Lago Vista Independent School District Spring 2015 LVISD Gifted & Talented Update Excellence in EVERYTHING we do! LVISD Philosophy of Gifted Education The Lago Vista ISD Gifted & Talented program helps develop selfactualized learners by encouraging effective communication, guiding learners to be focused and self-directed, nurturing interpersonal and intrapersonal skills, and focusing on independent research study skills, as well as developing critical and creative thinking and problem solving skills. Check out the new LVISD Gifted & Talented Website! If you haven't had a chance to check out the new Gifted and Talented website, please do so! The page includes lots of great resources for parents, including the recently published LVISD G/T Handbook. There you can find information on program design, identification, furloughs, and exist procedures, as well as parent information and resources. Visit the new site by clicking on the Curriculum & Instruction department tab on the Lago Vista ISD homepage at http://www.lagovistaisd.net. Save the Date! February 1 Spring Referral Deadline for Grades 1-12 February 6 5th Grade Field Trip to the Austin Aquarium and Microsoft April 9 April 28 Spring G/T Showcase Middle School Field Trip to the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Spring G/T Showcase LVISD will be hosting a G/T Showcase on Thursday, April 9th from 6:30-8:30pm. The location for this event has yet to be determined, so stay tuned! The purpose of the G/T showcase is to highlight and share the amazing work of our Gifted and Talented students with parents and the community. In grades 18, students are participating in the Texas Performance Standards Project, the state's curriculum resource for Gifted and Talented instruction. Our kids have been working very hard and we are excited to showcase their work. We hope to see you there! District Mission Lago Vista ISD will equip students for the rigors of the 21st century by preparing them for a global based digital economy. Lago Vista ISD will be recognized as a leader in educational innovation through technology, facilities, curriculum, volunteerism, and instruction. Lago Vista Independent School District Spring 2015 Lago Vista Elementary G/T Update TPSP Projects Are Taking Shape! LVES students have been working hard and are gearing up for the Spring G/T Showcase. In grades 2-4, students are about to flex their engineering muscles by building prototypes of their inventions. Students in 1st grade will get their creative juices flowing by writing stories about their chosen animals. Field Trips LVES students spent an exciting day at "Science in the Movies" at Stunt Ranch in Austin. This spring (after STAAR testing), elementary students will visit the Hill Country Science Mill in Johnson City, which opens its doors for the very first time this Valentine's Day. The Hill Country Science Mill is excited to provide students with a safe and permissive environment to explore, question, and discover. Through interactive and innovative exhibits and programs, their goal is to inspire and engage students to pursue life-long careers as scientists, engineers, researchers and technology leaders of tomorrow. For more information, please visit http://www.sciencemill.org/. A Very Special Thank You! Thank you to Mr. Michael Smith for taking the time to visit our elementary G/T students to talk about his invention, The Yip Yap Pipsqueak. He showed off the latest version of the Pipsqueak that he and his wife, Angela Smith, launched in Las Vegas a few weeks ago. The kids asked great questions and we really appreciate him coming out to visit. Thank you! We Want Your Feedback! Please participate in a brief parent survey on Gifted and Talented Services in LVISD. Your feedback is appreciated! https://www.surveymonkey.com /r/RZWHJRV 2 1 2 Lago Vista Independent School District Spring 2015 Lago Vista Middle School G/T Update LVMS Student Recognition Lago Vista Middle School entered 11 projects created, written, or drawn by 7th and 8th grade G/T students to this year's Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. 7th Grader Sarah Stark will be recognized with a Silver Key award at the Art and Writing Awards Ceremony and Reception. She entered the architecture category with 'Cleopatra's Pyramid’, which she created out of Styrofoam along with a journal entry she wrote from Cleopatra's point of view. Congratulations, Sarah! We also want to recognize the following students for their excellent submissions to the Scholastic Art and Writing Contest: Field Trips On February 6th, Mrs. Morrow will take students in 5th grade to the Austin Aquarium and to the Microsoft Corporation in Austin. Students will participate in a mini-camp at Microsoft where they will learn how to design, edit, and publish mobile games on modern technology devices. Digital Architecture Design: Jonah Kelley Digital Architecture Design: Ben Carlton & Nate Spiers Digital Architecture Design: Joe Joslin Drawing: Madeleine Van Tassell Poetry: Nathan Sussman Short Story: Juliessa Aguilar Drawing: Shannon Dyke Drawing: Kip Ross Digital Art: Isaac Rohne Also in February, students in grades 6-8 will go see La Belle at the Bob Bullock Museum then travel to downtown San Antonio for the Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum and the World Record Museum. Stay tuned for more information from Mrs. Burke! Also, kudos to our G/T students who are participating in UIL One Act Play: Finally, on April 28th, students in grades 6-8 will have the opportunity to visit the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie. For more information, please visit http://www.srfestival.com/. Lighting Manager: Kip Ross 'Old Man': Jonah Kelley 'Fairy': Juliessa Aguilar 'Little Girl': Sarah Stark 3 Lago Vista Independent School District Spring 2015 Lago Vista High School G/T Update Calling All High School G/T Students! We are excited to announce that Mr. Cody Pruitt has taken the helm of the LVHS Gifted and Talented Program. High School G/T students will begin having opportunities to participate in enrichment with