The Middle School Transition Spring 2016 Sherry Wiedman Coordinator of Advanced Studies Fulton County Schools Wiedmans@fultonschools.org 470-254-6811

Fulton County Elementary School Model The elementary student receives gifted services one day per week in a resource class. The class size is limited to 22 students. The student participates in challenging interdisciplinary units that are linked to science and social studies. While the student participates in a gifted resource class, assignments in general education classes are modified or eliminated depending on the student's academic strengths. Focus on building independent research skills, critical thinking and problem-solving

Fulton County Middle School Model The middle school student receives gifted services in one or more advanced core content classes TAG classes are part of the student's daily schedule Students will receive numeric grades for the class Class size is limited to 26 students Classes provide enrichment, extension and challenge to the required content curriculum of state standards Advanced content classes may also include students that are not identified as gifted, yet meet the same criteria for placement. Higher expectations- for the quality of work, depth of thought and a movement towards independent work habits Each subject area is independent of the others- students may qualify for multiple classes. There is also advanced options in math and ELA. Foreign language is considered an advanced class as well, so some students my be in as many as 5 advanced classes!

Placements are determined by… The student may be served in each content area for which he or she qualifies. Students may be placed in the classes using the initial Middle School Placement criteria or the Alternative Placement criteria Science and Social Studies- for rising 6th grade The student must: have 5th grade teacher recommendation have an 80% or higher for the previous school year in the subject matter test scores within two years on a nationally-normed achievement test as follows: Social Studies at or above the 90th percentile in Social Studies Science at or above the 90th percentile in Science

Alternative Placements- Gifted eligible students are placed in at least one content area for gifted services. Rising sixth grade students who are eligible for gifted services but do not meet the initial Middle School Placement Criteria will be placed in only one class using the Alternative Placement guidelines. A gifted student who does not meet the Middle School Placement Criteria or the Alternative Placement guidelines, will be placed in only one class - that which is determined to be the student’s greatest strength Go over State rule- each child must get 5 segments of gifted service per week.

Alternative Placement Guidelines Eligible for TAG services and Recommendation of 5th grade teacher of the content area and Two of the following, with at least one addressing the specific content area Final class average of 90% or better in 4th grade or first semester of 5th grade Multiple work samples or products (for example: Science Fair, Social Studies Fair, Technology Fair) Iowa Achievement score > 90% in Total Reading

Math Placements- Math placement for gifted students is determined by the general education math teacher using the Fulton County guidelines for Continuous Achievement. Gifted eligibility is not a requirement for the advanced and accelerated math placements Rising 6th grade placement levels- 6th On Level 6th Advanced 7th On Level 7th Advanced

Language Arts Placements- LA placement for gifted students is determined by the general education ELA teacher using the Fulton County guidelines for Continuous Achievement. Gifted eligibility is not a requirement for the advanced and accelerated ELA placements Rising 6th grade placement levels- 6th On Level 6th Advanced 7th On Level 7th Advanced

Continuation Criteria Students must meet the program’s Continuation Criteria for satisfactory performance in the gifted program Acceptable performance is determined separately for each advanced content area in which a student is served and is defined as: · Maintaining a grade average of 80% or higher in the advanced content class for which gifted service is provided. when the student’s 9-week average in a class(s) is less than 80%, the student will be placed on probation. The probation period is in effect for the remainder of the school year. While on probation students must maintain an 80% average or higher for each subsequent 9 week grading period of the academic year or will be dismissed from the class. Placements are reviewed annually by the gifted teachers

Middle School Achievement consider this… Self-regulated work study habits Organizational skills Student interests Extra curricular activities Overall academic workload Natural maturation of your middle school student Consider your child’s “’work load” and “schedule”. Adding and or Dropping Serves If you drop a serve now, you may not add it again until next year. You cannot add a serve in which the student does not qualif- no waiver

Q&A - Middle School Placements Website: http://www.fultonschools.org/en/divisions/acd/learnteach/Pages/AdvancedStudies.aspx References to guidelines and policies