It is the belief of Gaston County Schools that many students, including those from culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, exhibit outstanding academic abilities. Students who demonstrate exceptional academic and/or intellectual potential must be recognized, challenged and nurtured through differentiated services that enrich and accelerate the regular educational program.
It is the responsibility of Gaston County Schools to provide educational alternatives that offer relevant and rigorous opportunities which challenge and expand the gifted students’ knowledge base beyond the expectations of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. This can best be accomplished through collaborative efforts with general education and through the provision of differentiated services that match each student’s needs.
To further prepare Gaston County Schools’ gifted students to become contributing members of society, educators must address the unique needs of these learners, including their social and emotional development, to adequately prepare them to accept the challenges of solving problems in an ever changing society.