Mr. Pruitt during afternoon TEAM time this spring. There will also be high school field trip opportunities for G/T students. What is G/T Independent Study Mentorship? This course is based on the Exit Level Texas Performance Standards Project (TPSP) for gifted/talented students that offers a non-traditional learning experience to those students who have the ability to create innovative products or performances. Students will work individually with a teacher/facilitator who will help them locate a project mentor; arrange internships, field work/visits, interviews; and monitor their long-term projects. Students will develop a product proposal, compile a portfolio, conduct in-depth research, and prepare for a public presentation to be evaluated by an audience that includes experts in the field of study. The product is required to have real-world application and tangible documentation. Course projects, if of professional quality, may meet the Advanced Measures requirement of the Distinguished Achievement Program. Student Recognition Kelsey Mumford and Emily Wheeler were named Commended Students in the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program! These two young ladies scored in the top 3.5% of PSAT takers across the nation, earning scores higher than 1.45 million students. Congratulations! 4 Want more information? For more information on the G/T Independent Study Mentorship, high school students may contact Mr. Pruitt or the LVISD High School Course Guide. Lago Vista Independent School District Spring 2015 Parent Connection: What is the Texas Performance Standards Project (TPSP)? How does it help Gifted Learners? The Texas Performance Standards Project (TPSP) is the state curriculum resource for gifted/talented (G/T) education. The TPSP is designed to help districts reach the state goal for gifted/talented students: Students who participate in services designed for gifted students will demonstrate skills in self- directed learning, thinking, research, and communication as evidenced by the development of innovative products and performances that reflect individuality and creativity and are advanced in relation to students of similar age, experience, or environment. – Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students The performance standards project helps us to raise the expectations, document the learning, and assess the achievements of our gifted learners. The results of the performance standards project will help us to better meet the needs of gifted and talented students in Lago Vista ISD. Why is Lago Vista ISD using the TPSP? The Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students specifically states that students should be provided with “a continuum of learning experiences…that leads to the development of advanced-level products and/or performances such as those provided through the Texas Performance Standards Project.” Gifted programs across the nation undervalue the needs of gifted learners by filling enrichment time with brainteasers, puzzles, and trips to the library. While these activities are enjoyable for students, they alone are unlikely to meet the needs of gifted learners. The goal of the TPSP is to challenge gifted learners, engage them in self-directed learning, and allow them to explore areas of interest. 5 G/T Parent Advisory The G/T Parent Advisory held its first meeting on January 13th. Consisting of two G/T parent volunteers from each campus, the G/T Parent Advisory will review data and service design information to evaluate our program's compliance with the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students. Using the criteria for Recognized and Exemplary programs, the committee will make recommendations for program enhancements that will be shared with the District Education Improvement Council (DEIC). Finally, the G/T parent advisory will assist in the annual review of the new Community Based Accountability Measures which are reported to the Texas Education Agency each August. There will be two additional meetings where recommendations will be drafted to present to the DEIC for inclusion in the improvement planning processes. Final recommendations will be posted on the LVISD G/T website and shared with all G/T parents. 1 2 Lago Vista Independent School District Spring 2015 (continued) How can I support the use of the TPSP in our Gifted and Talented program? child loves science, get science books and science kits and visit science museums. Kids who can explore their interests are more likely to keep their love of learning alive. “Why do I have to do this?” 2. Expose Your Child to New Ideas and Areas “Is this for a grade?” Sometimes a child lacks motivation because he or she hasn't yet been exposed to what might be a life passion. A child whose true passion is music but who has never had a chance to explore it will not be able to unlock that passion. Keep an open mind; it's your child's interests that are important. “Can I just play Mindcraft?” Implementation of the TPSP can be challenging for the campus G/T facilitators, especially as they guide students through the process for the very first time. At times, you may find that your student struggles with motivation because, let's face it, to truly reach the high level of excellence that our gifted learners are able to achieve, the TPSP research and projects require a lot of effort. Parents can assist and support the implementation of the TPSP by helping to motivate your students and by encouraging them to put forth their very best effort. 