For Highly and Profoundly Gifted Children

For Highly and Profoundly Gifted Children Elementary Schools: Middle Schools: Ridgeview Elementary Hubert Olson Middle 9400 Nesbitt Ave. S 4551 W. 102nd St. Oak Grove Elementary Oak Grove Middle 1301 W 104th St 1300 W. 106th St

The goal of Elements and Dimensions Academy • To serve those students whose outstanding academic talent, advanced motivation, performance (or potential for performance) at high levels ofaccomplishment indicate their need for in-depth, complex and rigorous curriculum and instruction.

Program Description • The program consists of five major components: • Advanced academic challenge • Critical thinking and creative expression • Social and emotional development and enhancement • Focus on diversity • Family involvement and parent education

Our programs… • The programs are framed around an intense curriculum, which is designed to respond to gifted learners’ characteristics of precocity, intensity and complexity.

ICM ModelCollege of William and Mary • Advanced content knowledge focuses students on developing new learning & knowledge, as opposed to factual regeneration; • Concept learning develops student understanding of any discipline and the relationship among disciplines; and • Process-product facet promotes student opportunities for manipulating information at complex levels by employing generic and specific thinking models.

Advanced Academic Challenge • Incorporation of the William and Mary Curriculum Integrated Curriculum Model (ICM) for Gifted Learners • Advanced modification/differentiation of the district core curriculum. • Use of advanced grammar study (3-8) • Classes may use Junior Great Books, WordMasters (3-5), Continental Math (2-5), National History Day (6-8), and other advanced material, beyond what is used in the regular school curriculum. • Independent and in-depth studies may be available for individual interest areas.

Math Curriculum • Elementary: The curriculum used is the Everyday Math series. Students work above grade-level with appropriate acceleration and deeper enrichment and extensions for greater understanding of mathematical concepts. • Middle School: The curriculum used is Math Thematics & College Preparatory Math series.

Middle School Math • DA students are not necessarily in the same math class together. Every student (DA or not) will be placed in the math course she/he needs based on past math history. • The highest scoring students will study: • Pre-algebra in grade 6 • Algebra 1 in grade 7 (HS credit) • Geometry in grade 8 (HS credit)

Math Placement • Current Bloomington Public Schools students will be placed into the appropriate math class based on the prior year’s math program completion. • Students new to the Bloomington Public Schools will be assessed by program personnel for appropriate placement within the DA program’s math sequence. • quantitative measures (such as norm referenced standardized tests, end-of-year grade level tests, problem solving assessments and prior course grade/completion) • qualitative measures (such as class discussion participation, daily work, individual conversations with the student, prior teacher recommendation, and parent input) • Options are available outside of the DA program for math programming, enrichment, and/or extensions.

Key Elements of theSocial/Emotional Facet: • Development of a healthy sense of self through self-knowledge and self-acceptance; • Development of healthy relationships through understanding of self and others; • Development of appropriate expectations of self and others; and • Development of risk-taking behaviors in intellectual contexts.

Focus on Diversity • We will recruit known qualified students with assistance from the Office of Educational Equity. • We will identify in K-2 students of color/low SES (socio-economic), EL (English Language Learners) who have potential. • Everyone has to qualify!! • Currently 25% diverse membership (district average 44% as of 10/12)

Family Involvement and Parent Education • Workshops for parents of highly and profoundly gifted children (SENG) • BCGT (Bloomington Council for Gifted and Talented) offers speakers • Individual meetings/communications/supportive services developed for parents and guardians

Elements Placement – Tier 1 Highly Qualified Candidates who currently attend a Bloomington Public School must have: • Achievement Measure 95% or greater in Reading • Achievement Measure 95% or greater in Math • Ability Measure 95% or greater on at least two of the subtests from one of these tests: • CogAT: Verbal/Quantitative/Nonverbal OR • IQ: Verbal/Perceptual Reasoning • Ability Measure 95% or greater on Composite Score • Highest Teacher rating

Elements Placement – Tier 2 Qualified Candidates who do not currently attend a Bloomington Public School* must have: • Achievement Measure 95% or greater in Reading • Achievement Measure 95% or greater in Math • Ability Measure 95% or greater on at least two of the subtests from one of these tests: • CogAT: Verbal/Quantitative/Nonverbal • IQ: Verbal/Perceptual Reasoning • Ability Measure 95% or greater on Composite Score • Highest Teacher rating *Attendance in BPS prior to the first information meeting.

