Lee County Schools AIG Plan

1. Lee County Schools AIG Plan 2014 - 2015

2. State Definition of AIG Students, Article 9B (N.C.G.S. § 115C-150.5)Academically or intellectually gifted (AIG) students perform or show the potential to perform at substantially high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of their age, experiences or environment. Academically or intellectually gifted students exhibit high performance capability in intellectual areas, specific academic fields, or in both the intellectual areas and specific academic fields. Academically or intellectually gifted students require differentiated educational services beyond those ordinarily provided by the regular educational program. Outstanding abilities are present in students from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor.

3. In North Carolina, state legislation mandates that public schools identify and serve academically or intellectually gifted (AIG) K-12 students. Each LEA determines how to identify and serve its own AIG student population. This honors local context and supports each LEA to do what is best for its own AIG student population. LEAs must adhere to state legislation, which guides LEAs and defines academically or intellectually gifted students (see below), and also use the NC AIG Program Standards, adopted July 2009, as a guide in the development of local AIG programs. The SBE approved NC AIG Program Standards provides a statewide framework for quality programming, while honoring local context.

4. An LEA's policies and practices regarding its local AIG program are developed through the writing of a local AIG plan. This AIG plan is approved by the local board of education and submitted to State Board of Education/DPI for comment. DPI assists LEAs with their local AIG program and plan but does not approve local plans. Per state legislation, AIG plans must be revised every three years by the LEA. In 2009-10, LEAs revised their local AIG plans and programs with the guidance of DPI. Current local AIG plans will be revised and resubmitted in July 2013.

5. North Carolina AIG Standards • Student Identification • Differentiated Curriculum and Instruction • Personnel and Professional Development • Comprehensive Programming with a total school community • Partnerships with stakeholders in the program in planning and implementation of the AIG plan • Program accountability

6. State AIG Program • ACADEMICALLY OR INTELLECTUALLY GIFTED • CONTACT • Sneha Shah-Coltrane, Director, Gifted Education and Advanced Programs • http://www.ncpublicschools.org/academicservices/gifted/

7. Lee County Schools • Dr. Lynn Warren – Director of Special Programs and Projects • Karen Foushee-Cameron District AIG Lead Teacher

8. AIG Team here at Tramway • Mary Lunney, chair • Beth Rives • Courtney Quinn • Melanie Altman • Beth Backus • Samantha Scott • George Beasley • June Wicker • Andrea Sloan • Anne Beal

9. Lee County AIG Plan • Revised Spring of 2013 • AIG Advisory Council • Surveys to students, parents, and educators • Subcommittees: • Parent Communication • Review of the Lee County AIG Plan Reviewed by the Curriculum and Instruction Committee Board of Education adopted June 11, 2013

10. K-3 Nurturing • Begins with teachers observing students for gifted characteristics using the Teacher’s Observation of Potential in Students (TOPS) form • Categories include: Learns Easily Show Advanced Skills Displays Curiosity &Creativity Has Strong Interests Shows Advanced Reasoning & Problem Solving Displays Spatial Abilities Show Motivation Shows Social Perceptiveness Displays Leadership

11. K-3 Nurturing Primary Education Thinking Skills (PETS) Materials have been purchased for each grade level K-3. Begins with whole class activities to introduce the thinking skill. Then students are organized in flexible groups so that students may be nurtured in areas of strength as well as receive interventions in areas of need.

13. AIG Identification Criteria • Measuring Tool Score Points Weighting • Student Achievement • EOG 95th -100th Percentile 25 25% • 88th-94th Percentile 20 • 80th-87 Percentile 15 • Student Aptitude • CogAT 90th -99th Percentile 25 25% • *Use the Age Score % 85th -89th Percentile 20 • 80th -84th Percentile 15 • Student Performance • Grades 93-100 25 25% • 85-92 15 • 80-84 5 • *Use third quarter averages • Observable Student Behaviors • Renzulli AIG 9 very high 128-172 25 25% • Checklist of high 112-127 20 • Displayed • Characteristics Total 100% • Range to qualify • 70-100 points.

14. 4-5 Grade AIG • 4th & 5th grade AIG cluster classes -Directly served in regular classrooms with formally identified students and grade level peers -Jacob’s Ladder materials created by The College of William & Mary -students will be taught Common Core in reading and math -students will be expected to work 1-2 years beyond grade level in the core areas of reading and mathematics

15. Differentiated Education Plan

16. Annual Reviews page 4 Each year the School AIG Team should review the progress of each student based on the performance assessment for the differentiated service options as outlined in the measurable objectives aligned with the core curriculum. Usually, annual reviews will occur at the end of the school year. However, reviews may be conducted as needs arise for intervention and IDEP consideration. If a Differentiated Education Plan (DEP) is not meeting the needs of a student and a more specific individual plan is needed, an Individual Differentiated Education Plan (IDEP) should be developed to support student growth. The purpose of the Annual Review is not to re-evaluate the student by taking him/her through the entire identification process. If the student is performing satisfactorily, complete the AIG 17 Yearly Performance Review of Progress indicating services to be continued and notify parents.

17. Communication between the Teacher and Parents • Survey results reflect that this is an area which needs to be improved. • Examples of how we will communicate with you: • Parent Conferences • E-mail, notes, phone calls • Progress Reports • Parent meetings

18. Signing the DEP • At this time Or • At an individual parent conference

19. PAGE • Sign up to be placed on a communication list

20. KaleidoscopeTwo-Week Summer Enrichment Program • Rising sixth graders • Two weeks in June • 8:00 – 12:00 at one of the middle schools • Parents provide transportation • Optional Washington, D.C. trip

21. Optional trip to Washington D.C.

22. Planning for Kaleidoscope • Registration for camp is around $30.00. • If you are interested in your child going on the Washington, D.C. trip start saving now. The trip in June 2013 was $742.00 • More information will be provided for this year’s fifth graders in September.

23. “Once the child is admitted, performance is always more important than the entry criterion or score.”