Advanced Academics and Talent Development

Advanced learners need opportunities to think abstractly, work at various rates and levels of complexity, and pursue tasks independently. In addition, students eligible for advanced academics services need opportunities to learn with others of like abilities, as well as opportunities to develop socio-emotionally. APS Advanced Academics and Talent Development are implemented through school-based and countywide activities, which comply with School Board and State objectives. These school-based services are delivered in the following ways:

• APS’s collaborative young scholars model, in which the classroom teacher is the direct provider of services with planning and implementation support from the AAC (Advanced Academics Coach) within the general education classroom

• In the general education classroom setting, identified students are cluster-grouped (minimum of 10) and through a variety of flexible groupings based on ongoing data

• Identified students work with teachers who are specifically trained in instructional needs of, and curriculum written for, gifted students

• Specific curricula which are differentiated or extended from concepts in the general education curriculum and, when appropriate, through opportunities for acceleration and extension.

The Collaborative Cluster Model

The collaborative cluster model provides services to advanced learners by allowing the AAC to collaborate with teachers through CLTs and individual planning sessions. Using this model, identified students are placed in gifted cluster classrooms with intellectual peers. The classroom teacher, with the support of the AAC, is the primary provider for advanced academics. Advantages of this model include:

• Students have intellectual peers necessary for academic and social development all day
• Students have more access to gifted curriculum and/or strategies in their classroom
• Non-identified students who also need challenges will have the opportunity to try out advanced curriculum or strategies
• Lessons or activities in a “pull-out” setting are not necessary
• AACs can monitor students that should be assessed for eligibility for gifted services.

AAC Roles and Responsibilities

• Regularly collaborate and co-plan with teachers
• Extend and deepen student learning through higher level discussion, rich content, and high expectations
• Provide supplemental resources
• Model lessons, co-instruct, or facilitate lessons
• Coaching best practices instructional strategies (i.e. APS’s Critical and Creative Thinking Strategies)
• Facilitate book clubs and extension projects
• Promote differentiation practices throughout the school
• Manage gifted and talented screening process and evaluation
• Facilitate professional development for teachers

For more information about Arlington Public Schools’ full plan for Gifted Services, please review: https://www.apsva.us/gifted-services/.  For frequently asked questions, please review: https://www.apsva.us/gifted-services/frequently-asked-questions-faq/.  If you have school-specific questions, or if you would like to learn more about differentiation, growth mindset practices, and advanced academics in our building, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at sarah.switaj@apsva.us.

Classroom Teachers’ Roles and Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the AAC to provide differentiated curriculum, extension opportunities, and supplemental curriculum resources
• Plan units and lessons to meet the learning needs of identified students
• Coordinate instructional needs of all learners in the classroom
• Keep open communication with AAC on students that may need to be screened for gifted services.

Each year, the total population of our school is screened by school staff to create a pool of eligible highly able candidates based on students’ participation and performance in various academic and arts activities.

Screening is formal: We review all test scores following standardized testing and scholastic academic performance.

Screening is also informal: We note students’ competitions, awards, honors, and participation in school events.

Referrals for Gifted Services

Students may be referred for services by their classroom teacher, school personnel, parents/guardians, community leaders, and self or other students until April 1 for the current school year. A referral form must be filled out, which will be sent directly to Fleet’s Advanced Academic Coach (Sarah Switaj). The Printable referral form is also available in Spanish, Bengali, Amharic, Mongolian, and Arabic. Referrals may be submitted before April 1 annually. Any referral submitted after April 1 will be considered in the following school year. A referral form may be completed by the following sources:

• classroom teacher or other staff member
• parent/guardian
• community member
• student

Please note: any student who is in the automatic screening pool due to ability test scores, like the NNAT or CogAT, does not need a referral form. Students may be referred once during the academic school year. Typically this happens in the winter/spring unless a student is new to APS. During this once a year referral process, a holistic case study approach is used to examine data from multiple areas of strength to determine eligibility in the following areas:

Areas of Gifted Services Identification

• Specific Academic Aptitude:
  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Social Studies
• Visual or Performing Arts (Grade 3+):
  • Visual Arts
  • Music

Eligibility Criteria

• Standardized Testing Information (NNAT in 1st grade; CogAT in 2nd grade; SOLs in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades; MAP in Grades 1-5)
• Teacher Checklist on Observations of Academic Behaviors
• Grades/Academic Performance
• Student Products
• Parent Information

Definition of a Gifted Student from the Virginia Plan:

• “These students possess talents and abilities that differ from those of their peers to such a degree that differentiated educational programs should be provided to nurture their growth and development.”
• “The identification of these students is based on the premise that they need and can benefit from specifically planned educational services different from those provided by the general educational experience.”

