EXCEL Program

1. EXCEL Program Brick Township Public Schools Board of Education Meeting November 19, 2009

2. EXCEL Curriculum Committee Members 2009

3. EXCEL • Enrichment of Exceptional Creative Engaged Learners • Program in grades K-8 recognizes exceptionally able students who perform or show the potential to perform at high levels of ability • Offers meaningful opportunities for students to achieve in accordance to their capabilities

4. EXCEL Mission Statement • We are committed to the belief that gifted students are individuals with potential who require guidance in discovering, developing, and realizing their potentials and as individuals and as members of society. It is the responsibility of the entire staff to meet the needs of gifted students by identifying their gifts and talents and developing those areas. This also requires a strong partnership between the Brick Township School District and the larger community. Society needs integrated, higher functioning persons to play a demanding and innovative role in the continuation of the culture. The guiding principle of the EXCEL program is to empower our finest minds to become the future leaders and decision makers in our ever-changing global world.

5. Program Rationale • On June 1, 2005 the State Board of Education readopted with amendments N.J.A.C. 6A: 8, Standards and Assessment for Student Achievement, which includes more specific requirements for gifted and talented programs. The regulations define gifted and talented students as: • “Those students who possess or demonstrate high levels of ability, in one or more content areas, when compared to their chronological peers in the local district and who require modification of their educational program if they are to achieve in accordance with their capabilities.”

6. Program Rationale Key Points (Taken From State of New Jersey Department of Education: Gifted and Talented Requirements) • All public schools must have a board-approved gifted and talented program. • Students are to be compared with their peers in the local school district. • District boards of education shall make provisions for an ongoing K-12 identification process for gifted and talented students that includes multiple measures, including but not limited to, achievement test scores, grades, student performance or products, intelligence testing, parent, student and/or teacher recommendation, and other appropriate measures. • The regulations do not establish state-level criteria for giftedness (such as an IQ score or grade point average). Specific tests are not required to be used to identify gifted and talented students.

7. Program Rationale Key Points (Taken From State of New Jersey Department of Education: Gifted and Talented Requirements) • Local school districts should ensure that the identification methodology used is developmentally appropriate, non-discriminatory, and related to the programs and services offered • N.J.A.C. 6A: 8-3.1(a)5 ii requires local district boards of education to provide appropriate K-12 educational services for gifted and talented students. • The rules require district boards of education to develop appropriate curricular and instructional modifications for gifted students. Programs must address appropriate content, process, products, and learning environment. • District boards of education shall take into consideration thePreK-Grade 12 Gifted Program Standards of the National Association for Gifted Children(NAGC) in developing programs for gifted and talented students. The NAGC standards establish requisite and exemplary gifted program standards and can be accessed at NAGC Standard.

8. EXCEL Program Goals • In-depth learning in areas of individual interest, strength and learning styles • Increased self-awareness, self esteem and emotional maturity • Effective leadership abilities and collaborative relationships with peers • Development of complex, abstract, and higher level thinking processes • Engagement in activities targeting critical and creative thinking • Growth in independent learning with emphasis on intellectual integrity, curiosity, risk taking and intrinsic motivation • Preparing students for “real life” through the use of critical and creative thinking

9. Program Features • Comprehensive differentiated program for the academically and intellectually gifted student. • Program is modeled after the Enrichment Triad Model (Renzulli, 1977) which provides a method and means of servicing high ability learners by offering three different types of enrichment. • EXCEL Continuum of Services: • Whole Group (3-5) • Specialty Group (3-8) • Identified Groups (K-8)

10. Program Features-Enrichment Triad Model

11. Enrichment Triad Model • Type I: Conducted during EXCEL instruction. Exposes students to a wide variety of topics and introductory information. Type I activities include speakers, field trips, and demonstrations. • Type II: Develops creative thinking and critical problem solving, and communication skills. Type II activities include skills instruction that are linked to Type I interest. • Type III: Advanced content acquisition in which students assume the role of the first hand inquirer. Type III activities require advanced research skills in formulating an original product.

12. What Makes Giftedness? • Characteristics of exceptionally able students include but are not limited to: • Above Average Ability • Task Commitment • Creativity

13. What Make Giftedness? Joseph Renzulli’s Three-Ring Conception of Giftedness

14. Identification Process • Identification begins in kindergarten • Annual review for student participation. • Nomination for student participation: • Teacher Nomination (Late Spring) • Parent Nomination (Late Spring) • Fluidity should be maintained as students’ needs change. • Assessments used are based on evaluation of students’ academic achievement, creativity, and task commitment • Multiple measures are used for identification and participation in the EXCEL program.

15. Identification of Students (K-2) Participation is based on the following: • Teacher checklist • above grade level assessment • EXCEL teacher observation • Classroom teacher observation • other inventory item(s) which demonstrates above average ability, creativity, and task commitment

16. Identification of Students (3-5) Identification is based on the following: • GATES teacher checklist • OLSAT/SAGES-2 • NJ ASK Scores (grades 4 & 5) • Task Commitment Checklist • Classroom teacher and EXCEL teacher recommendations

17. Specialty Group Identification • Some additional students are identified to participate in a specialty group with the EXCEL specialist. These students are identified through teacher recommendation and EXCEL teacher observation. This is a fluid identification process which takes place throughout the school year.

18. Identification of Students (6-8) Identification of students is based on: • Successful participation in the fifth grade EXCEL program will be recommended to continue in the sixth grade program • A reassessment of students who were included in specialty groups or through teacher recommendation will take place at the end of the fifth grade year for participation in the middle school program. This is based on the OLSAT scores, NJ ASK scores, a task commitment checklist, and classroom & EXCEL teacher recommendation. Any newly identified students will be notified of middle school participation at the end of his/her fifth grade school year based on the availability of student data.

19. Assessment of Student Performance • Formally identified students will be graded at the end of the marking period using the EXCEL evaluation report (3-5) or the district report card (6-8). Students who are meeting the expectations of the program with success will continue to be identified for the EXCEL program (Grades 3-8).

20. Program Exiting • Any student who is demonstrating difficulty in the general education class(es) or in the EXCEL class the following will take place: • participation will be reviewed • a parent meeting will be held • the continued participation will be decided upon. A probationary period is recommended in order to show improvement.

21. Program Implementation • K-8 Curriculum is organized based on the following four strands: • Communication • Global Awareness • Problem Solving • Ethics • Within each strand, students will have an opportunity for Type I, II, and III enrichment

22. Program Implementation • Additional Opportunities for Enrichment include: • Differentiation of Instruction • Participation in Whole Class Group Activities • Cluster Grouping • Advanced Course Work (Algebra)

23. K-8 Program Alignment • Focus Strand • Curriculum Design • Increased opportunities for teacher articulation

24. Program Communication • Communication with students: • EXCEL specialist meets with students and discusses goals, expectation, and student progress. • Student portfolios are maintained at the elementary level • Communication with parents: • Notified of performance through a variety of conference contact (Back to School Night, Parent-Teacher Conference Night, phone conferences, report cards) • Website to showcase student work • Parent Program Overview-EXCEL brochure • Parent University (To be held in upcoming months)

25. EXCEL “The principal goal of education is to create men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done” ~Jean Piaget

26. THANK YOU! ANY QUESTIONS?