

English Language Arts Identification Data

• InView Assessment: Verbal Reasoning-Words and Verbal Reasoning-Context
• Gates MacGinitie Reading Assessment
• MCAP Reading Assessment
• MCAP Writing Assessment

Mathematics Identification Data

• InView Assessment: Sequences, Analogies, and Quantitative Reasoning
• MCAP Mathematics Assessment

STAGE 3 (BY REQUEST)

Data Review

• A data review meeting can be requested. Information collected during the screening process will be explained at a team meeting. Contact the school principal if you would like to schedule a meeting.

Appeal Meeting

• An appeal can be requested to consider new information such as additional reading and/or mathematics assessments, outside assessments, or mitigating factors. Contact the school principal if you would like to appeal your child's screening results. Only one appeal may be requested each school ye

St. Mary's County Public Schools offers four distinct Academy Programs to better serve a variety of students. 

Information about SMCPS Academies can be found at https://www.smcps.org/academies.

The Center for Talented Youth identifies young people of great academic promise and offers summer programs, online programs/courses, and other services/resources.  Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth information can be found at https://cty.jhu.edu/. 

The Maryland State Department of Education provides summer educational opportunities for gifted and talented students across the state. Programs are available in a variety of areas to include Creative Writing, Global Languages, and Performing Arts. MSDE Gifted and Talented Centers information can be found 

*Please be advised that the applications for these programs open on or around February 1. The spaces fill quickly. Please check the website periodically if you are interested.

The College of Southern Maryland offers opportunities for gifted students.  Students who are under the age of 16 and who have completed at least the 7th grade may be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis. Students will be considered for such admission if they demonstrate the ability to profit from instruction based on evidence of gifted and talented status as defined by their local school system or through other evidence of exceptional academic or fine arts talent.  

https://www.csmd.edu/apply-register/credit/steps-to-enroll-credit-courses/highschool-student-admissions/gifted-talented-steps/

Welcome to Maryland Mensa's Bringing Resources and Involvement to Gifted Homes Together (BRIGHT) program. Maryland Mensa is developing BRIGHT to serve the needs of gifted youth, their families, and their educators. 

Check with your school site to see what programs may be offered. 

• Information on VexIQ:  https://www.vexrobotics.com/vexiq/
• Information on Lego Robotics:  https://www.lego.com/en-us/themes/mindstorms?domainredir=mindstorms.lego.com

St. Mary's County Public Schools proudly sponsors the Destination Imagination (DI) program for all interested schools and teams. The Destination Imagination challenge program is a fun way to supplement school curriculum and teach kids 21st-century skills. It provides opportunities for kids to work collaboratively, solve problems, and foster their creativity. Click the links below for more information.

• Destination Imagination Overview:  https://www.marylanddi.org/about-2/program-overview/
• Destination Imagination Website: https://www.destinationimagination.org/
• Maryland Destination Imagination Website: https://www.marylanddi.org/

Student Council Association, or SCA, is a service and leadership based organization that strives to benefit both the school and our local community. Check with your school site to see about enrollment.

Model United Nations, also known as Model UN or MUN, is an educational simulation and/or academic competition in which students can learn about diplomacy, international relations, and the United Nations.

• Chess Clubs
• Mock Trial
• Drama Productions
• Science Fair
• Speech Contests
• Hour Of Code
• Yearbook Committee