Academically and Intellectually Gifted Program

2013-2014

Parent Nomination Information

To:Parents/Guardians

From:Diane Fey

Specialist for Advanced Studies

Instructional Design and Innovation

Through:Kathy Kennedy, Ed.D.

Associate Superintendent

Instructional Design and Innovation

Date: August 26, 2013

Subject: Parent Nomination Information for

Academically and Intellectually Gifted Program

This handbook will provide you with information about the Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) program in Moore County Schools. Since the screening and services for AIG students take place in the school, your primary information source is your child’s classroom teacher, the AIG teacher assigned to the school, and the school principal. All of these people can help inform you about the processes that are followed for screening and for providing services.

Moore County Schools is committed to meeting the educational needs of all students, including those with special abilities and talents. We believe that students with special gifts, talents, and high interest are found in all ethnic, geographic, and socioeconomic groups and they represent a source of potential innovation, creativity and leadership.

This handbook will provide information to help answer the following questions:

How do I know if my child is gifted?

What will gifted services look like for my child?

How does my child qualify for gifted services?

We hope the information in this handbook will better inform you of Moore County’s AIG program as well as the steps in qualifying for AIG services.

Sincerely,

Diane Fey

Specialist for Advanced Studies

How do I know if my child is gifted or just smart?

It is easy to assume that students who do well in school must be gifted academically. In fact, not every gifted student earns good grades. Similarly, every student who earns good grades is not necessarily gifted. So how do we know the difference? This chart lists things to consider when trying to determine if you have a smart, high achieving student or a gifted student.

A High Achiever / A Gifted Learner
Knows the answers / Asks the questions
Is interested / Is highly curious
Is attentive / Is intellectually engaged
Has good ideas / Has original ideas
Works hard / Performs with ease
Commits time and effort to learning / May need less time to excel
Answers questions / Responds with detail and unique perspective
Absorbs information / Manipulates information
Copies and responds accurately / Creates new and original products
Is a top student / Is beyond his or her age peers
Needs 6 to 8 repetitions for mastery / Needs 1 to 2 repetitions for mastery
Understands ideas / Constructs abstractions
Grasps meaning / Draws inferences
Completes assignments / Initiates projects
Is a technician / Is an innovator
Is a good memorizer / Is insightful; makes connections with ease
Is receptive / Is intense
Listens with interest / Shows strong feelings, opinions, perspectives
Prefers information in order / Thrives on complexity
Is pleased with his or her own learning / Is highly self‐critical

From“TheGifted and Talented Child” by Janice Szabos, Maryland Council for GiftedTalented, Inc.

What do gifted services look like in Moore CountySchools?

The AIG program looks different at each grade level and services provided to students will vary depending on the student’s school.

During early elementary years (K-2), AIG teachers push-in to regular education classes to support the development of all students. Whole group and small group instruction may be used to develop thinking skills. While students may be formally identified as gifted during the K-2 grade span, typically identification will occur during grades 3-5.

Students identified as gifted during grades 3-5 will receive push-in and pull-out services. During push-in time, the AIG teacher will collaborate and work with the regular education classroom teacher to provide support and differentiate instruction. Differentiation means the student work will be modified to better meet the needs of gifted students. For example, differentiation could mean extending the complexity of the task through critical thinking for some students or it could mean encouraging student to pursue an independent investigation into a topic that interests them.

Students in grades 3-5 are also served during pull-out instruction. During pull-out, an AIG teacher works specifically with a smaller group of students to develop skills such as critical and creative thinking, digital literacy, effective communication and productivity.

At the middle school, AIG students may be served in a variety of ways. Service is typically provided during an encore time or pull-out session. Service focuses on enriching and extending the North Carolina Standard Course of Study through project based learning and may include online or virtual class options. The AIG teacher continues to collaborate with classroom teachers to ensure that differentiated instruction is available throughout the school day for gifted learners.

At the high school level, Honors, Advanced Placement, and virtual or online classes help students differentiate their instruction. AIG students are expected to plan rigorous coursework to challenge their academic and intellectual capabilities. An AIG facilitator works at each high school to help advocate for AIG student’s needs and to provide guidance to students in selecting classes and planning a future path.

How does my child qualify for AIG services?

The process to qualify for AIG services begins with identification of the student. A review of test scores is done each year by AIG teachers to look for students who may qualify for AIG services. Students may also be nominated for the AIG program by a parent/guardian, teacher, community member, peer, or self.

