• Welcome • Elementary GT Programming (home school) • Elementary Center Program for the Highly

Gifted (host site) • Instructional Approach • Academic Environment

• Application Timeline • Frequently Asked Questions

Center Program for the Highly Gifted

Overview

GT Programming in MCPS Elementary Schools

Curriculum Needs for Gifted Children

• Creative Thinking • Critical Thinking • Academic Success Skills • Interdisciplinary Connections • Instructional Challenge

Opportunities for Enrichment in MCPS Elementary Schools

• Curriculum 2.0 Reading/Language Arts

• Advanced Core Books/Novels • Differentiated Instructional Opportunities with C2.0 • Curriculum program extensions based on skill

(sample) • Junior Great Books (Questioning, Inquiry,

Discourse) • William and Mary Units (Advanced Novels, Writing,

Research, Theme-Based Integration)

Opportunities for Enrichment in MCPS Elementary Schools

• Curriculum 2.0 Science & Social Studies • Scientific and Historical Investigations

• Cross-Curricular Connections

• Marking Period Inquiry Projects • Thinking and Academic Success Skills

• Designed for students with needs that cannot be easily met through local school GT programming

• Designed to address the unique needs of gifted students by using different process/products within the grade levels standards

• Program content is based on accelerated, compacted and enriched MCPS curriculum

• Instructional atmosphere promotes thinking skills and instructional strategies that encourage intellectual growth, risk taking and creative expression

Center Program for the Highly Gifted

Rationale

Who is the Center program designed for? Students who have been successful in the Centers come from diverse

backgrounds and share the following traits:

Perform above grade level (two years) and require acceleration and enrichment beyond C2.0

May lack an academic peer group in their home school Exhibits exceptional content reasoning skills, advanced

vocabulary, advanced written expression Demonstrate curiosity and intrinsic motivation to learn across

multiple environments Shows strong critical and creative thinking Maintains a high level of commitment, persistence, independence Works well both collaboratively and independently

Center Program for the Highly Gifted

• All students and their parents/guardians are participating members in the center school and are part of the school community.

• Instructional groups are flexible and fluid. Students may switch between center classrooms for various subjects.

• Mathematics instruction follows MCPS curriculum and classes may include accelerated/compacted students from the local school program.

• Students continue to participate in the school’s weekly specials (art, music, instrumental music, P.E.)

Center Program for the Highly Gifted

School Setting

The Common Core State Standards outline the standards that students should access at each grade level. The Center Program for Highly Gifted offers a challenging curriculum that provides opportunities to access above grade level standards and content.

• Addresses standards and objectives in the Common Core State Standards, while content, processes, and products are enriched, compacted, or accelerated to meet the needs of highly able students.

• Presents curriculum through interdisciplinary units that require integration of concepts and essential ideas across disciplines.

• Provides more in-depth examination of topics in the Curriculum 2.0 and examination of concepts related to, but not included in, the Common Core State Standards

Center Program for the Highly Gifted

Instructional Design

Instruction for Centers for the Highly Gifted should engage the learner, focus on the use of inquiry as a tool supporting all academic areas, and reflect the complex nature of learning and human expression.

• Provides appropriately challenging instruction and advanced materials are provided in response to learner need to encourage student engagement, motivation, and personal growth

• Requires the teacher to use instructional strategies which allow

the teacher to become a facilitator of learning and a manager of resources.

• Arranges for instructional groupings based on academic needs

of gifted and talented students..

Center Program for the Highly Gifted

Learning Environment

Instruction for Centers for the Highly Gifted should engage the learner, focus on the use of inquiry as a tool supporting all academic areas, and reflect the complex nature of learning and human expression.

• Supplements with resources beyond the school setting to provide appropriate educational experiences for gifted and talented students.

• Emphasizes the development and application of creative and critical thinking skills to solve a problem, or create a new product, process, or idea.

Center Program for the Highly Gifted

Learning Environment

• September - Applications mailed to all Grade 3 students enrolled in MCPS

• October - Attend one of two evening meetings • November 6 - Application deadline • January - Testing at home elementary schools • January 13-Non-MCPS students’ testing date • February - Selection process • March - Notification of selection results mailed • March 21-23– Open Houses • April 2- Deadline for Program Acceptance

Center Program for the Highly Gifted

Selection Process and Timeline

Center Program for the Highly Gifted Program Sites by High School Feeders

Barnsley ES Chevy Chase ES Clearspring ES Walter Johnson Richard Montgomery Rockville Wheaton

Bethesda Chevy Chase Whitman

Clarksburg (except Fox Chapel ES and Daly ES) Damascus Gaithersburg Magruder Watkins Mill

Center Program for the Highly Gifted Program Sites by High School Feeders

Cold Spring ES

Drew ES Fox Chapel ES

Pine Crest/ Oak View ES

Churchill Wootton

Blake Paint Branch Springbrook Sherwood

Clarksburg (only Fox Chapel ES and Daly ES) Northwest Poolesville Quince Orchard Seneca Valley

Blair Einstein Kennedy Northwood

Where can I get an application?

• Web site: www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/specialprograms

• Available in the office of the home elementary school

• Applications available in various languages

Center Program for the Highly Gifted

Frequently Asked Questions

How are the students selected for the Center Program? • The central office selection committee uses a variety of data

points to determine those students whose needs would best be met in the center program based on – - Information provided by school based personnel on the

academic performance and motivation of each applicant from the current and past academic year

- Current parent and teacher information - Student performance on an advanced level assessment

• The process is competitive and there are a limited number of seats for each center

Center Program for the Highly Gifted

Frequently Asked Questions

What transportation services are provided?

MCPS provides transportation from central stops for students in the Center Programs for the Highly Gifted, from the areas that the programs serve.

1. Transportation is provided for the Center Program for the Highly Gifted to and from central stops (usually at MCPS schools) determined by the Department of Transportation.

2. Stops may be several miles from the student’s home. 3. Parents are responsible for arranging transportation to and from

the centralized stops. 4. Bus trips are usually significantly longer and vary by program and

location. Please carefully consider transportation options and responsibilities.

Center Program for the Highly Gifted

Frequently Asked Questions

• Meredith Casper, Director, AEI • Jeannie Franklin, Director, DCCAPS • Kitty Williams, Instructional Specialist, AEI • Betty Shevitz, Instructional Specialist, DCCAPS

Call the Division of Consortia Choice and Application Program Services with questions about the application process at 301-592-2040.

Call the Division of Accelerated and Enriched Instruction with questions about academic programming at 301-279-3163

Visit the Web site: www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/specialprograms

Center Program for the Highly Gifted

CONTACTS