WCPS Advanced Programs Overview

1. WCPS Advanced Programs Overview K-12 Academy, Specialized, Signature, and Magnet Programs Open House Event Jessica Reinhard Supervisor of K-12 Advanced Programs

2. Background: Maryland Annotated Codefor Gifted and Talented Education “Gifted and talented student" means an elementary or secondary student who is identified by professionally qualified individuals as:

3. Background: Maryland Annotated Codefor Gifted and Talented Education • Having outstanding talent and performing, or showing the potential for performing, at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with other students of a similar age, experience, or environment;

4. “However gifted an individual is at the outset, if his or her talents cannot be developed because of his or her social condition, because of the surrounding circumstances, these talents will be still-born.” Simone de Beauvoir

5. Background: Maryland Annotated Codefor Gifted and Talented Education • Exhibiting high performance capability in intellectual, creative, or artistic areas;

6. Background: Maryland Annotated Codefor Gifted and Talented Education 3. Possessing an unusual leadership capacity;

7. Background: Maryland Annotated Codefor Gifted and Talented Education OR 4. Excelling in specific academic fields.

9. Maryland Annotated Code, cont. The General Assembly finds that: • A gifted and talented student needs different services beyond those normally provided by the regular school program in order to develop the student's potential.

10. Maryland Annotated Code, cont. The General Assembly finds that: 2. Gifted and talented students are to be found in youth from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor. (Section 8: 201-202)

11. “The essence of our effort to see that every child has a chance must be to assure each an equal opportunity, not to become equal, but to become different — to realize whatever unique potential of body, mind, and spirit he or she possesses.” John Fischer

12. Continuum of Services Maryland offers a continuum of services in gifted education; some serving all students, and some considerably fewer. As program intensity increases, the number of students participating decreases.

13. Continuum of Services • Nurture critical and creative thinking and problem solving in all students (all or most). • Discussion Protocols • Higher Order Questioning • Inquiry-Based Learning • Student-Centered Mathematics

14. Continuum of Services • Provide additional challenge and enrichment as needed (many). • Enrichment, Merit, Honors, A.P. • Elementary Signature Language Program (Spanish) • Bester, Boonsboro, Greenbrier, Old Forge, Paramount, Pleasant Valley, Potomac Heights, Sharpsburg, and Smithsburg • Challenges and Contests • Academic Teams, Destination Imagination, Geography Bee, Math 24, National History Day, Stock Market Game, etc.

15. Continuum of Services 3. Identify and develop demonstrated talent areas (some). • Academy and CTE Programs • Barbara Ingram School for the Arts • ESSENCE • Magnet Programs • WCTHS

16. Continuum of Services • Expand expectations for high achievers (few). • Acceleration (full grade) • Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth participation

18. “Believing in people before they have proved themselves is the key to motivating people to reach their potential.” John C. Maxwell

19. Identification and Service Delivery • Highly Gifted Learner: High IQ/non-verbal ability measure. • Three-Ring Definition of Giftedness: Above-average ability + task commitment + creativity

20. WCPS Enrichment/Merit/Honors and Magnet Programs What’s alike? • Acceleration of content/curriculum compacting • Differentiation. • High academic expectations • Maryland Assessments and State Curriculum • Opportunities for enrichment • Participants fit the “three-ring” definition. • WCPS curriculum and benchmark assessments. What’s different? • Ability measures are used during the application process for elementary and middle school students. Student interviews and tasks are utilized. • Co-curricular enrichment activities and projects (all students in building). • Interdisciplinary focus and integration of school-wide theme. • Regular acceleration and curriculum compacting. • Specialized magnet courses are designed to challenge the most highly able/highly-gifted students. • Teacher recruitment, selection, and professional development.

21. Elementary School Programs • Co-curricular Activities • Elementary Enrichment • Placements made based on student data and teacher recommendations. • Elementary Magnet Programs • Competitive Application Process • Signature Language Programs

22. “There are admirable potentialities in every human being. Believe in your strength and your youth. Learn to repeat endlessly to yourself, 'It all depends on me.'” André Gide

23. Elementary Enrichment Program • Enrichment Teacher Services: • Primary Talent Development (Grades K-2) • Math and Language Arts/Reading (Grades 3-5) • Service Delivery through • Consultation • Co-Teaching • Pull-out • Push-in (cluster and flexible groupings) • Co-curricular/Extra Curricular Activities: • Chess Clubs • Destination Imagination • Geography Bee • Math 24 Game • Stock Market Game

24. Elementary Signature Programs Foreign Language Programs: • Bester • Boonsboro Elementary • Greenbrier Elementary • Old Forge • Paramount Elementary • Pleasant Valley Elementary • Potomac Heights • Sharpsburg Elementary • Smithsburg Elementary

25. Elementary Magnet ProgramsGrades 2 through 5 • Boonsboro Elementary Magnet Program for World Languages and Global Communication • Emma K. Doub Elementary Magnet Program for Integrated Arts and Technology • Fountaindale Elementary Magnet Program for the Arts and Academic Excellence • Williamsport Elementary Magnet Program for Science,Technology, Engineering, and Math (S.T.E.M.)

26. “The greatest waste in all the world is living below our potential.” Harold B. Lee

27. Middle School Programs Merit Classes: English, math, science, and social studies • Placements made based on student data and parent/teacher recommendations Middle School Magnet Programs • Competitive application process Co-curricular/Extra Curricular Activities: • Destination Imagination • Geography Bee • Math 24 Game • National History Day • Student-led Conferences

28. Middle School Magnet ProgramsGrades 6, 7, and 8 • Boonsboro Middle School Magnet Program for World Languages and Global Communication • E. Russell Hicks Middle School Magnet Program for Media Technology, the Humanities, and Communication • Springfield Middle School Magnet Program for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (S.T.E.M.)

29. High School Choices • Academies and CTE Programs • ALL Schools: Advanced Placement and Honors Courses • Barbara Ingram School for the Arts • North Hagerstown High School • AVID- Advancement Via Individual Determination • International Baccalaureate Programme (2006) • South Hagerstown High School • Academic Leadership Academy • AVID • Washington County Technical High School • Williamsport High School • AVID • S.T.E.M.

30. “When we treat man as he is, we make him worse than he is; when we treat him as if he already were what he potentially could be, we make him what he should be.” Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe