Kelly Hoover, M. Ed.

Gifted Education Teacher, LCPS

*This evening is addressed to parents of students who are currently enrolled in SPECTRUM.

*To learn about ◦ eligibility process for gifted services for your child who is

not currently in SPECTRUM, please attend

Gifted Informational Night

When: September 20, 2016, 7PM

Where: Seneca Ridge Middle School AUD

*

Please sign-in

Name

Child’s Name

Your Email

Interested in Volunteering? Check the box

If so, what day is best? Mon/Fri/Sat

THANK YOU!

Allows students to respond to their surroundings in their own unique ways.

Challenges students beyond regular curriculum.

A chance to explore topics of interest in depth.

Prepares students for future of lifelong learning.

Middle School Life SPECTRUM

Anoop advises:

“Focus on the now, you’re only going to get 3 yrs in middle school until you go to high school and are loaded with work. Explore your interests now and take up a hobby.”

You’ll learn logical thinking skills,

group skills, and experience fun

competition. You will NOT be bored!

Middle School Life SPECTRUM

Spectrum taught me leadership & teamwork.

You might [be stumped by a problem] like in the warmup but it’s ok because you’re all there to learn. You also might have clashes between your peers but it is important to learn to overcome those hurdles.Stay organized. It is a useful skill for

now and all your life.

Students will:

Become divergent thinkers who recognize problems and solve them.

Construct personal meaning & understanding of themselves & the world around them.

Develop the capacity to self-assess & take ownership of the learning.

Education

*B.A., College of William & Mary

*M.Ed., UVA, Educational Leadership, Gifted Ed

Experience

*15 yrs in education, 12 yrs in gifted, 5 yrs LCPS

*3rd year at RBMS

*Former Educational Adviser, Young Scholars Program, Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

• Toured > 40 U.S. colleges

• Summer @ Montpelier www.Montpelier.org/dig

6th – Who Knew? Intro activity

7th – Personalized license plates

8th – Riddle Poems

Same for 6th - 8th grade:

* Composition Book (not a spiral)

*Pocket folder labeled SPECTRUM, w/ paper

* Writing utensil

*Agenda Book

Optional: Calculator Smartphone (off until

directed otherwise by me)

All the below also provided by teacher: Colored Pencils Highlighter

6th & 7th grade:

•Entire year, every other day

•1/2 of the block, 42 min

•Instead of 42 min of resource block

8th grade:

◦Both Spectrum and 42 min Resource

◦Students have Resource after Spectrum

Semester 1

Technology & Engineering: Team problem-solving challenge, using math and critical thinking

Communication & Culture: Dig It! Archaeology unit

Semester 2 Business & Economics: Entrepreneurship

Ethics & Perspectives: Survival Scenarios, independent study (time permitting)

Looking to have a small group of parents who are willing to “dig deep” in the archaeological site…

Bring Shovels, Water Bottles and a smile!

Technology & Engineering: Contests, Independent study projects

Business & Econ: Stock Market Game

Communication & Culture: Lifestyle Auction, Resume-writing

Ethics & Perspectives: Mystery Illness / Dilemma

Open to current 8th graders

Academic scholarship, extra-curricular activity, character, community service and leadership

Meant to promote academic success and service

LCPS gifted service is a special service for identified students, like those for other special groups.

It is the students’ responsibility to be present for the whole SPECTRUM time. Teachers are asked not to “pull” students from SPECTRUM.

Students are expected to GIVE FULL EFFORT in SPECTRUM

Students may have devices in my classroom for instructional use.

Chromebooks available if needed for research or word processing.

Think: Is it

◦True?

◦Helpful?

◦ Inspirational?

◦Necessary?

◦Kind?

Using deductive reasoning to solve mysteries & other complex problems

Learning to build consensus

Collaboration on culture & communications projects

Internet research to enhance learning

No Homework

“Don’t let the cat

out of the bag!”

Chance to be with intellectual peers

Safe place where it’s okay to be “smart” and excited about learning

Ongoing

Formal semester report to parents

Personalized narrative comments

4 Skills: Thinking, Research, Interactive, and Independent Learning

Assessment Report sent home in January & June

Ms. Sherri Robinson, School Counselor

◦ Sherri.Robinson@lcps.org

TJ Info Night: Sept 21, 6PM

RBMS AUDITORIUM

September 19 – Applications available

October 14 – Application Deadline

Test Prep sessions: 4 classes Must be an 8th grader to participate

Oct 6, Oct 13, Nov 2, Nov 16 after school

*December 3 – Test Day

*January 13 – Semifinalist Notification

*Sat., January 28 – Essay and SIS given

*April 30 – Final Decisions sent home

If students cannot attend, see sample test on TJ’s website

Located at Dominion High School

Competitive Entry-Essay & Letters of Rec

Students attend AOS on alternating days with their home school

Deadline for Part I of AOS application -Thursday September 22 at 11:59pm

See Handout for important dates

Oct 15: PSAT administered at Dominion HS for AOS applicants.

Jan 9th: Finalists will be notified. Submit Part II.

Feb 12th: Absolute deadline to submit Part II.

Yes. However, keep in mind that the acceptance letters are sent at different timeframes.

Creative Problem-Solving Team Contest

Solve problems from building machines to presenting their own interpretations of literary

classics.

WEBSITE: www.odysseyofthemind.com

Hoagies Gifted site: www.hoagiesgifted.com

CTY Imagine Magazine and Cogito.org (for young scientists) Website

Art of Problem Solving Courses www.artofproblemsolving.com

Clubs: Odyssey of the Mind

Math Counts

Science Olympiad Leo Club

Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth

Friday Sept. 30, 3:30-7:30 Foxcroft Jump Into Game Design – for girls only

Grade 7: JKCF Young Scholars Program (www.jkcf.org)

Grade 8: Thomas Jefferson HSST, AOS, AET

Check out the website: www.stepuploudoun.org

“A Call to Action” for Youth

Win prizes up to $1,000 for community

leadership and service

“Science Fair” displays and “Elevator Pitches”

You will now go to your child’s

“Facetime/Homeroom”.

Email is best way to reach me:

khoover@lcps.org.

I look forward to working with your child in the upcoming year(s)!!

Thank you very much for coming to the Spectrum

Back-to-School Night and for caring about your child’s

education.

NAGC – National Association for Gifted Children www.nagc.org

VAG – Virginia Association for the Gifted www.vagifted.org

SENG – Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted www.sengifted.org

Davidson Institute for Talent Development, www.davidsongifted.org

Duke Talent Identification Program, www.tip.duke.edu

ACA - American Counseling Association, www.counseling.org