3. Use Short-Term Goals and Rewards Sometimes a large task overwhelms a child. It's not that the task is difficult, but the child may not be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Rather than begin the task, a child will give up before he or she even begins. Help your child see the task as a series of smaller tasks. Make each small task a goal and try setting a reward for that goal. Sometimes rewards won't be necessary once a child is able to see the task as a manageable one. What are ways that I can motivate my Gifted Learner? While motivating some gifted children can be difficult, there are ways that parents can help students find the love of learning that comes through pursuing areas of extreme interest through guided and independent research. The following tips are adapted from Top 10 Ways to Motivate Gifted Children by Carol Bainbridge: 4. Help Your Child Learn to Manage Time When they start school, gifted children usually have few problems keeping up with work. They learn quickly and easily. While that may sound like a real advantage, it can lead to problems. These children may never learn to manage their time in order to get work done. At some point, whether in high school or college, they may feel overwhelmed by the work they need to complete and don't know how to set time aside to complete tasks. Teach your child how to create and use a time-management schedule. 1. Nurture Your Child's Interests To nurture your child's interests, provide opportunities for him or her to learn and explore that interest. For example, if your youngster loves dinosaurs, get fact and fiction books about dinosaurs and visit natural history museums. If your child loves music, get toy (or real) instruments and consider music lessons. If your 6 1 2 Lago Vista Independent School District Spring 2015 (continued) they are being asked to do and their goals and interests. A child who wants to be an astronaut should know that math and science is important in those jobs. A little research may be necessary to find requirements of various jobs. However, unmotivated gifted children generally don't focus on anything but the present. Two weeks in the future is even hard for some of them to imagine. 5. Praise Your Child's Efforts Gifted kids sometimes have trouble connecting personal effort to achievement. Much of what they do and learn comes easily to them, so they can achieve with little effort. To help a child succeed, praise efforts at success and make that praise specific. For example, instead of saying "Nice work," it's better to say something like, "You worked hard on your science project; you really earned that A." However, avoid the reverse: don't say things like, "If you worked harder, you would do better." 9. Turn Homework Into Creative Games Gifted children love a challenge, so by turning otherwise dull homework into a challenging game, you can get your child to do it. Some children like to race, so you can ask them to see how quickly they can get it done -- without mistakes. Checking their work lets them see you care about it. Another creative approach to homework is to link it to an interest. For example, a dull math worksheet can be the decoding assignment of an astronaut's space mission to Mars. Unless the work is done correctly, the mission will fail. Even the smallest mistake can create a problem that can cause the mission to fail. 6. Help Your Child Take Control Gifted underachievers sometimes see achievement as something beyond their control. If they succeed, it is due to luck or some other external factor. This attitude makes them feel like effort is pointless. Praising their efforts can help, but these children also need to understand the role personal responsibility plays in success. The way you talk about your own life sends a message. Complaining about your boss or blaming your boss for your lack of success at work sends the wrong message. 10. Keep in Mind that Motivation is Not Always About School Achievement 7. Keep a Positive Attitude About School We often equate motivation with school achievement. However, it's important to note that some children are highly motivated to achieve goals, but those goals are unrelated to school. A gifted teen, for example, may be more interested in creating a volunteer community program for the elderly or for the underprivileged. Children need to see that their parents value education. Even if a child's problems in school are the school's or teacher's fault, you need to be careful of what you say. Negative attitudes toward school in general will transfer to your child. If school is a problem, you can point out that even though problems can occur, education is still valuable and effort will eventually lead to success. Blaming the school will allow the child to avoid personal responsibility. It's important to remember that while you may get your child to get homework done, he or she may never be truly motivated to do it. 8. Help Your Child Make Connections Between Schoolwork and Their Interests Remember: Achievement is Not the Same As Motivation! Sometimes children lack motivation because they don't see a connection between the work 7 Lago Vista Independent School District Update on LVISD Gifted & Talented Identification The G/T identification rate for the State of Texas on the 2013 Texas Academic Performance Report (formerly AEIS) was 7.7%. The identification rate for Lago Vista ISD in 2013 was 5.8%. For the fall 2014 referral window, LVISD received 42 referrals for G/T testing. The G/T facilitators on each campus screened students and met as a committee with the Director of Curriculum & Instruction to review testing information and determine placement for each student. Of the students tested from the fall referral window, the committee determined that 11 students qualified for G/T services. The identification of 11 students raises the district-wide identification rate from 5.8% to 7.0%. Thus far, we appear to be demonstrating positive progress towards closing the G/T identification gap in LVISD. As of January 2015, Lago Vista ISD serves 95 Gifted & Talented students district-wide. Our next referral window closes February 1. In addition, universal kindergarten screening for Gifted and Talented begins in February. Gifted & Talented Contacts Lago Vista Elementary School Heather Womack [email protected] Lago Vista Middle School - 5th Grade Rachael Morrow [email protected] Lago Vista Middle School - 6-8th Grades Tracy Burke [email protected] Lago Vista High School Cody Pruitt [email protected] Lago Vista ISD Dr. Suzy Lofton [email protected] Spring 2015
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