ODYSSEY consists of a series of programs provided by School District 7 to meet the needs of gifted and talented students in grades 3-12. Our mission is to facilitate the journey from high potential to outstanding performance. We accomplish this by providing services that match the unique characteristics and needs of high achieving students.

At the elementary level, ODYSSEY I serves academically gifted and talented students in grade 3. ODYSSEY II serves academically gifted and talented students in grades 4-5. As defined by the state of South Carolina, the gifted and talented are students who have the academic and intellectual potential to function at a high level in one or more fields of study.

At the middle school and high school level, ODYSSEY III serves academically/intellectually gifted and talented students through courses in Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science, as well as specialized ODYSSEY seminars. Advanced and accelerated Math courses are offered to qualifying ODYSSEY and non-ODYSSEY students, as well as an extensive selection of Advanced Placement courses at the high school level.

Theatre ODYSSEY serves students who are gifted and talented in the theatre arts through classes, Saturday workshops, and a summer program.

South Carolina has a uniform, statewide system of identification. A student may qualify on the basis of aptitude (reasoning abilities) alone if the composite score is at or above the 96th national age percentile. A student may also qualify for placement by meeting the eligibility criteria in two of three dimensions:

• Dimension A- Reasoning Abilities  

• Dimension B- Achievement  

• Dimension C- Academic Performance  

Students are identified at every grade level from the end of grade 2 through middle school. Students are screened automatically when the results of testing are available. If your child is new to the district, complete the parent referral form available on this page. Be sure that the previous school has sent test data and other identification information, and ask your child’s guidance counselor to send the referral form, test and identification data to the Director of Programs for ODYSSEY.

• ODYSSEY I classes (3rd grade) meet once a week for approximately 3 hours. The elementary ODYSSEY I model is a pullout program that supplements the regular school curriculum. Most classes meet at Jesse Boyd Elementary School; some 3rd grade classes are held at Pine Street Elementary School.

• ODYSSEY II classes (4th and 5th grade) meet once a week for approximately 5 hours. ODYSSEY class schedules are developed each August based on the numbers of children to be served in each school.

• ODYSSEY III classes (6th -12 grade) meet every day. Those classes include Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and ODYSSEY seminars. Advanced and accelerated Math classes are also offered to qualifying students.

• ADVANCED PLACEMENT classes (9th - 12th grade) meet every day. Advanced Placement courses are offered to qualifying students.