Great Falls Elementary School

LEVEL IV SCREENING PROCESS AND BUILDING A

PORTFOLIO

• What – review of a students’ portfolio by six FCPS Educators

• Who – Classroom Teachers, AART’s, Administrators, Counselors, Speech Teachers, Specialists and Central Office AAP staff

• How – after training on how to review a portfolio, educators each individually review and make a their own recommendation on eligibility

• Where – Central Office – Fairfax Ridge• When – Late February and the 1st week of March

2016

WHAT IS SCREENING?

Pool• A second grade student

who has scored above a 132 on the NNAT-Naglieri (first grade)

• A second grade student who has scored above a Composite 132 –Cognitive Abilities test

• Automatically referred, no parent, teacher, self referral needed

Parent, Teacher, or Self Referral

• Any student grades 2-6• Parents, teachers, or

students fill out the referral form on the FCPS AAP website and submit it to Laura Hotaling by 3:00 pm, January 15, 2016 as per FCPS regulations

• There will be no exceptions in regards to late referral forms

HOW A STUDENT GETS TO BE SCREENED

GENERAL INFORMATION• Progress report• Test scores (SOL/Ability)• ESOL level• Special programs (immersion)• Teacher Commentary• Gifted Behaviors Rating Scale

6 WORK SAMPLES• 2 submitted by school• 4 submitted by parents/guardians (more information later in

presentation)

WHAT IS A PORTFOLIO

• Taking notes on academic behaviors such as creativity, application of knowledge, motivation, pace of learning, extension of curriculum, leadership, critical thinking throughout the school year

• Completing a Gifted Behaviors Rating Scale (GBRS) with Commentary

• Gathering work samples for student portfolios• Creative and Critical Thinking lessons• Writing Sample• Math Sample demonstrating critical/creative thinking

(M2, M3, Performance Tasks, Math Exemplars)

TEACHERS’ ROLE :GATHERER OF DATA

Filled out by the GFES committee (Mrs. Harper, Mrs. DeHart, Mrs. Schilling, Ms. Duvall, Classroom Teacher(s), Specialists, and AART)• Exceptional Ability to Learn• Exceptional Ability to Apply Knowledge• Exceptional Creativity/Productive Thinking• Exceptional Motivation

Ratings Scale• 1 – rarely• 2 – occasionally• 3 – frequently• 4 - consistently

GIFTED RATINGS BEHAVIOR SCALE(GBRS)

• Exhibits exceptional memory• Demonstrates in-depth knowledge• Displays persistent, intense focus on one or more topics• Is highly reflective and/or sensitive to his/her

environment• Learns and adapts readily to new cultures• Learns quickly and easily• Acquires language at a rapid pace• Learns skills independently and makes connections

without formal instruction

EXCEPTIONAL ABILITY TO LEARN

• Demonstrates highly developed reasoning• Employs complex problem-solving strategies• Uses and interprets advanced symbol systems in

academics, visual arts, and/or performing arts • Understands, applies, transfers abstract concepts• Uses technology in advanced applications• Acts as an interpreter, translator, and/or facilitator to

help others• Makes advanced connections and transfers learning to

other subjects, situations, cultures • Communicates learned concepts through role playing

and/or detailed artwork

EXCEPTIONAL APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE

• Sees the familiar in unusual ways• Does not conform to typical ways of thinking or

perceiving • Is highly creative and/or inventive• Demonstrates unusual fluency and flexibility in thinking

and problem-solving• Expresses ideas, feelings, experiences, and/or beliefs in

original ways • Displays keen sense of humor• Is highly curious• Generates new ideas, new uses, new solutions easily • Perceives and manipulates patterns, colors, and/or

symbols

EXCEPTIONAL CREATIVITY/PRODUCTIVE THINKING

• Demonstrates ability to lead large and/or small groups• Meets exceptional personal and/or academic challenges• Explores, researches, questions topics, ideas, issues

independently• Is poised with adults and engages them in adult

conversations• Exhibits a strong sense of loyalty and responsibility• Demonstrates exceptional ability to adapt to new

experiences• Strives to achieve high standards especially in areas of

strength and/or interest • Shows initiative, self-direction, and/or high level of

confidence

EXCEPTIONAL MOTIVATION

REFERRAL FORM• If your child is not in the second grade pool or in grades

3-6 you must turn in a referral form to have your child screened!

