Talent Development

You are in luck! Black Hawk Middle School is home to some of the hardest working, highest achieving students in the state! We have students that earn excellent grades, high test scores, win contests and learn new and fabulous things every year. It is amazing to watch their growth from sixth to eighth grade.

Students will have the opportunity to join various activities, clubs and groups to enrich their daily learning. They will also be challenged right in their regular and elective classes. We have something for everyone at Black Hawk Middle School.

A lot of students will find new hobbies, interests and learnings in their middle school years. They will also have an opportunity to meet new people and find new best friends. Their chances of success will only grow as they learn new things and get involved.

More specifics about how the GT program works at the middle school level in District 196 can be found at the end of this page.

Explore More Activities

Battle of the Books

Battle of the Books is a fun reading enrichment opportunity open to all Black Hawk students seeking an extra reading challenge. Students will work in teams of 4 or 6 and read the 30 books from the attached Battle of the Books list. (They can divide the titles up so each student on the team reads around 5 books by the end of the year.) We will meet once a month to discuss a book from the list. In June, the teams will meet to take the group trivia quiz that will have questions from all 30 books. Groups are encouraged to come up with a team name and a costume idea for the day of the group trivia quiz. Fun prizes will be awarded!

Learn more about Battle of the Books

Future Cities

Join Future Cities!

Future City is a project-based learning program where students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades imagine, research, design and build cities of the future.

See Ms. Thomas for more information!

Learn more about Future City Competitions at futurecity.org >

Future City starts with a question—how can we make the world a better place? To answer it, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students imagine, research, design, and build cities of the future that showcase their solution to a citywide sustainability issue. Past topics include stormwater management, urban agriculture, public spaces, and green energy. The 2025-2026 theme is Farm to Table.

Participants complete five deliverables: a 1,500-word city essay; a scale model (or multiple model segments) built from recycled materials; a project plan, a presentation video, and a Q&A session with judges. Regional winners represent their region at the international Finals. After completing Future City, student participants are not only prepared to be citizens of today’s
complex and technical world, but also poised to become the drivers of tomorrow.

Details on whether some elements of the competition will be taking place in-person this season, will be announced later in the year.

To be in Future Cities these items are non-negotiable:
*Attend Black Hawk Middle School
*Be a GREAT teammate
*Willing to compromise
*Be a hard worker

Future Cities can be time consuming and might involve choosing not to participate in other activities. Your team will HAVE to meet outside of school hours.

Future Cities is a team competition with as few as 3 people and as many as you want. There are ONLY 3 team members who are the presenters at the regional finals. If you win the regional
finals, the competition only pays for the 3 presenters to travel to Washington D.C. If you have more than 3 presenters BHMS may fundraise (to help costs) but there is no guarantee that you
will have your trip paid for.

Group of sixth-graders showing off their future cities project — *2018 Future City* group won the "Readiness for Natural and Manmade Disasters" category with their design.

Future City News

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Geography Bee

Spelling Bee

Writing Contests

Middle School Talent Development

The middle school talent development (TD) experience is different from the elementary school TD experience, and that is intentional. Students in the middle school TD programs start by being "clustered" in classes. This provides the students with groupings or whole classes of learners of similar abilities. However, we appreciate and value the uniqueness of each child. These "clusters" provides the teachers with opportunities to challenge students through adjusted lesson plans and differentiating curriculum. In District 196, this is called Levels of Service. Our TD teachers are experts in their subject areas.

What the District 196 middle school TD programs excel at is offering students choices and opportunities. We have a variety of enrichment opportunities at Black Hawk Middle School, and the offerings only continue to grow. Enrichment opportunities are open to any student, they do not need to be a TD-identified student.

We have clubs for strong readers, writers and spellers, mathematicians, geographers, computer programmers, trivia buffs and artists, just to name a few.