Elements Placement – Tier 3 • Qualified Candidates who currently attend a Bloomington Public School must have: • Achievement Measure 90%-94% in Reading • Achievement Measure 90%-94& in Math • Ability Measure 90%-94% on at least two of the subtests from one of these tests: • CogAT: Verbal/Quantitative/Nonverbal • IQ: Verbal/Perceptual Reasoning • Ability Measure 90%-94% on Composite Score • Highest Teacher rating

Elements Placement – Tier 4 Qualified Candidates who do not currently attend a Bloomington Public School* must have: • Achievement Measure 90%-94% in Reading • Achievement Measure 90%-94& in Math • Ability Measure 90%-94% on at least two of the subtests from one of these tests: • CogAT: Verbal/Quantitative/Nonverbal • IQ: Verbal/Perceptual Reasoning • Ability Measure 90%-94% on Composite Score • Highest Teacher rating * Attendance in BPS prior to the first information meeting.

DA Placement Criteria – Tier 1 Highly Qualified Candidates who currently attend a Bloomington Public School must have: • Achievement Measure 98% or greater in Reading • Achievement Measure 98% or greater in Math • Ability Measure 98% or greater on at least two of the subtests from one of these tests: • CogAT: Verbal/Quantitative/Nonverbal • IQ: Verbal/Perceptual Reasoning • Ability Measure 98% or greater on Composite Score • Highest Teacher rating

DA Placement Criteria – Tier 2 Qualified Candidates who do not currently attend a Bloomington Public School* must have: • Achievement Measure 98% or greater in Reading • Achievement Measure 98% or greater in Math • Ability Measure 98% or greater on at least two of the subtests from one of these tests: • CogAT: Verbal/Quantitative/Nonverbal • IQ: Verbal/Perceptual Reasoning • Ability Measure 98% or greater on Composite Score • Highest Teacher rating * Attendance in BPS prior to the first information meeting.

DA Placement Criteria – Tier 3 Highly Qualified Candidates who currently attend a Bloomington Public School must have: • Achievement Measure 95%-97% in Reading • Achievement Measure 95%-97% in Math • Ability Measure 95%-97% on at least two of the subtests from one of these tests: • CogAT: Verbal/Quantitative/Nonverbal • IQ: Verbal/Perceptual Reasoning • Ability Measure 95%-97% on Composite Score • Highest Teacher rating

DA Placement Criteria – Tier 4 Qualified Candidates who do not currently attend a Bloomington Public School* must have: • Achievement Measure 95%-97% in Reading • Achievement Measure 95%-97% in Math • Ability Measure 95%-97% on at least two of the subtests from one of these tests: • CogAT: Verbal/Quantitative/Nonverbal • IQ: Verbal/Perceptual Reasoning • Ability Measure 95%-97% on Composite Score • Highest Teacher rating * Attendance in BPS prior to the first information meeting.

Elements students are not guaranteed DA placement • Elements is a separate program from Dimensions Academy. • Elements students are not guaranteed placement in the Dimensions Academy program in 4th grade. They must reapply and meet the DA placement criteria in order to be considered.

Application Process • Application deadline: • Elements – Due Friday, February 20, 2015 • Placement notification by late March, 2015 • DA Middle School – Due Friday, March 27, 2015 • Placement notification by late April, 2015 • DA 4/5 – Due Friday, March 13, 2015 • Placement notification by late April, 2015

Application Process • Eligibility/placement form found online • Students not currently attending a Bloomington Public School must submit separate IQ measure or standardized measure data. • Teacher recommendations and other educational professional recommendations must be sent directly to the Office of Gifted Education. • If the student has an IEP for any reason, a copy of the IEP may be included with the application and sent directly to the Office of Gifted Education.

Application Process Delivered or mailed to ESC: Bloomington Public Schools, ESC, Gifted and Talented Office 1350 W. 106th St., Bloomington, MN 55420 • All teacher recommendation forms • Non-resident testing data • IEPs • Non-resident open enrollment forms • Submitted online: • All applications (resident & non-resident)

DA Exit Process • If the program does not meet a student’s needs, an exiting process is in place. • This could be for academic or behavioral concerns. • We work very hard to create a smooth transition for all involved.

Tours • Elementary building tours are posted on the DA website: www.bloomington.k12.mn.us • Call the middle school offices to set up tours at Oak Grove Middle or Olson Middle School. Oak Grove Elementary: Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014 10-11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015 1-2 p.m. Friday, March 20, 2015 10-11 a.m. Monday, April 20, 2015 1-2 p.m. Ridgeview Elementary: Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 1:30-2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015 10-11 a.m. Tuesday, March 24, 2015 10-11 a.m. Tuesday, April 21, 2015 1-2 p.m.

Applications – Now Online! • www.bloomington.k12.mn.us • Follow link of Academic Services to Gifted and Talented Dept. to Elements or Dimensions (on left side of page) to Application Process • http://www.bloomington.k12.mn.us/academic-student-services/gifted-talented/elements/application-process

For Highly and Profoundly Gifted Children