Gifted Education

Manheim Central School District provides support for students who qualify for the Gifted Program under the Pennsylvania regulations according to Chapter 16. Our program is offered to all identified students at our elementary, middle and high school levels.

The Gifted Program consists of many levels of support including, but not limited to:

Pull-Out Enrichment
Inclusion
Co-Teaching and Co-Planning between Regular Education Teachers and the Gifted Facilitators
Independent Projects / Study
Acceleration
Multi-Curricular Seminars

Elementary Program

The elementary program is called LEAP (Learning Enrichment Activities Program) and occurs at each of our K-4 elementary buildings. The program consists of weekly pull out which provides enrichment experiences which extend the learning from the regular classroom and provides opportunities for further development in leadership, social/emotional relationships, problem solving and creative and critical thinking. In addition, inclusion services are implemented on a grade level basis dependent upon student need and scheduling parameters. The gifted facilitator also collaborates with classroom teachers to help provide extension and enrichment within the regular classroom.

Middle School Program

At our Middle School, the program is called OMEGA (Our Methods for Enriching/Educating Gifted Adolescents).

Grades 5-6 – This program closely follows the elementary model with more time for pull out services and more opportunities for co-teaching and co-planning.
Grades 7-8 – At this level, the program consists primarily of two parts: seminar offerings and an individually based independent project. Monthly seminars consisting of interactive lessons, speakers, field trips or other dynamic experiences provide enrichment in many different subject areas. In addition, each student works closely with the gifted facilitator to identify, plan, organize and implement an appropriate and valuable independent project which focuses on a student’s gifted strengths and/or interests.

High School Program

The High School program, called ALPHA (Advanced Learners Promoting Higher Achievement), further extends the middle school model with seminar offerings in a variety of cross-curricular areas of student interest. Emphasis is placed on post-secondary planning, including rigorous course selection at the high school level, to further develop student skills and readiness as relates to their transition.