Students choose what they want to be a part of and we believe that makes it much more enjoyable. That is part of growing up and maturing as a student is choosing what activities I want to participate in. Students receive passes from their TD coordinator to attend these opportunities, which usually take place during our Flex Time and do not take students out of class time. However, sometimes they might meet before, during or after school. We believe middle school is great time to expand curricular horizons and harness strengths as a leaner.

District 196 is committed to supporting student strengths, creativity, and higher-level thinking through our Talent Development Program. This program provides learning opportunities for all students, while offering additional challenges for students who demonstrate high levels of academic performance or potential.

We believe all students have talents that can be developed when instruction is matched to their needs. Our program is designed to provide students with different levels of support based on their learning needs—similar to how reading or math support works.

Districtwide, our talent development team provides:

Elementary

Differentiated instruction for all students.
Flexible WIN groups with extensions (supported by advanced learning and enrichment teachers)
Math instruction for grades 4-5 (supported by advanced learning and enrichment teachers)
Potential for acceleration for students who demonstrate the highest levels of academic achievement (98th percentile and above).
Intense specialized instruction designed to meet the needs of students requiring sustained and advanced challenge, including students identified as Twice Exceptional

Middle School

Talent Development teachers at every school
Grouping Advanced Learners in academics
Opportunities for Math acceleration
Enrichment Experiences in classes
Intense specialized instruction designed to meet the needs of students requiring sustained and advanced challenge, including students identified as Twice Exceptional

Talent Development contacts by school/location.

Parent Resources

Acceleration

District 196 recognizes that students with superior abilities may have their needs best served by grade acceleration or single-subject acceleration. Grade acceleration or single-subject acceleration will be recommended only after other appropriate program changes or modifications have been deemed inadequate to meet the student's academic and emotional needs in the student's current grade placement. This determination will be made by an assessment team.

Math Learning Pathways

Our schools offer multiple math learning pathways designed to meet students where they are and support continued growth over time. We use a Talent Development Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MnMTSS) approach, which means instruction is adjusted based on student readiness, progress, and learning needs—rather than fixed labels or permanent tracks.

Our Approach

We believe every student deserves appropriately challenging instruction. Some students benefit from deeper learning within their grade-level classroom, while others need instruction that moves more quickly or introduces higher-grade content. Our pathways are flexible, data-informed, and responsive, allowing students to move between options as their needs change.

Math Acceleration Options

Enrichment in the Classroom

Students remain in their grade-level math class and receive additional challenge and depth within grade-level standards. Enrichment may include advanced problem-solving, extended projects, and small-group instruction supported by our Talent Development teachers. This pathway supports students who benefit from greater complexity without skipping grade-level content.

Subject Acceleration

Subject acceleration provides math instruction at a higher grade level when a student has demonstrated mastery of current grade-level standards.

Single Subject Acceleration (SSA): One grade level ahead
Double Subject Acceleration (DSA): Two grade levels ahead

Acceleration is considered an intensive instructional support and includes ongoing monitoring to ensure students continue to thrive.

How Students Are Placed

Placement decisions are based on multiple measures, such as:

Universal screening assessments
Classroom performance and observations
Mastery and above-level assessments

This ensures students are placed in the pathway that best supports their learning at that time.

Flexible Pathways and Ongoing Review

Our math pathways include on-ramps and off-ramps. Students may enter advanced pathways when readiness is demonstrated and may adjust placement if instructional needs change. Acceleration is not permanent and is reviewed regularly to ensure continued success.

Our Commitment to Students and Families

Provide equitable access to advanced learning opportunities
Support growth without creating learning gaps
Maintain flexibility as students develop over time
Partner with families through clear communication

If you have questions about math pathways or your child’s placement, please contact your school for more information.

Grade Acceleration (grade skipping)

Single Subject Acceleration

Early Entrance to Kindergarten

Frequently Asked Acceleration Questions

Why Are There Different Types of Advanced Learning Support?

