Gifted Education

Colonial Heights Public Schools is committed to an educational program that promotes the social, emotional, and academic growth of all students by recognizing their unique needs and abilities. The Colonial Heights school division believes it has a responsibility to seek and identify gifted students from a variety of social, economic, and cultural backgrounds who demonstrate high performance capabilities in general intellectual aptitude. Flexible programs respond to unique student needs and help to develop productive, complex, abstract and higher level thinking skills.

Gifted Education in CHPS is led by Dr. Joe Douglas who can be reached at joe_douglas@colonialhts.net.

Local Plan

The Regulations Governing Educational Services for Gifted Students outlines the components school systems are required to include in their local plans for educating identified gifted students. School divisions are required to submit their local plan to the Virginia Department of Education for approval every five years.

A complete copy of the Local Plan for the Education of the Gifted can be obtained at the Colonial Heights School Administration Office or by the button here.

Our Gifted Ed Local Plan

Our Programs

Elementary

The goal of the Promise program is to identify students in grades K-2 who demonstrate high academic ability and, thus, have the potential of being identified as gifted. The Promise program focuses on nurturing and further developing these students' cognitive abilities. At the end of grade 2, all Promise students will be tested for participation in the Create gifted program for the following year.

The emphasis of the Create program in grades 3-5 is on the learning processes which will enable each gifted student to reach their academic potential and to become contributing members of the larger society later in life. Progress reports are sent home at the end of each semester. Both programs consist of four components: cluster grouping, in-class activities, pull-out services, and differentiated classroom programs which are designed by the classroom and gifted resource teachers.

Middle

Identified gifted students are cluster grouped in middle school honors classes. Two Create resource teachers work with students and honors teachers to ensure courses are firmly grounded in instructional practice best for the gifted learner. The gifted resource teachers use push-in and pull-out models to differentiate instruction for regular education and identified gifted students. The Create resource teachers also work with identified gifted students to ensure their individual needs are met.

Create students take Honors-level courses as well as a Create elective course. In these courses, students use higher-level thinking to complete projects and assignments that focus on critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity.

Create students work with the resource and classroom teachers to set individual goals and to Create a personalized Differentiated Education Plan (DEP). DEPs guide student learning throughout the school year.

High

At the high school level, the gifted resource teacher advises identified gifted students in grade 9 on issues surrounding career planning, academic coursework, and personal counseling. While gifted students in grades 10-12 receive counseling services from other high school counselors, they meet with the gifted resource teacher frequently throughout the year.

Students' academic needs are met through honors, Advanced Placement (AP), and dual-enrollment classes. Dual-enrollment classes are organized through local colleges and universities. AP courses are college-level classes for which most colleges and universities grant transcript credit, provided the student receives a passing score on the AP final exam. Any student who meets the school's criteria for enrollment may participate in these courses without formal gifted identification. The highest quality of student performance is expected in all honors and AP classes.

Identification & Selection

Every year, all incoming kindergartners are screened for participation in the Division's K-2 Promise program. In addition, transfer students and/or non-participating students may be referred for evaluation for admittance to the program. Classroom teachers, parents, peers, and other adults who are aware of students' abilities are able to refer children for testing. Furthermore, students are permitted to self-refer. Any student may be referred for formal identification at any time during the school year. At the end of grade 2, all students are screened for potential gifted identification. Based on the screening scores, some students not in the Promise program, as well as all students in the Promise program, will be tested for participation in the gifted program for the following year.

The screening process uses the following criteria to determine eligibility:

  • Nonverbal ability and achievement tests

  • Teacher Assessment Scale

  • Individual interview

  • Creative products

Evaluation for the Create program is a continuous process designed to identify students from all cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. The identification process is the joint responsibility of 1) the school counselor, 2) the gifted resource teacher, and 3) the classroom teacher who will review the following:

  • Achievement test data

  • Ability test data

  • Superior student creativity products (based on professional judgment)

  • Teacher Assessment Scale to indicate those students who demonstrate behaviors indicative of giftedness.

Governor's Schools

The Virginia Governor's School Program began in 1973 when Governor Linwood Holton established the first summer residential programs for 400 gifted students from across the commonwealth. From its beginnings, with three summer schools in 1973, the program has expanded to more than 40 sites throughout the commonwealth.

Virginia Governor's Schools provide some of the state's most able students academically and artistically challenging programs beyond those offered in their home schools. With the support of the Virginia Board of Education and the General Assembly, the Governor's Schools presently include summer residential, summer regional, and academic-year programs serving more than 7,500 gifted students from all parts of the commonwealth.

The years since 1973 have brought refinement and change to the programs, yet one aspect, the student, has remained constant. Each year, hundreds of outstanding young people come to one of the different Governor's Schools in search of knowledge and eager to accept the challenge of acquiring advanced skills. Each group makes the Virginia Governor's School Program a special experience by creating a community of learners who demonstrate their remarkable talents in diverse and meaningful ways.

Residents of Colonial Heights are able to participate in the Governor’s Schools listed below. Interested home schooled students should contact Dr. Joseph Douglas at joe_douglas@colonialhts.net.

Appomattox Regional Governor's School

Located in historic Petersburg, Virginia, the Appomattox Regional Governor's School (ARGS) is the only full-time governor's school in the state devoted to the arts and technology. The school' unique environment helps students in grades 9 through 12 excel in a number of focus areas. In addition to the common core classes, ARGS offers specific "tracks" in specialized classes for students' focus areas. Focus areas include: Performing Arts: musical theater, theater arts, technical theater, dance, vocal music, and instrumental music; Visual Arts: sculpture, painting, drawing, graphic design, photography and film studies; Literary Arts: poetry, fiction, and non-fiction; and Technology: computer programming and engineering.

