Gifted Support

  • CSD seeks to provide every child with a rigorous, individualized, and meaningful educational experience.  For some students, this requires going above and beyond the typical grade level curriculum. In such cases, students identified as (1) having outstanding intellectual ability AND (2) to be in need of specially designed instruction receive a Gifted Individualized Education Plan (GIEP) which outlines their goals and services. 
     
    CSD has a rich offering of services along the K-12 continuum for students who possess a GIEP that focuses on mathematics, English, technology, engineering, science, creativity and design thinking. 

If you believe your child may be eligible

  • CSD maintains a robust assessment procedure to ensure that all students who meet the criteria for gifted education, as established by Chapter 16 of the PA Code, are properly identified. If you believe that your child may require a GIEP, please reach out to your school building's Challenge Consultant and request an evaluation.  Within a few days you will receive a "Permission to Evaluate Form" and some other documents to complete and return to CSD.  Once we receive your signed documents we will begin the evaluation process.  Please see the video below regarding evaluation to learn more. 

Gifted Education Video Series

  • The most common questions we receive about gifted education are: What is gifted education? How do children qualify for gifted education? and, What does gifted education look like at the high school? The videos below seek to address these common questions. 

  • Overview: A very brief review of gifted education in Pennsylvania 

  • Evaluation: A short description of the criteria and process for evaluating students to determine if they are in need of a GIEP
  • CHS Course: A look at the Design Thinking Independent Project Course at Cheltenham High School

Contact Us

Matthew Pimental
Supervisor of Professional Learning and K-12 Gifted Education
215-582-5481 
Elaine McGoldrick
CHS Challenge Consultant
215-517-2041 
Brian Smith
CHS Challenge Consultant
215-517-3700 ext (3700) 
Elizabeth Kenna
Cedarbrook Challenge Consultant
215-881-6427 ext (4418) email preferred 
Elizabeth Susanin
Cedarbrook Challenge Consultant
215-881-6427 ext (4418) email preferred 
Brian Costello
Elkins Park Challenge Consultant
215-881-4941 
Mary Aiken
Elkins Park Challenge Consultant
215-881-4941 ext (3023) 
Gerald Aungst
Cheltenham Elementary Challenge Consultant
215-635-7415 ext (1015) 
Tavia Brooks
Glenside Elementary Challenge Consultant
215-884-6440 ext (1596) 
Jamie Osea
Myers Elementary Challenge Consultant
215-517-4540 ext (2408) 
Kristin Krause
Wyncote Elementary Challenge Consultant
215-881-6410 ext (2616)