Student Support Services
- English Learner
- Family Support/Apoyo Familiar
- Gifted and Talent Development
- Special Education
- Title One/Basic Skills
English Learner
The English Learner Program (EL) at Greenleaf provides instruction and support to students who are learning English. The focus of language instruction for students centers around reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.
At Greenleaf, we celebrate multilingualism. We welcome the diversity and value the unique language experience our EL students bring to our school. There are more than 18 different language spoken in our school community!
Students in our EL program come with their own individual abilities. The goal of our program is to help students reach their full potential. We encourage parents to continue reading and supporting their child’s first language skills at home, as first language literacy helps build and deepen English language literacy.
If you have any questions about our EL program, or about ways to support your child at home, please call, email, or visit us.
EL Teachers
Family Support/Apoyo Familiar
Gifted and Talent Development
Heather Burfeind, Gifted and Talent Development Teacher Heather.Burfeind@district196.org
Ext. 83803
The Gifted and Talent Development (GTD) Program extends educational challenges for intellectually and academically gifted students.
Gifted and talented children are those students with outstanding abilities and capable of higher performance when compared to others of similar age, experience and environment. They have significantly different educational needs from their peers and require educational differentiation as a regular part of their school day to ensure they reach their full potential. District 196 uses multiple criteria to help identify gifted and talented children.
2021-2022 Identification Process Update
District 196 will screen all 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade students with MAP math, MAP reading, Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and the HOPE teacher rating scale. Students do not need to be identified as gifted to participate in enrichment opportunities and to receive differentiated instruction for their advanced learning needs.
GTD Program Information
Identification Process
District 196 conducts universal screening at a district level to find students who are demonstrating outstanding abilities and are capable of higher performance when compared to others of similar age, experience and environment. We use multiple criteria for a strengths-based identification of gifted and talented students. We screen and identify students annually in grades 2 through 5.
Service Model Goals
- Enrich, enhance, and extend core classroom curriculum and instruction within the literacy workshop and math workshop blocks. Staff utilize critical and creative thinking strategies, problem-solving and inquiry to help students become independent investigators. (NAGC standards 3.4)
- Engage and empower learners across the full day
- Equip PLC (professional learning community) teams and individual teachers
- Empower collaboration among classroom teachers, GT specialists, coaches, parents, students, and community
Flexible and Fluid Tiered Service Model
- Tier 1, Core classroom - Core classroom teacher, grade level PLC team, and GT Specialist
- Tier 2, Guided groups - Core classroom teacher, grade level PLC team, and GT Specialist
- Tier 3, 1:1 - Focused on individualized need - Core classroom teacher, and GT Specialist
Students whose needs extend beyond the tiered service model may be referred for single subject and/or grade level acceleration.
Special Education
Greenleaf Elementary provides a special education program for eligible students. All special education students are mainstreamed into other classrooms for part of the day.
Evaluations for special education are available through Greenleaf and are done through a comprehensive process with a student's classroom teacher.
Special Education Staff
Holli Dodge (Deaf & Hard of Hearing)
Mrs. Pemrick (Blind and Visually Impaired)
Links of Interest
Title One/Basic Skills
Title One is a federally funded program whose purpose is to improve achievement in the basic skills of reading and math and help students succeed in the regular classroom. Basic Skills is a similar support program but is state-funded. All Greenleaf Title One and Basic Skills teachers are certified teachers.
Students in kindergarten through grade five are eligible for these programs. Student selection is based on reading, writing and math assessments and teacher recommendations.
Students who qualify for these services receive additional instruction in reading or math. Some may receive help in both subjects. This service is either provided to a small group outside the classroom or to an individual student/small group in the regular classroom. Students do not miss special classes such as music, physical education, library, technology, or art. Most students will get Title One/Basic Skills instruction five days a week. Students are re-evaluated throughout the year and may exit service if adequate progress has been made.
Parents are an important part of the Title One/Basic Skills team and their involvement with their child's education can be a key to their success.