'Gifted' program called subjective by irate parents

Shortly before the school year began in Duxbury, word of a special program for high-end learners began circulating. Fourteen children, judged to fit criteria associated with gifted students, had been identified by school officials and put in clusters in third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade classrooms at the Alden School.

By the time school administrators formally announced the pilot program in September, parents were in an uproar. Why had the program been developed so quietly? they asked.

"We weren't told until school started," complained parent Brian Griffin.

Then, when parents were told about the criteria for identifying children at the top of the learning curve, they were angered further, saying it was too subjective. The criteria were based on a chart of behavior traits associated with gifted children.

"I think it should have been based on standardized tests," said Griffin, whose son attends Alden.

Fellow parent Michael McLaughlin said, "I think most people were surprised to find out this was happening."

Following the uproar, school administrators created a committee to improve communication for next year's program, and they say that "differentiated" learning has been an ongoing process in local schools for some time. But McLaughlin said, "a small group of high-end kids is more significant than just general clustering."

Griffin and his wife, Kelli Armstrong, had, in fact, been lobbying to start a program for high-end students in the school system for a while, but were unaware one was in the works.

"We had already been at the school saying our child needed more challenge," said Griffin, whose son was not one of the 14 chosen. "I don't know anyone who doesn't think it's a good idea to have something like this, but the process was secret and the criteria were non-objective."

The program, along with a consultant hired to help with implementation, was funded with $9,000 donated by the Duxbury Education Foundation.

Over the summer, teachers for the classes, which also include the usual range of students, were trained in ways to challenge particularly thirsty minds.

One classroom of high-end learners, who would fall into the top 3 to 5 percent of the population, were selected at each level in the third to fifth grades at Alden: six third-graders, five fourth-graders, and three fifth-graders.

Parents of children chosen for the pilot program were notified, but instructed not to tell other parents, which created yet another level of tension.

At a forum on the program, held the first week of school, 150 parents peppered school officials with questions and accusations. Some even think that the kids selected for the program were chosen because their parents had "connections" at the school.

School Committee member George Cipolletti admitted his son was among the high-enders, but said last week that parents are reacting too strongly.

"This is a tempest in a teapot," Cipolletti said. "For some reason, the word 'gifted' sets off all kinds of fireworks. It's been that way forever."

"I think there has been a lot of talk and rumor and speculation that things weren't done correctly," McLaughlin said. "But I should know more before I condemn the process."

It has taken weeks to address the rumors, complaints, and questions. But the administration's establishment of a Communication Committee, which is expected to meet for the first time next Wednesday, seemed to assuage at least some. The committee will consist of eight parents and eight educators.

The committee will be kept abreast of the high-end learning program's progress, and will offer input on the criteria to be used for next year's selection process. The committee's discussions will be open to the public, and members will be expected to keep parents informed.

The 34 parents who applied for seats on the committee were asked to submit paragraphs about themselves, their expertise, and their interests - a requirement that raised some trepidation at a meeting with school officials last Thursday. The list will be pared down by Superintendent Susan Skeiber and Assistant Superintendent Edwin Walsh.

While parents are glad to see such a committee established, some felt the same mistakes made while developing the high-end learning program are being repeated.

"The committee needs to be larger and broader and developed more democratically," McLaughlin said. "What got us off on the wrong foot in the first place was people not being part of the process."

Parent Carolyn Loiselle said she was generally supportive of the high-end learning program. "But the ultimate long-term goal is getting lost in the shuffle of all this talk of 3 to 5 percent," Loiselle said. Her child is in one of the Alden classrooms that contains high-end learners, and she said she believes all children in the room will benefit. Loiselle wouldn't say whether her child is one of the high-enders.

"I'm on board with the program, but I think it needs to be very carefully implemented and communicated," Loiselle said. "I'm very concerned that if that doesn't happen, the program could die."

According to Assistant Superintendent Walsh, all the children in the class will benefit from the training their teachers received to address high-end learners. If the teacher sees another child in the class meeting the criteria for high-end learning, that child can be challenged as well.

"This is just a continuation of the differentiated learning we've been doing for the last four years," Walsh said. "The needs of the high-end learners will be addressed, and by extension, all learners."

The assistant superintendent thinks the parental uproar is starting to quiet down. "I think everyone is at the point now where they understand what we're doing," he said.

Christine Legere can be reached at christinelegere@yahoo.com.