An Appeals Process is available to families following the eligibility process. Appeal begins at the school level with the principal. Second level of appeals is a county-wide Gifted Services Administrative Appeals Committee.

The following videos provide information on the APS Model for Advanced Academics and Talent Development as well the screening and identification process.

APS Model for Advanced Academics: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/889590998

Screening and Identification Process: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/889588730

Critical and Creative Thinking Strategies help to push students, especially those identified as gifted, into higher levels of cognitive processing.  The Advanced Academic Coach engages in instructional coaching cycles on these CCT Strategies to help build teacher capacity to deliver rich, engaging lessons across all content areas.

You may find that your advanced learner needs more chances for enrichment and challenge. The Advanced Academic Coach continuously works with Fleet faculty to assist in developing differentiated materials and opportunities.

Below are some books that may be helpful to parents in navigating the many facets of guiding/supporting gifted learners.

	The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Send of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives by William Stixrud, Ph.D. and Ned Johnson Gifted learners, and most adolescents, crave independence. This book does an excellent job of exploring the need for independence and how to help parents navigate the challenging task of encouraging responsibility and intrinsic motivation within their children.
	The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got That Way  by Amanda Ripley This book explores the education system through a statistical lens, as well as a student/teacher/parent experience lens. Through the eyes of three American students participating in exchange programs and first-hand professional accounts of challenges and successes, Ripley is able to juxtapose the approach to education in the United States, Finland, Poland, and South Korea. I particularly found the “How to spot a world-class education” section of Author’s Note helpful with guiding questions for teachers, parents, and students.
	“Could Do Better” Why Children Underachieve and What To Do About It  by Harvey P. Mandel, Ph.D. and Sander I. Marcus, Ph.D. Underachievement can be so frustrating for students and parents, as well as how to inspire change moving forward. This book was published in the mid 90s, but I still find its content to be relative as we analyze the explanations for underachievement. Mandel and Marcus look at different types of underachievers and give practical tips in how to move forward and inspire a change in performance.
	Smart but Scattered by Peg Dawson, Ed.D. and Richard Guare, Ph.D. It can be extremely frustrating for a gifted student to have the mental capacity to take on big challenges but possibly not the advanced executive functioning skills needed to complete the task. This book guides parents and students through practical tips to help develop the executive skills necessary to achieve in school and later in life.
	When Gifted Kids Don’t Have All the Answers: How to Meet Their Social and Emotional Needs   by Judy Galbraith, M.A. and Jim Delisle, Ph.D. Gifted kids are intelligent, curious, creative thinkers, problem solves, and critical observers. It can often seem like an advanced learner will “be just fine,” but this is one of the greatest myths that gifted education specialists try to break down. Gifted learners often experience asynchronous development where their mental awareness may not always match their social and emotional maturity; this can lead to anxiety, depression, and/or frustration. This book does a good job of exploring and explaining the unique social and emotional needs of gifted learners.
	Brave, Not Perfect by Reshma Saujani This book is written by the founder and CEO of Girls Who Code. If you are raising a gifted girl, this book does an excellent job of explaining society’s often unfair depiction of gifted girls and how to interrupt that narrative. The book discusses breaking the habits of perfectionism and teaching gifted girls to be brave and approaching challenges with a growth mindset.
	Perfectionism by Lisa VanGemert, M.Ed.T. Many gifted students suffer from perfectionism and are often afraid of failing or not ever being good enough. This book explores the many different facets of perfectionism and how it can manifest in anxiety or underachievement. The following chapters then give practical approaches to battle perfectionism with a variety of strategies.
	101 Success Secrets For Gifted Kids by Christine Fonseca This is a wonderful book for any older elementary student to read. Each chapter looks into a specific subject about giftedness and what that means for an adolescent. It shares relatable stories, practical tips, and simple suggestions that will help your gifted kid develop self confidence and resilience.
	Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine The high-achieving students are more stressed, unhappier, and struggling with anxiety, depression, and burnout at younger and younger ages. Thrivers are different: They flourish in our fast-paced, digital-driven, often uncertain world. Why? The difference between those who struggle and those who succeed comes down not to grades or test scores, but to seven character traits that set Thrivers apart (and set them up for happiness and greater accomplishment later in life).

Please find some resources below that can help you, at home, to cultivate and nurture your children’s strengths.

APS Advanced Academics and Talent Development Office

APS Advanced Academics and Talent Development Website

2110 Washington Blvd. Arlington, VA 22204

703-228-6160

Cheryl McCullough, Director

David Horak, K-12 Supervisor

Amanda Dempsey, K-12 Specialist

Barbara Ann, Administrative Assistant