The Florida Department of Education has officially designated November 3-7, 2025, as Gifted Education Week in Florida! This is a fantastic time to recognize Florida's commitment to providing rigorous educational experiences and tailored support for our advanced learners.
Here in Highlands County, we are celebrating the incredible achievements and innovative spirit of our students. Our elementary gifted students have been exploring this year's hands-on curriculum "The Carnival of Creativity."
Building Skills for the Future
Our students are engaging in hands-on, collaborative projects that focus on their intellectual growth and the development of critical academic skills:
STEAM & Design Challenges: Students are tackling real-world, carnival-themed STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) challenges. They are applying the engineering design process and using math and science concepts to create a variety of products.
Building Resilience: A key focus is on developing perseverance and a growth mindset. These challenges are intentionally complex, giving students a safe space to practice problem-solving, learn from setbacks, and build grit.
Innovation and Leadership: Through teamwork, students are honing their critical and creative thinking abilities, practicing leadership skills, and developing real-world problem-solving strategies.
Comprehensive Support Across All Grade Levels
Our commitment to gifted education extends throughout our school district:
Secondary Support: At the middle and high school level, we encourage students to participate in advanced academics in their areas of strengths and to pursue interests in various electives and extracurricular activities.
Individualized Guidance: Each secondary school campus has a dedicated Gifted Resource Teacher who provides one-on-one consultation to our gifted students. These teachers offer individualized support to encourage academic success and develop crucial life skills, such as self-advocacy and advanced leadership skills.
Gifted Education is just one of the many advanced learning opportunities offered in our schools. During Gifted Education Week we celebrate the dedication of our students and thank our amazing gifted teachers for helping children in our district reach their full potential!
