Gifted and Talented

2008 Independent Study Projects Gallery

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     The gifted and talented program at Charles M. Russell School of Performing Arts is a comprehensive middle school gifted and talented program. 

    Gifted and talented learners enjoy a wide variety of opportunities at Russell.  From the piano lab to the dance studio and from the technology labs to the classroom, Russell students have many choices for both self-expression as well as in-depth, fast-paced learning. 

Russell has always been strong in the arts, and three years ago, the school became district eleven’s performing arts middle school.  Multi-grade classes allow students to participate at higher levels in show choir, orchestra, band, percussion ensembles, public speaking, drama and dance.  Last year, the Russell choir continued its tradition as one of the finest middle school choirs in Colorado with a host of superior, and even a superior plus plus, ratings at the CHSAA solo and ensemble competitions.  The forensics/speech team brought home 62 trophies from area competitions last season, sent four students to the national middle school semi-finals, and took home one national champion trophy.  Every band and orchestra performer garnered superior or excellent ratings at the CHSAA solo and ensemble competition—with several performances earning perfect scores.  Russell art students were named best in show, 1st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place in the Air  Academy Credit Union regional art show and had artwork place in every out of school art show they entered.  Performing arts students also participated in the spring musical as well as in elite reparatory dance.

Of course, gifted learners looking for a more academic slant will find that at Russell, too.  RMS offers advanced courses of study in math, science, reading, and language arts.  Students identified gifted and talented in District 11 follow a three year course with the gifted and talented coordinator specifically designed to meet the needs of gifted learners.   The two fully equipped Gateway to Technology labs offer hands-on engineering opportunities, and last year’s technology summer institute drew enthusiastic participation.  MESA, Lego Leauge, and Young Astronauts are three extra-curricular science opportunities many Russell students enjoy as well. 

With such a variety of extra-curricular activities and electives (including all the “classic” choices such as computers and P.E.) and a comprehensive program for advanced learners, every student can find their place at Russell.

All children are unique.  All children are loveable.  All children are precious, and all children possess particular talents, but not all children are gifted learners.

Gifted learners learn at a faster rate than other students and possess a capacity for learning that is matched by less than 5% of the general population.  Often, gifted learners exhibit several of these characteristics:  mastery of new material in one to two repetitions,  advanced vocabulary and verbal ability, outstanding memory, able to think abstractly, asks the questions, perceives subtle cause and effect relationships, inventor, improves on existing ideas, highly curious, vast storehouse of knowledge, prefers complex and challenging tasks, applies learning in new ways, keenly observant, intense, varied and sometimes unusual interests, sensitive to beauty and others' feelings, rebel against predictability, and a sophisticated sense of humor.