Challenge Program

Dalton Public Schools adheres to a fundamental belief that all students can learn and should be provided opportunities and challenges for learning at the most appropriate level. Embodied in this belief is the commitment to provide continuous challenge and diversity of content and process to meet the needs of gifted learners.

Students participating in the Challenge Program at the elementary level attend between one to two classes each day in the content areas of math and science taught by gifted-endorsed teachers. Gifted teachers modify content by pre-testing concepts and then compacting the regular curriculum, enabling students to move at a faster pace, to explore concepts that are more complex and abstract, to develop advanced research skills and methods, and to gain collaborative and responsible leadership skills.

In addition to the content classes in their home schools, fifth grade students are served at a center one day a week. This non-graded learning environment allows students to explore concepts more deeply over a longer period of time—utilizing hands-on activities and providing opportunities for critical thinking and real-world problem solving.

At the middle school, gifted students, who meet the prescribed criteria and qualify, may take literacy, math, science, and or social studies classes taught in a homogeneous group setting by a gifted-certified teacher.

Dalton Public Schools offers a diverse selection of advanced level classes and opportunities to its high school students including Advanced Placement, The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, and the Internship/Mentorship Program.

Questions?

If you have additional questions about Dalton Public Schools gifted services contact Molly Carlson.

Challenge Program

Resources

Teaching and Learning Staff

Challenge Program

Determining Eligibility for Gifted Services

Methods of Referral to the Eligibility Team

Resources

Teaching and Learning Staff