GATE Plan 2011-2012
1. PROGRAM DESIGN
The Quail Valley GATE program is characterized by thirteen interlocking principles – student – centered, experiential, holistic, authentic, expressive, reflective, social, collaborative, democratic, cognitive, developmental, constructive, and challenging. Together these principles provide a curriculum that draws on students’ interests. It is hands-on, interactive, provides for higher order thinking skills, and is challenging to the GATE student.
The GATE Program is incorporated within the regular classroom in grades K – 2 and is also provided as a supplement to the regular classroom. GATE students in grades 3 – 6 will be clustered in grade appropriate classrooms. Classes are intended to challenge each student to:
(1) extend academic achievement, (2) develop positive leadership skills, (3) encourage the search for alternatives, (4) become a creative problem solver, (5) become aware of and respect the needs of society, (6) identify his/her unique abilities and use them to deal with real-world problems and complexities, and (7) use a variety of technologies as tools to access, process and communicate information of an increasingly sophisticated nature.
In addition, GATE students will receive differentiated instruction, show continuous progress, and engage in intellectual peer interaction. The community and home will be included in appropriate ways to meet the needs of the individual student, as well.
In the area of cognitive thinking, each GATE student will have the opportunity to:
In the areas of affective and social thinking, each GATE student will have the opportunity to:
Efforts will be made to cluster students by grade level with teachers who have a strong background and education in teaching the gifted. All teachers have access to the GATE instructional resources on hand at the school site. The Quail Valley GATE site contact will demonstrate a professional knowledge in the education of gifted children.
A multidimensional identification procedure will be used in an effort to gather information, evaluate, and identify gifted students of all linguistic, economic, and cultural backgrounds. Additionally, students participating in other educational programs are considered. All data is summarized and recorded on a matrix that will determine eligibility. Points are allocated to each set of data.
Data to be considered for placement in the GATE program includes:
This information is used to design and deliver an appropriately differentiated program.
The identification process is an on-going program and students can be referred at anytime. The referral process will include a nomination by teacher, parent, staff member, peer, or self. All staff members, administrators, and support personnel will receive training and information regarding the nomination process, including the characteristics of gifted learners (positive and negative). Referral forms will be made available to all. A minimum of two specific testing windows will be established and individuals with special circumstances will be accommodated on an “as needed” basis. Students may be nominated for participation more than once.
The GATE site contact will coordinate and articulate the screening process. All data is gathered and reported on a screening/identification matrix. Once the referral is received by the GATE site contact, a Teacher Survey, Parent/Student Survey, and a Parent Permission to Screen form are completed. Upon receipt of a parent permission to screen, collection of all data to complete the matrix begins. This data is presented to the GATE Identification and Placement Committee to determine eligibility.
Parents and teachers are notified of a student’s eligibility for program placement and are given information for the appeal process if the student does not qualify. Students who are eligible for the program will have a signed Parent Permission on file for participation. An IGP meeting for parent/student/teacher will be held within six weeks of identification. Once placed in the GATE program a student will remain identified as a gifted student in the
Records of transfer GATE students are evaluated in a timely manner for identification and placement with the identification matrix. Students meeting the criteria are eligible for immediate placement.
The criteria for specific categories are:
3. CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
The goals of the Quail Valley GATE Program are to facilitate giftedness in students, in order to foster responsible and independent thinkers who are able to utilize the following thinking strategies:
Teachers with GATE students provide differentiated instruction that aligns with state standards and enhances the core curricula using the elements of depth, complexity, novelty, and pacing/acceleration. Curriculum compacting will be used “to streamline the regular curriculum for students who are capable of mastering it at a faster pace.” (Reis, Burns, Renzulli; 1992) On a regular basis, in-class activities will extend, enrich, and differentiate the core curricula based on individual students’ needs (according to the student’s IGP goals and objectives), incorporating leadership opportunities, as appropriate. Experiences will be presented from concrete to abstract, factual to hypothetical, and basic to accelerated. Large and small group instruction, homogeneous and heterogeneous groups, teacher and student-directed tasks, and independent study will provide a variety of teaching and learning patterns.
The students will also develop their intellectual and creative abilities through challenging instructional activities and projects. They will become more independent and effective as self-directed learners. The development of positive self-concepts and the utilization of experiences will be reinforced by providing opportunities for oral presentation, leadership functions, and product demonstrations that may be shared with the entire school population and other places of an academic focus.
Other activities that the students may be involved in, but not limited to may include:
Standard and non-standard measures will be used to assess student performance. Assessments will include performance-based tasks, criterion-referenced tests, self-reflective writing, surveys, IGP’s, portfolios, and nationally normed tests.
4. SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Teachers and other support staff will be provided with information and training regarding the characteristics of gifted students and their related social and emotional development. Affective learning techniques, such as promotion of social/leadership skills, will be an integral part of the Quail Valley GATE program. Each student’s IGP will outline social strengths and weaknesses and strategies for addressing their individual needs. Symptoms of at-risk behavior will be recognized and the appropriate referral process to internal and external agencies will be used. All staff will be in-serviced yearly on Quail Valley GATE resources which contain written material (i.e. magazines, reference books) dealing with social and emotional development associated with GATE students.
5. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Quail Valley GATE Site Contact will in-service teachers yearly on the GATE referral process, identifying underserved populations, strategies for implementing GATE activities in the classroom, differentiation, and documentation procedures. Teachers will be involved in a minimum of six hours of in-service training. Teachers will be in-serviced yearly on resources available on site to support the GATE program. The GATE Site Contact will meet with classroom teachers, as needed, to answer questions, address concerns, and disseminate new information from the district regarding the GATE program.
6. PARENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
7. PROGRAM ASSESSMENT
The Quail Valley GATE Program assessment process is continuous and periodically reviewed. Results of this assessment process will be used for continuing and refining program development. Site administrators along with the School Site Contact will, on an annual basis, review the implementation and effectiveness of the GATE program in accordance with the philosophy, goals, and standards of the program. Input from teachers, parents, and students will be an integral part of this evaluation and assessment.
Individual GATE students will be assessed using a variety of assessment tools including standardized tests, criterion referenced measures, authentic assessment techniques, progress reports, and other performance based measures. Students will have a clear understanding of expectations at each grade level and for each aspect of the program. Sign-in sheets and/or agendas will be used to assess and evaluate participation in and frequency of identification and placement committee meetings, staff meetings addressing GATE issues, GATE staff development and parent meetings. Files will be maintained containing documentation of eligibility, permission to screen document, signed parent permission slip, and yearly IGP’s.
Last Modified on September 21, 2011