St. Stephen Martyr
Welcomes Students with Special Needs
To fulfill the statement in the mission of St. Stephen Martyr school “identify and meet the unique needs of each child using all resources available to us,” the faculty and staff of our school seek first to identify those children who are specially gifted and then challenge them within the classroom curriculum and by offering them opportunities outside of school. Classroom teachers and staff identify gifted students through classroom work and interaction, by examining standardized test scores and through conversations and discussions with parents. Identified students are reported to the Special Needs Coordinator who communicates with parents, notifies families of available local, regional and national gifted programming that might enrich the learning of their children, informs them of qualifying standards and keeps them abreast of application dates and deadlines. Included in the special offerings available through the special needs program at Saint Stephen Martyr School are the following:
- Indiana University Southeast’s “Project Ahead” program throughout the school year (grades 2 through 6);
- Johns Hopkins University Talent Search for children in grades 2 through 8;
- Duke University Talent Identification Program for 4th, 5th, and 7th grade students.
Saint Stephen Martyr School encourages parents to collaborate with teachers in order to meet the needs of gifted students. We recommend that when teachers are using individualized strategies and enrichment programs for gifted students that a school strategy plan be developed among the teacher, student and parents so all parties are clear on the expectations for each party in the plan and what the hoped-for outcomes might be. Parents will need to support and monitor these plans in cooperation with the classroom teacher. It is also possible for parents to work with the Special Needs Coordinator to create a specialized enrichment plan for their children using resources outside the school.
Please note that some programs for gifted children require fees and minimum test scores on standardized tests and/or high scores on admissions tests in order for children to qualify for participation. Here are the qualifying requirements for the following:
- Indiana University Southeast “Project Ahead” – top 10% class standing and teacher recommendation qualifies the student to participate;
- Johns Hopkins University Talent Search for grades 2-8 – 95 percentile or above on the most recent standardized tests qualifies students for additional testing and a variety of services and opportunities;
- Duke University Talent Search for grades 4th and 5th grade students – 90 percentile or above on the most recent standardized testes qualifies students for additional testing and a variety of services and opportunities;
- Duke University Talent Search for 7th grade students – 95 percentile or above on the most recent standardized tests qualifies students for additional testing and a variety of services and opportunities.
The Louisville Metro Area offers many opportunities for parents who want to challenge and enrich the learning of their students, many of them free or low cost. We encourage all parents to seek out enrichment programs in our community offered by the various museums, the Louisville Zoological Gardens, the Louisville Free Public Library, the Louisville Visual Arts Association, The Louisville Orchestra, StageOne: The Louisville Children’s Theatre, local universities and other groups and agencies.
Special Need Students
St. Stephen Martyr
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2931 Pindell Avenue Louisville, KY 40217 (502) 635-5813