Gifted and Talented

Welcome to LES's Gifted and Talented site page. Here, you will find GT announcements and resources useful for parents, students, and their teachers.

Our GT liaison, with the district, is Mrs. Olsson.

This is my 21st year of teaching and I’m excited to be at Larkspur Elementary this year as the new intervention specialist and gifted facilitator. I am originally from South Dakota but have also lived in Nebraska, Oklahoma, Minnesota, and Colorado. I graduated with a B.A. in Elementary Education and completed my Masters in Curriculum Instruction with a K-12 Reading Endorsement while living in Minnesota. I have taught Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 5th, and 6th grades, and have also served in the role as reading/math intervention specialist.

To contact Mrs. Olsson, please email colsson@dcsdk12.org

DCSD Gifted Programming Website

Douglas County Association of Gifted and Talented (DCAGT) Mrs. Dietz

Colorado Association of Gifted and Talented (CAGT)

National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)

Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG)

Colorado Department of Education - Gifted Information

Referral Form to begin the gifted identification process (teacher and/or parent may fill out)

January 13, 2021

Dear Larkspur Parents/Guardians,

As part of the DCSD Universal Screening process and our commitment to equitable identification for gifted programming, DCSD will administer the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT 7) during the weeks of Feb. 8 - March 5, 2021. This assessment indicates the level and pattern of cognitive development of a student in comparison to grade and age mates.

The CogAT is comprised of three subsections:

The Verbal Battery assesses students’ abilities to use search, retrieval, and comparison processes that are essential for verbal reasoning.
The Quantitative Battery assesses students’ abilities to reason about patterns and relations using concepts that are essential in quantitative thinking.
The Nonverbal Battery assesses students’ abilities to reason with somewhat more novel questions that use spatial and figural content.

Additional information can be accessed HERE. Please see below for specific information based on your child’s current grade.

Universal Screen

As part of this process, ALL students in 2nd grade, and students in grade 3 (who have not been identified for gifted programming), will take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) the weeks of February 8 through February 19, 2021. This assessment indicates the level and pattern of cognitive development of a student in comparison to grade and age mates. These general reasoning abilities, which start developing at birth and continue through early adulthood, are influenced by experiences gained both in and out of school.

If your child is already identified for gifted programming, or completed all components of
the CogAT in grade 2, they will not participate in this universal screen testing.

Gifted Identification Referral Testing
If your child is in grades K, 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and you believe he/she needs evaluation for Gifted Identification and Services, you may refer your child for testing by initiating the Gifted Identification Process.

NOTE: Requesting this assessment automatically initiates the process to evaluate for Gifted Identification.

Please request CogAT testing for your child by completing the Referral for Gifted Identification linked HERE

Upon receipt of this form the Gifted Education Facilitator will connect with you to discuss
next steps in the gifted identification process. Thank you for your continued support of all learners at Larkspur Elementary School. If you do not wish for your child to participate in this Universal Screener for gifted programming identification, please complete the attached Excusal Form.

Sincerely,

Chrisse Olsson
Gifted and Talented Facilitator/RTI Academic Interventionist

Larkspur Elementary

Juli Nieto

Assistant Principal and School Assessment Coordinator

Larkspur Elementary

In compliance with Titles VI & VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, and Colorado law, the Douglas County School District RE-1 does not unlawfully discriminate against otherwise qualified students, employees, applicants for employment, or members of the public on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, religion, ancestry, or need for special education services. Discrimination against employees and applicants for employment based on age, genetic information, and conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth is also prohibited in accordance with state and/or federal law. Complaint procedures have been established for students, parents, employees, and members of the public. The School District's Compliance Officer and Title IX Coordinator to address complaints alleging sexual harassment under Title IX is Aaron Henderson, 620 Wilcox Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, complianceofficer@dcsdk12.org, 720-433-1083.

Outside Agencies

Complaints regarding violations of Title VI, (race, national origin), Title IX (sex, gender), Section 504/ADA (handicap or disability), may be filed directly with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 1244 North Speer Blvd., Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204. Complaints regarding violations of Title VII (employment) and the ADEA (prohibiting age discrimination in employment) may be filed directly with the Federal Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 303 E. 17th Ave., Suite 510, Denver, CO 80202, or the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, 1560 Broadway, Suite 1050, Denver, CO 80202.