Students grow in different ways and at different rates. Some students benefit from deeper or more complex learning within their grade-level classroom, while others need instruction that is one or more grade levels ahead to continue making progress. Within our Talent Development MnMTSS framework, we use multiple ways to support advanced learners—rather than a single “gifted” pathway.

What Is Enrichment in the Classroom?

Enrichment means your child remains in their grade-level math class but receives additional challenge and depth in learning.

Enrichment may include:

More complex problem-solving
Advanced tasks within the same grade-level standards
Open-ended or multi-step math problems
Projects or investigations that extend learning
Small-group instruction based on strengths (e.g., algebraic thinking, geometry)

Key characteristics of enrichment:

Focuses on depth, not skipping content
Stays within grade-level standards
Supports students who show advanced thinking in some areas
Is flexible and responsive to student needs
Often supported by Talent Development teachers in collaboration with classroom teachers

Enrichment is appropriate when a student benefits from additional challenge but does not yet need to move to a higher grade’s math curriculum.

What Is Subject Acceleration?

Subject acceleration means your child receives instruction in math at a higher grade level than their current grade.

Types of subject acceleration:

Single Subject Acceleration (SSA): One grade level ahead
(Example: a 5th grader taking 6th-grade math)
Double Subject Acceleration (DSA): Two grade levels ahead
(Example: a 5th grader taking Pre-Algebra)

Key characteristics of subject acceleration:

Moves students to higher-grade standards
Skips or compacts some grade-level content
Requires demonstrated mastery of current standards
Includes ongoing monitoring and mastery checks
Is considered an intensive instructional support within MnMTSS

Acceleration is appropriate when a student’s learning needs cannot be met through enrichment alone.

How Do We Decide Between Enrichment and Acceleration?

Decisions are based on multiple data points, not a single test or label. These may include:

Universal screening results
Classroom performance
Above-level or mastery assessments
Observation of problem-solving and reasoning skills

We ask: What level of instruction does this student need right now to continue growing?

Some students may show readiness for acceleration in the future, even if enrichment is the best fit right now.

Does Enrichment Mean a Student Is “Less Advanced” Than an Accelerated Student?

No.
Enrichment and acceleration serve different instructional purposes.

Enrichment supports students who need more depth or complexity
Acceleration supports students who need faster pacing and higher-grade content

Both are valid, valuable, and responsive supports.

Can a Student Move Between Enrichment and Acceleration?

Yes.
Our Talent Development MnMTSS model is designed with on-ramps and off-ramps.

A student receiving enrichment may later qualify for acceleration
A student in acceleration may return to enrichment if instructional needs change
Placement decisions are reviewed regularly and adjusted as needed

This flexibility ensures students are not locked into a pathway that no longer fits.

Is Subject Acceleration Permanent?

No.
Acceleration is not a lifetime track. It is a placement based on current readiness and mastery.

Students in accelerated math:

Are monitored for continued success
Complete mastery checks
May receive additional support or adjusted placement if needed

This approach helps prevent learning gaps and supports long-term success.

Why Doesn’t the District Just Use a “Gifted” Label?

Research shows that labeling students early and tracking them permanently can limit access and flexibility.

Our Talent Development approach:

Focuses on developing potential over time
Expands access to advanced learning
Uses data to guide instruction
Allows students to enter advanced pathways when they are ready—not just at one point in time

Who Can I Contact With Questions?

If you have questions about your child’s math placement, enrichment opportunities, or acceleration options, please contact:

Your child’s classroom teacher
The school’s Talent Development teacher
A school administrator
District MnMTSS TOSA or coordinator

We value family partnership and are happy to discuss how we support your child’s learning.

Important Things for Families to Know

Enrichment and acceleration are both valuable ways to support advanced learners
Acceleration is not a reward or a label, but a response to instructional need
Students may move between enrichment and acceleration over time
Decisions are based on current data, not past placement or labels
Our goal is always to match instruction to where a student is ready to learn next

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