February 4, 2012 in Opinion, Letters

Vote to aid gifted kids

 

Spokane has been a solid backer of public education and the many programs that support a broad continuum of students. Tessera and Odyssey serve gifted students from grades 3-8 and are largely funded by the upcoming three-year educational program replacement levy. These programs are vital to the top 3 percent of our district’s students, whose unique characteristics go far beyond intellect.

Gifted children are driven internally to ponder, to explore, to experiment, to question, to seek solutions to injustice and demand perfection. Gifted preschoolers may be so aware of how these personal qualities don’t jibe with peers that they begin to ask, “What’s wrong with me?”

This lonely predicament is why programs like Tessera and Odyssey are so vital to providing a place for students to grow not only intellectually, but to learn how to channel their highly sensitive and intense natures. Linda Silverman, director of the Gifted Development Center, says, “The intricate thought processes that mark these individuals are mirrored in the intricacy of their emotional development.”

Spokane school district’s replacement levy is crucial to the ongoing gifted- education programs for this promising yet vulnerable population of students. Please vote yes Feb. 14!

Glenda Kohls

Spokane

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Two comments on this story so far. Add yours!

  • survivalguy on February 04 at 2:25 p.m.

    “Spokane school district’s replacement levy is crucial to the ongoing gifted- education programs for this promising yet vulnerable population of students.”

    And so you have been threatened, illegaly, that if the levy fails gifted ed will be a casualty.

    Gifted education in District 81 will be a casualty of a levy failure ONLY if that is what the board CHOOSES to do.

    The board has many other choices available to them to close a 60-70 million dollar budget shortfall. The COULD cut ineffective and redundant administrative positions, reduce the sky-high salaries they pay administrators, reverse course on the MILLIONS of dollars commited to the Common Core Standards stupidity…

    Vote NO, for the kids!

  • mary1958 on February 05 at 6:38 p.m.

    I started school in the first grade at age 5. My mother thought I was smart enough and after being tested I was allowed to. I was tested at age 16 with an I.Q of 150. There were no special schools for us 3%. I turned out just fine with normal schooling. Maybe my IQ wasn’t high enough to be uncomfortable. Later I went to college and got a Master’s. The “what’s wrong with me” issue didn’t arise until at age 30-33 when I worked for Spokane Police Department and ever since. I don’t think things that only benefit a small percentage of the population (unless it is special needs or those that may not graduate) are needed. But first and foremost I agree with “survivalguy.” Maybe if they did all that there would be enough for the special stuff.

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