The services offered through the Olentangy Local Schools Gifted Program consist of a combination of four main components: classroom cluster grouping, differentiated instruction or consultation services, gifted services in math and/or reading, and acceleration.

Classroom Cluster Grouping

Cluster grouping is a method of grouping identified gifted students in the classroom of one teacher, while the other students in that class are of mixed ability. Through cluster grouping, advanced learners, for example, can receive differentiated instruction and curriculum, appropriate for their level, from the regular classroom teacher. Furthermore, gifted students can better understand and accept their learning differences if there are others just like them in the class. Cluster grouping provides an effective complement to Olentangy Local Schools Gifted Program.

Differentiated Instruction – Consultation Services

One component of Olentangy Local Schools Gifted Program is to provide differentiated instruction in the regular classroom. Identified students will work on meaningful lessons with their regular classroom teachers. Differentiated work is provided to students based on the student’s interests, needs and abilities. Teachers might develop pretests to determine the knowledge base of the students and provide alternative activities that broaden or deepen the lesson, or promote higher level thinking skills. The Gifted Intervention Specialists will consult with the classroom teachers as well as assist in collaboration with student, parent and teachers to ensure that student work is appropriately challenging. This model is the core of the Middle School Consultation/Collaboration Services.

Math and/or Reading Service Class

The purpose of the Olentangy Local Schools Gifted Classes is to provide opportunities for critical and creative thinking, problem solving, and independent learning through rigorous compacted lessons.

Goals include growth of personal and academic self-discipline, pursuit of unique investigations, development of problem-solving techniques, development of realistic and healthy concepts of self and others, and willingness to assume leadership and responsibility. Students are placed in a learning environment in which they are encouraged to go beyond the known and obvious, where process is emphasized over factual learning, and scholarly exploration is expected and facilitated.