• Add commentary in bottom portion• MUST BE TURNED IN BY 3:00 PM, Friday, January

15th!

LOCATED• On GFES Specialist Blackboard Site – Advanced

Academics• http://www.fcps.edu/is/aap/packet/Fillable_AAPLevelIVReferral

Form.pdf• FCPS Website - Academics & Programs, Advanced

Academics, Right hand side under Spotlights is forms, AAP level IV referral forms

PARENT’S ROLE #1

PARENT/GUARDIAN QUESTIONNAIRE FORM• Type out form• Use specific examples: “My child surprises me with their

unusual knowledge”• Start taking notes now! • Your chance to communicate with the educator

examining your child’s portfolio

LOCATED• http://www.fcps.edu/is/aap/packet/

Fillable_AAPParentGuardianQuestionnaire.pdf• FCPS Website – under forms

PARENT ROLE #2

WORK SAMPLES• 4 sheets of 8x11 paper – front side only• LEGIBLE AND EASY TO SEE!• Halfsies shrink down image to have two full sheets on one piece of

paper• Use photos of creations• LABEL product with an explanation• Originals will not be returnedAWARDS/COMMENDATIONS/LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION• Submit up to 5 sheets of 8x11 paper• Don’t go overboard with recommendations and awards• Recommendation letters may not be from FCPS teachers• Originals will not be returned

PARENT ROLE #3

MATH SAMPLE FROM MENTORING YOUNG MATHEMATICIANS (M2)

• This is from a 2nd grade student.

• It utilizes math vocabulary related to the concept and shows understanding of the big idea.

• The student supports their answer with an example.

MATH NON-SAMPLE

• While the 4th-grade student completing this sample scored perfectly, the work shows a rote process. This type of work is important, but does not showcase the type of problem solving thinking that would be good evidence for needing full-time placement in a level IV center.

• Instead, showcasing a single problem that requires the student apply mathematics concepts to problem solve would be preferred.

LANGUAGE ARTS: ENCAPSULATION

• This is an encapsulation of chapter 18 of the book Bud, Not Buddy, whereby the student put important ideas from the chapter on a license plate.

• This sample would be stronger if there was a short blurb pointing out that it was using the encapsulation strategy and verbalizing some of the symbolic ideas represented.

LANGUAGE ARTS NON-SAMPLE

• This word study sample shows the student does well sorting words and using them in sentences. It is not a strong language arts sample.

• A stronger

sample might include literary analysis, creativity, persuasive writing, etc.

SCIENCE: PLANT ANALOGIES

• A 2nd grade Spanish Immersion student created analogies about the parts of a flower in Spanish

SCIENCE NON-SAMPLE

• The student scored 100% on this plants quiz. However, the answers on it required recall of knowledge level information.

• Possibilities for strong science work samples may include: designing an experiment, creating big questions for research, solving or inventing an engineering solution.

SOCIAL STUDIES: JOHNOGLYPHICS

• A 3rd grade student created the following system, modeled on hieroglyphics, to teach toddlers to read.

• In addition to connections to Social Studies content, this work sample shows fluency and elaboration in an original solution to a problem.

SOCIAL STUDIES NON-SAMPLE

• This sample shows the student is able to recall information about the 3 branches of government.

• A preferred work sample might include: analysis of a primary source document, relating to different points of view in past or current events, making intra- or inter-disciplinary connections related to Social Studies content, etc.

OTHER WORK SAMPLES

• This student created a series of comic strips and designed a web site where they were posted.

• The comics and site showed a mature sense of humor in creating new products about every day topics.

OTHER WORK SAMPLES

• This student created a poster of 4 Ways of Smart (Picture, Nature, Body, and Music).

• The poster displays a strong sense of design.

OTHER WORK SAMPLES

• This student created a comic, entitled “Chocolate,” with her spelling words for the week.

TIMELINE UPDATE FOR NOTIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY, LEVEL IV ORIENTATIONS AND

APPEALS

Parents will be notified of student eligibility : April 11-15 2016

Level IV Orientations to be held at local level IV schools and centers: April 18- 28, 2016Please check with your local level IV school and your center school for the exact date and time.

Appeals due to Advanced Academics Central Office: May 13, 2016

Notification of eligibility after appeals process: Sometime after June 10, 2016