Welcome to L. Hollingworth School for the Talented and Gifted
LHSTG aspires to create an educational environment that provides academic acceleration, personalized support, authentic assessment, and school-wide differentiated learning activities. We strongly believe that every child who demonstrates the capability for high achievement in academic, creativity or leadership areas that are not being addressed within a conventional educational environment deserves an opportunity to learn within an environment, where they will be given the opportunity to completely develop their capabilities and unique gifts.
Our efforts to recognize and offer exceptional academic support to talented and gifted students are led by the following goals:
• To create an educational environment that provides the highest academic standards for students who are gifted, talented or twice exceptional.
• To provide a structured and proven curriculum focusing on literacy, mathematics, and core academic content that will maximize each student’s personal, educational and social potential.
• To improve academic performance by staffing each classroom with highly qualified teachers.
LHSTG will serve students from Kindergarten through 7th grade. Our mission of promoting academic excellence and providing students with a viable educational alternative that fosters an academically challenging environment focused on the learner’s needs, will fill a longstanding void in the Talented & Gifted education in the Toledo area.
The class sizes will be small, allowing for the teacher to develop a unique bond with the student. The students’ diversity of needs will require highly individualized instruction through structured lessons, portfolios, and mentors from the community.
Student Centered Approach
We believe the educational program should focus on the learner’s specific needs that will support learning on a whole new level. For example, students should be equipped with a laptop computer, printer and Internet access, and have multi-media support within the classroom setting. In addition, our students would have access to state-of-the-art learning equipment and manipulatives in the areas of math, reading, science and the arts. Students who attend LHSTG will receive specialized attention to map out their plan of work, meet standardized goals and benchmarks, and strategize their level of participation. Recognizing that some students may excel in multiple areas of study and lack in other areas, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) may support specific areas of deficiency.Believing that good citizens are people of good character, the character traits discussed in William J. Bennett’s Book of Virtues will be taught to our students. These traits are self-discipline, compassion, responsibility, friendship, work, courage, perseverance, honesty and loyalty.
Student Support Services
The Special Needs Department will provide educational opportunities for all students, plus additional challenges for students that exhibit and have been identified as Twice Exceptional or Talented and Gifted. LHSTG will focus on the “whole child” by enhancing their academic and social skills. Individual Education Plans (IEP) will be developed to provide additional support for students who require specific, academic assistance. Students classified as Talented & Gifted will have a Written Education Plan (WEP) created to challenge them to maximize their full, academic and social potential. We recognize that the diversity of student needs will demand highly individualized instruction. Instruction will consist of structured lessons, portfolios, and mentors from the community. These areas will be key elements and vital to the success of each student.
From time to time, students may require additional specialized services to support their academic and social development. Northwest Ohio Speech Language and Rehabilitation Services and Partners for Success and Innovation (PSI) which provides psychological services will be used as needed.
In addition, Unison Behavioral Healthcare and other behavioral healthcare agencies will provide additional support as applicable.
LHSTG will also adopt the “Inclusion Philosophy” that allow each child an opportunity for varied social interaction, and additional instructional support provided within the classroom setting. Research and evidence suggest that the “inclusion philosophy” will improve education for both the general and special education student (An Inclusion Talkback, 1996). As needed, a smaller setting outside the general education classroom will be provided for students who may benefit from a smaller and controlled learning environment.
