Primary Gifted General Intellectual (GIA) Program

Primary Gifted (P-TAG) is the program that serves identified gifted students in kindergarten through second grade. Primary Gifted sessions are held in all elementary schools and taught by a Gifted Services Teacher in a pullout setting that lasts from thirty minutes to one hour. Primary Gifted activities are centered on a theme using hands-on activities designed to help students acquire basic research skills and to enhance both creative and critical thinking. Students who qualify for Primary Gifted during the current school year will begin the program during the second semester.

Screening and Eligibility

Kindergarten and first grade students are recommended for possible placement in Primary Gifted during December/January by their classroom teacher. Students are then screened using:

• aptitude testing
• teacher evaluation of a child's gifted characteristics
• grades and instructional level in academic courses
• parent evaluation of a child's gifted characteristics

Parents who feel that their child might be in need of Gifted Services should discuss this possibility with the teacher. Students entering Newport News Public Schools as first or second graders are screened in December/January upon recommendation of the classroom teacher. Gifted Services staff work with classroom teachers to help identify students who might be eligible for these services. Parents of students that qualify for the Primary Gifted Program are notified by letter.

Participation in Primary Gifted is neither a prerequisite, nor a guarantee of eligibility, for the full-time gifted programs that serve grades three to eight.