Where Excellence is Expected

Fort Collins

High School

Where Excellence is Expected

Where Excellence is Expected

Gifted & Talented

GT-PSD-Brand

The Gifted and Talented (GT) Program at Fort Collins High School includes a research and standards-based four-year honors academy program. The program offers opportunities for challenges, creativity, and authentic learning in areas of intellectual passion as chosen and driven by the individual student. Students are also given the opportunity for postgraduate exploration and professional networking. GT honors academy teachers incorporate higher level thinking skills -making inferences, comparative reasoning, and evaluative reasoning through rich discussions in classes. Options are provided to allow for student choice when developing an end product.

FCHS incorporates the ALP (Advanced Learning Plan) into each student's ICAP (Individual Career and Academic Plan). The district Xello program is utilized to house these plans. Students will set short-term and long-term academic goals, in addition to affective goals each year. Annual ALPs will be used to guide the GT learner through four years of high school whether or not the student has chosen to participate in the GT Honors Academy.

Gifted and Talented Honors Academy at Fort Collins High School: 
  • 9th Grade: To support a positive transition for our GT-identified Freshmen, students are grouped into GT-specific Lambkin Way Seminar classes. Here they will have the opportunity to interact with like-minded and like-ability peers who have similar passions and interests. 
  • 10th Grade: During the Sophomore year, students may enroll in the GT Enrichment Seminar class where the student will focus on leadership skills, career and education exploration, and a collaborative skill-based service learning project in an area of interest and impact. Any student may enter the GT Honors Academy at this level by completing the application process. The application may be found on the GT webpage.
  • 11th Grade & 12th Grade: Junior and Senior year GT students may enroll in the Junior AP Seminar class and the Senior AP Research class. AP Seminar is a discussion oriented seminar featuring the intellectual and scholarly examination of significant ideas from varying disciplines pertinent to the human story. In AP Research Senior student will research, produce, and present an original research paper. AP Seminar students may obtain 10 language arts credits upon successful completion of the seminar class. The AP Seminar class is a prerequisite and required before taking the AP Research class. More detailed information regarding AP Seminar and AP Research may be found on the GT webpage under the AP Capstone Program link.
  • Gifted and Talented Honors Academy Endorsement: Upon successful completion of the GT Honors Academy the student will receive an official endorsement on their diploma.
  • Please see the 2023 program brochures attached to the website for more information.

GT program

Department Team

Department Leader

Jason Clarke

Department Leader

Michelle Reffner

PSD does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, veteran status, age or disability in access or admission to, or treatment or employment in, its programs or activities. A lack of English speaking skills will not be a barrier to admission or participation.