Cherokee County schools pilot new gifted program

Liberty Elementary School Principal Doug Knott stops by to say hello to teacher Amy Manzella’s kindergarten class on the first day of the 2017-18 school year. CHEROKEE COUNTY SCHOOLS

Liberty Elementary School Principal Doug Knott stops by to say hello to teacher Amy Manzella’s kindergarten class on the first day of the 2017-18 school year. CHEROKEE COUNTY SCHOOLS

A new gifted program for Cherokee County elementary students, with children remaining in their regular classrooms rather than being pulled out one day a week for special activities, will be piloted this school year at Avery and Macedonia elementary schools in Canton.

Students will participate in daily special advanced activities during a personalized learning time in their classrooms, educators said at a recent presentation to the Cherokee School Board.

The pilot will provide gifted students with more challenging coursework without missing regular classwork or increasing their workload, said Chief Academic Officer Nicole Holmes. If the pilot is successful, it will be expanded in phases districtwide.