Highland Park School District Believes
Students are not labeled as gifted or not gifted, but their academic abilities, needs, and interests are identified in order to provide appropriate opportunities that respect and appreciate the individual student's learning journey. Highland Park School district.

Highland Park school District Values
The whole child and regards the overlap of cognitive, interpersonal and motivational characteristics in the process of recognizing giftedness. In particular, emphasis is placed on thinking process and behaviors that are reflective of 21st Century Skills in relation to core content. 

The New Jersey Department of Education’s states
Gifted children “possess or demonstrate high levels of ability, in one or more content areas, when compared to their chronological peers in the local district and who require modification of their educational program if they are to achieve in accordance with their capabilities.”

In keeping with this description and ensuring alignment to the Pathways to Excellence actions. Specifically, Pathway F2: Quality Education/Individualizing Learning Experiences:

All students will be provided with access to gifted pedagogy: individualized learning that identifies and enhances each student’s talents and aptitudes. Research has shown that this approach produces strong outcomes for a broad range of students, both with and without the “gifted” label. K-5 Classroom teachers implement a workshop model that inherently provides individualized learning.  

Additionally, Highland Park’s Advanced Learning Program will provide an opportunity for ALL Highland Park students K-5 to develop and strengthen their gifts and talents through a variety of learning experiences opportunities and metacognitive practices.