Welcome Letter from Mrs. Green

August 2024

Dear Parents:

Welcome back to another wonderful school year!  It is exciting to be working with our gifted and Talent Development students for the 2024-2025 school year.  I am Mrs. L. Green, the gifted teacher at Hollis Innovation Academy.  I will work to support the school’s Gifted and Talent Development program by working with students utilizing collaboration and resource models. 

This year, your student’s instructional/academic expectations will consist of him/her working on their district mandated curricula in addition to various projects and assignments that will be differentiated to meet students’ academic and social needs as gifted and Talent Development students, while aligning assignments and products to the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards, Georgia Standards of Excellence, and the Gifted and Talented Education Standards.  I will work with the grade level and content area teachers, as well as your student to support the mandates of the district’s Gifted Program.  I will also work to support additional enrichment programming to further enhance your student’s academic pursuits through extension projects, extracurricular activities, and field trips. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s gifted/Talent Development education at Hollis.  I can be reached at 404-802-8200.

Sincerely,

Mrs. L. Green

**Please note that Hollis is a Talent Development school and although all students in a gifted/High Achievers class may not be gifted identified, your student may have been placed in the class with gifted identified students to provide additional academic support and enrichment.  However, placement throughout the year is not guaranteed if students do not make sufficient academic progress and/or we experience a class overload.  Also, efforts are put into place to support those gifted and TD students through the testing process by exposing learners to gifted best practices and programming standards in the areas of Higher Order Thinking Skills, Leadership, Advanced Research Skills, Advanced Communication Skills, Creativity, Creative Problem Solving and Social Emotional Learning.

For gifted students please reference The Georgia Board of Education Rule 160-4-2-.38 EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR GIFTED STUDENTS  for specifics regarding the state’s programming expectations for gifted students located on the State DOE website.  Please note that all gifted students are expected to maintain at least a B+ average (85) in all core content classes.

Gifted/Talent Development FYI

Recommended School Supply List:

See content course syllabus (Grades 6-8), and elementary level school supply lists for basic supplies needed.

Extra Supplies

Supplies for special activities/projects will be requested at the time items are needed

• Computer/electronic device with working internet
• Additional project-based supplies will be communicated to parents as needed.

Special Projects/Activities

• Passion Projects:  All gifted/TD students are asked to complete a Passion Project of their choice (that will have a technology emphasis).  Information will be posted on the Google Classroom page.
• One Million Word Challenge: All gifted and TD students are asked to read 25 (6-8) to 40 (K-5) or more books OUTSIDE of their assigned class texts to access at least 1,000,000 new words this year.  We will work collaboratively with the Media Center to fulfill our goals, but students should also read at home on their own.

Proposed Field trips via the Office of Gifted and Talented Education:

*Information regarding all field trips will be provided on a rolling basis throughout the year.  Most gifted field trips incur a cost and are optional opportunities for students.  Information will be posted on the gifted Google Classroom pages and/or sent home with your student.

Enrichment Activities: 

Gifted Middle School Academic Bowl

Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl (grades 3-8)

Academic Fair (Science, Social Studies, Technology)

Georgia Student Media Festival

Ezra Keats Book making contest

Spelling Bee

*Other clubs and organizations offered at Hollis Innovation Academy that support STEM/STEAM, athletics, and social engagement/development that align with your student’s interests

**Gifted and Talent Development students are asked to participate in at least two or more of the enrichment opportunities offered.