The following school divisions participate in the Appomattox Regional Governor's School: Cities of Colonial Heights, Franklin, Hopewell, Petersburg, and Richmond; and the Counties of Amelia, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Powhatan, Prince George, Southampton, Surry, and Sussex. Current eighth grade students who are legal residents of Colonial Heights are eligible to apply. Applicants should have at least a "B" average and are required to have successfully completed Algebra I for high school credit prior to enrollment. Applicants are required to go through an adjudication process. This process consists of an interview and, depending upon the focus area in which the student is applying, a possible audition. Rising freshmen are eligible to apply for admission the following year. Interested students should contact their guidance counselor in mid-October. Detailed information about the school can be found here.

Maggie L. Walker Governor's School

Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies (MLWGS) is an innovative public high school offering a comprehensive college preparatory program emphasizing government, international studies, science, mathematics, languages, and fine arts.  The school serves students selected on the basis of aptitude and interest in its mission.
Established in 1991, MLWGS is the product of a public/private partnership to support the needs and interests of the region’s gifted high school students.  In 1998, the Regional School Board facilitated the renovation of the historic Maggie L. Walker High School building to become the permanent home of MLWGS.  Through a coordinated effort, the school’s Booster Groups, PTSA, and Foundation continue to partner with the Regional School Board and school leadership to raise parental and corporate support for the school.  As a public school, MLWGS is also supported by the Virginia Department of Education.
A Richmond Times-Dispatch editorial for Saturday, May 18, 2013, said that “Maggie Walker is the finest comprehensive high school — public or private — in Metro Richmond.”  On August 27, 2014, Maggie Walker Governor’s School was ranked by Newsweek/The Daily Beast/Washington Post as the 12th best public high school in the nation. Unfortunately, the author of this annual ranking has since retired the listing of Best Public Schools. In 2019 MLWGS ranked #8 in Best Public High Schools in the US by Niche.
Maggie Walker is described by students and alumni as “inclusive,” “friendly,” “fostering independence,” and “surprisingly non- competitive.”  Students balance academics with high involvement in an eclectic set of courses, clubs and broad participation in successful athletic teams.  MLWGS fosters an incredibly tightly-knit community of passionate students, dedicated teachers, involved parents, and connected alumni. Rising freshmen are eligible to apply for admission the following year. Interested students should contact their guidance counselor in mid-October. Detailed information about the school can be found here.

CodeRVA Regional High School

The mission of CodeRVA Regional High School is to prepare a diverse population of students for college and careers in computer science through personalized, integrated, and applied learning.

CodeRVA Regional High School provides an innovative learning environment that uses blended and project-based learning to develop students’ self-management skills while integrating academic content, agile workplace methodologies, and internship experiences that provide a pipeline of critical thinkers prepared to enter college or Richmond’s growing tech sector.

CodeRVA students will be provided an opportunity to graduate with a Virginia high school diploma, an Associate Degree from the Virginia Community College System, industry certifications, and as many as 360 hours or more of practical information technology work experience.

Learn more about CodeRVA here.

Applying for a Specialty School

Colonial Heights Public Schools supports students’ enrollment at the Appomattox Regional Governor’s School (ARGS), the Maggie L. Walker Governor's School (MLWGS), and CodeRVA. There is no tuition cost to students who attend these schools. Current eighth grade students who reside in Colonial Heights, and who will have completed Algebra One, before their freshman year, are eligible to apply to the Governor’s Schools. Current eighth grade students who reside in Colonial Heights, and who have an interest and passion for computer science, may apply to CodeRVA.

Information about each school and the admissions process is available below. Students interested in applying may see their counselor for more information. All schools have transitioned to an online application process.

Summer Governor's School Programs

Gifted Advisory Committee

The Gifted Advisory Committee is composed of eleven voting members, parents and community members representing each school, who are appointed for rotating four-year terms. Ex-officio members include the gifted program coordinator, the full-time teachers of the gifted, a secondary gifted student, and a representative from each school's faculty who is involved in the education of the gifted.

The purpose of the Gifted Advisory Committee is to coordinate school and community support in developing and promoting gifted education.

The Gifted Advisory Committee meets a minimum of four times per year. All interested persons are invited to attend and to apply for membership on the Committee. For more information, please contact Joe Douglas, Coordinator of the Gifted Programs, at 804-524-3405 x 4138.

Meeting Dates

Unless indicated otherwise, meetings start at 6:00 PM and are held in the CHHS Media Center.

To Be Announced

Committee Members

Members of the Gifted Advisory Committee are elected to serve a three-year term. Colonial Heights Policy prohibits members from serving more than two consecutive three-year terms.

Francine White (Principal, LES)

Jackie Stuller (Parent, CHMS)

Beth Christy (Community Representative) Chair

LeighAnne Boisseau (Parent, TES)

Amber Underhill (Parent, CHHS)

Jennifer Burt (Parent, LES)

Kelechi Gabriel (Parent, TES)

Jamie Young (Parent, CHHS)

James Zatowski (Parent, CHHS)

Shelby Sanderson (Parent, LES) Vice Chair

Chris Martin (Parent, CHMS)

Ex-Officio Members

Darby Wheeler, CHHS

Deanne Barnett, CHMS

Molly Slack, LES

Tammy Young, NES

Marian Moody, TES