Once a nomination packet has been filled out, a school-based Needs Determination Team will meet to review data and evidence that has been gathered about the student. The Needs Determination Team is headed by the school AIG teacher. The team will decide based on the evidence whether the student qualifies for AIG services or if additional data is needed. If additional data is needed, a Consent to Test form will be sent home for parents/guardians to fill out and return to the AIG teacher.

If additional data is needed, students may be given a variety of ability and/or achievement tests to determine whether or not they qualify for AIG services. The chart below outlines the cutoff scores used by Moore County Schools to identify students for AIG services.

Option 1 / 98 percentile or higher ability test composite score
Option 2 / 96 percentile ability test composite score / AND
two other indicators*
Option 3 / 96 percentile or higher on ability test composite score / AND
96 percentile or higher on total achievement score in reading, math or both / AND
one other indicator*
Option 4 / 89 percentile or higher on ability test composite score / AND
89 percentile or higher on both total achieve scores in math and reading or overall composite score / AND
two other indicators*
Option 5 / 89 percentile or higher on an ability subtest / AND
89 percentile or higher on total achievement score in math or reading / AND
three other indicators*

*Other indicators could include: review of report card grades, interviews, observations, authentic products, creativity tests, and/or work samples.

If a student is tested for AIG services and does not qualify, testing will not be repeated for at least 18 months.

We hope this handbook has made you more familiar with the AIG program in Moore County Schools. If you feel your child is a gifted learner and would like to continue the process of nomination and identification, please fill out the information on the next page and return the completed form to the AIG teacher at your child’s school.

Please visit the Moore County Schools webpage to gain additional information about the AIG program.

Go to: At the top, select Departments, then Advanced Studies.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact your school’s AIG teacher or the Specialist for Advanced Studies.

Aberdeen Primary School / (910) 944-1523 / Deborah Maples
Aberdeen Elementary School / (910) 944-1124 / Deborah Maples
Cameron Elementary School / (910) 245-7814 / Michele Drummond
Carthage Elementary School / (910) 947-2781 / Michele Drummond
Crain's Creek Middle School / (910) 245-3796 / Deborah Hersh
Elise Middle School / (910) 948-2421 / Michelle Comer
Highfalls Elementary School / (910) 464.3600 / Michelle Comer
New Century Middle School / (910) 947-1301 / Kimberly Oakley
North Moore High School / (910) 464-3105 / Janet Smith
Pinecrest High School / (910) 692-6554 / Jennifer Kearney
Pinehurst Elementary School / (910) 295-6969 / Debbie Bare (K-3)
Marjorie Clark (4-5)
Robbins Elementary School / (910) 948-2411 / Michelle Comer
Sandhills-Farm Life Elementary School / (910) 949-2501 / Michele Drummond
Southern Middle School / (910) 693-1550 / TBA
Southern Pines Elementary School / (910) 692-2357 / Mary Carrington
Southern Pines Primary School / (910) 692-8659 / Mary Carrington
Union Pines High School / (910) 947-5511 / James Horwath
Vass Lakeview Elementary School / (910) 245-3444 / Deborah Maples
West End Elementary School / (910) 673-6691 / Deborah Maples
Westmoore Elementary School / (910) 464-3401 / Michelle Comer
West Pine Elementary School / (910) 673-2004 / Debbie Bare
West Pine Middle School / (910) 673-1464 / Marjorie Clark (6)
Barbara Levin (7-8)
Specialist for Advanced Studies / (910) 947-2342 / Diane Fey

AIG Nomination Packet

Parent Inventory

Date: ______School: ______

Student Name: ______

Birth Date (MM/ DD/YYYY): ______Grade: ______

Parent/Guardian Name(s):______

______

Address: ______

StreetApt #

______

CityStateZip

Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability. Return the completed inventory to the AIG teacher at your child’s school

  1. What special talents or skills do you feel your child has?
  1. What hobbies or special interests does your child have?
  1. How does your child approach something that is new, unfamiliar or different?
  1. How does your child demonstrate creativity?
  1. What kinds of books does your child like to read? How often do they read per week?
  1. What does your child like to do outside of school?
  1. How does your child feel about school? What do they like and dislike about school?
  1. What are your concerns for your child in school?

I understand that nominating my child for the AIG program does not guarantee their acceptance into the AIG program or that they will qualify for AIG services.

Parent Signature: ______

Phone Number: (____)____ - ______E-Mail: ______