Jennie
K. Kolter Elementary School
Gifted and Talented News
GT Coordinator: April Hiller ahiller@houstonisd.org
The GT application needed is the "Vanguard Neighborhood
GT Application".
This application is for all present Kindergarten students and
any child, grade 1-4, not presently identified at GT.
Deadline for COMPLETED applications is the first Monday in
December. Please
email April Hiller, at
ahiller@houstonisd.org with any questions.
August: Gifted and Talented applications for children new to HISD
New to Kolter and your child has already been identified as GT in HISD? Please notify April Hiller ASAP so we can get the GT folder from your old school. The only exception to this is those children entering Kindergarten.
Gifted and Talented (GT) applications are now available in the school office or on the Advance Academics link at www.HoustonISD.org. (Make sure you download the Neighborhood GT application NOT the Vanguard application) Completed applications are due to your child’s teacher by September 30. If you are new to Kolter or HISD and your child has already qualified for the GT program, please notify April Hiller as soon as possible.
What does being labeled “Neighborhood GT” mean for my child?
We at Kolter strive every day to meet the academic needs of each and every child. To this end, we offer extensions of the regular curriculum to those children who demonstrate a need for depth and complexity. This does not mean that we teach “up” (3rd grade curriculum to a 2nd grader), but rather we teach “out”, modifying and enriching the regular curriculum. Our goal is to broaden your child’s educational experience.
Who is “admitted”?
Kolter Elementary School offers all of its students the opportunity to participate in the campus-based Neighborhood GT program. Admission into this program begins with a nomination from either the parent or classroom teacher. Once a student is nominated, a formal application is sent home and your child will take the NNAT nonverbal abilities test. This test is given several times throughout the school year. All kindergarteners and 5th graders are automatically given the NNAT in the fall of the new school year. This 30 minute test is a nonverbal assessment of reasoning abilities and it is not necessary to “prepare” your child in any way. GT services for kindergarten officially begin in the spring of that year.
What happens next?
Every student with a completed application, have their information entered onto a profile sheet. Those students with 62 points or higher are automatically admitted into the GT program. The profile sheet includes the following information:
- Ability Score (NNAT)
- Achievement Score (Stanford Test or any other nationally normed test)
- TAKS score (grades 3, 4, and 5 only)
- Report Card
- Parent Rating
- Teacher Rating
- Obstacles (if applicable)
The committee reviews the profile sheets reflecting scores in the range of 56-61 points including:
- Stanford scores that total 12 points or above, AND
- Abilities score that totals 14 or above, OR
- Combined score on the Stanford and NNAT that totals 30 points or above.
You will be notified by letter concerning your child’s placement. Since Kolter uses HISD criteria for admission into its Neighborhood GT program, this label is transferable from one HISD elementary school to another.
What if my child does not qualify for the Neighborhood GT program?
Every classroom teacher at Kolter holds a GT Certificate. We work very hard to place your children into a learning environment that will nurture and foster their individual development. Our staff is committed to excellence. You are welcome to formally apply for the Neighborhood GT program on a yearly basis. Applications for the next school year typically come out in December, and testing takes place in February, with results back in the spring. Watch the pink newsletter for specific information and dates. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher or April Hiller ( ahiller@houstonisd.org ).