Gifted Program

Online Newsletter.pdf

Within the general school population there are many children whose educational needs are beyond the scope of the regular school program and for whom curricular modifications must be made. Gifted children are one such group. Virginia Beach City Public Schools Middle School Gifted Program follows guidelines that accommodate the gifted learner. Using multiple criteria, students are serviced with identities in these areas:

• General Intellectual Aptitude: These students join others of advanced ability levels and are placed in cluster classes; cluster classes are regular and advanced classes in core areas that include Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Math.  The cluster teachers work closely with the gifted resource teacher to differentiate content, process, product, and learning environment to meet the needs of the high-end students.
• Visual Arts and Dance: Students identified with these special gifts attend Old Donation Center one day per week to experience studies in these areas while continuing to attend their neighborhood middle school.   Every effort is made to cluster these talented students together.

Announcements:

Applications are now being acFriday, January 6, 2012hool year. The High School Academy Application deadline is February 1, 2012.

Please sign up for the Gifted Program News on the PAMS MySchoolMail to receive notification of gifted information, events, and deadlines. 
There will be a Parent “Lunch Bunch” Meet and Greet on September 20, 2011 from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the PAMS Library.  Please RSVP to Mrs. Peterson if you will be coming.
Referral Process for Gifted Eligibility:  Students may be considered for any gifted program through referral by parents, guidance counselors, administrators, teachers, students, and self. Eligibility is based on multiple criteria that varies somewhat as to its gifted identification. Please click on the following link to find out more about the referral process: http://www.vbschools.com/curriculum/gifted/referral.asp
The parent information form for the referral also may be requested from Mrs. Peterson, PAMS GRT.

The application process for intellectual identification occurs quarterly, and arts identification occurs annually. Testing dates for Princess Anne Middle School for the 2011-2012 school year are:

• First Quarter: 10/18/11
• Second Quarter: 12/13/11
• Kemps Landing Magnet School Applicants: 2/21/12
• Fourth Quarter: 5/15/12*

*Please note that fourth quarter testing is only for students who are new to Virginia Beach City Public Schools after January 1, 2012.  Referrals may still be made for current VBCPS students in the spring, but eligibility testing would occur in Fall, 2012.

Duties of the Gifted Resource Teacher:  Mrs. Cathy Peterson is the Gifted Resource Teacher at Princess Anne Middle. If you have any questions about the gifted program at PAMS, you may email her: Cathy.Peterson@vbschools.com or call her at (757)-648-4950 x62028.

Each middle school is assigned a gifted resource teacher whose responsibilities include resource and leadership duties, as well as services to students. The GRT may work face-to-face with the students or collaborate with cluster teachers, other school personnel, and organizations to facilitate direct services.

Demonstration teaching, collegial sharing, collaborative planning, peer coaching, and providing staff development opportunities create the essential link of the gifted resource teacher to the cluster teachers. Communicating the needs of gifted learners, as well as the choices available to these students, is an integral function of the gifted resource teacher.

The Gifted Resource Teacher has a variety of responsibilities that include being a resource for the cluster teachers and providing activities outside of the gifted cluster classroom. Student activities may be provided during lunchtimes, CorePlus times, and before and after school. Identified gifted students participate in these activities on a voluntary basis. The GRT also trains staff monthly and works cooperatively with the cluster teachers in lesson planning, differentiation, and/or in the classroom. The GRT is responsible for maintaining records, facilitating all gifted information and occurrences, and arranging for the screening of students for eligibility.

Links for Gifted and Academy Programs

Information regarding the application process to Gifted Programs, Academy Programs, and Advanced Academic Programs may be accessed at:  http://www.vbschools.com/curriculum/appprocess/index.asp

Information regarding Kemps Landing Magnet School may be found at http://www.vbschools.com/curriculum/gifted/midgift.asp#klms.  Applications for Kemps Landing Magnet School for the 2011-2012 school year are due to Mrs. Peterson by February 1, 2011.

Information regarding the Middle Years Program (pre-IB) at Plaza Middle School may be found at http://www.vbschools.com/curriculum/academyprog/index.asp.  Applications for the MYP Program for 2011-2012 are due to the PAMS Guidance Department on February 1, 2011.

Information regarding the high school academy programs may be found at http://www.vbschools.com/curriculum/academyprog/index.asp.  Applications for the high school academy programs for 2011-2012 are due to the PAMS Guidance Department on February 1, 2011.

Resources:

Virginia Beach City Public Schools Gifted and Academy Programs http://www.vbschools.com/curriculum/appprocess.asp

National Association for Gifted Children
http://www.nagc.org/

Virginia Association for the Gifted
http://www.vagifted.org/

Hoagie’s Gifted Page
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/

Nebraska Association for the Gifted ERIC Clearinghouse http://www.nebraskagifted.org/eric/ericindex.html

Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth
www.cty.jhu.edu