City of Falls Church GT?

[Anonymous]

Is there anyone here whose child is in the GT program in FCC? I would like to hear a firsthand account of how it works since it seems to be so different (and less formal?) than the ones I know of in Fairfax or Montgomery counties.

[Anonymous]

Is there even a GT program in FCC? When we moved here (DD was in 4th grade) I called the school and they said they differentiated within the classroom. Period.

[Anonymous]

http://www.fccps.k12.va.us/html/GT.html

Falls Church City Public Schools
Gifted and Talented Program


Philosophy for Education of the Gifted

We believe that the education for the gifted must foster achievement, enhance aptitude, and nurture creativity in order to help each child realize his or her potential as a learner. Instruction must be designed and paced to challenge each learner at the appropriate level and to stimulate complex thinking and problem solving.
Identification

The Academically Advanced Program (TAAP), FCCPS’s program for gifted (GT) learners, is achievement based and inclusive. The goal of identification is to find those students whose academic achievement indicates that they can benefit from an instructional program differentiated for gifted students. The division will provide additional opportunities for identification, as appropriate, for students from groups that are historically under-represented and for students who may have strengths not measured by standard metrics.
To refer a child for TAAP consideration, please fill out a Gifted and Talented Referral form and turn it in to the appropriate school office. The form is available at the following link: Referral Form.
Services

Gifted services for students serve the goal of helping each student reach the proficiency level of which he or she is capable in the identified core area of instruction. The goal is for each student to become an independent investigator and to develop and/or sharpen critical thinking, reasoning, and higher-level thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation).
For More Information

Please click here to see the 2005 – 2010 Local Plan for the Education of the Gifted.

Please contact Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, Dr. Gloria Guba at 703-248-5603 or email.

[Anonymous]

It's basically a pull-out once or a couple of times a week, pretty much enrichment. If you're looking for true GT, I'd look elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

16:59 - Has your DD been in the FCC schools? Have you had a good experience?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:16:59 - Has your DD been in the FCC schools? Have you had a good experience?

I am not 16:59 poster, but my son is there for 3 years already. We are very happy with this school system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:16:59 - Has your DD been in the FCC schools? Have you had a good experience?

I am not 16:59 poster, but my son is there for 3 years already. We are very happy with this school system.

NP here -- what's the GT program been like for your son over the past 3 years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:16:59 - Has your DD been in the FCC schools? Have you had a good experience?

I am not 16:59 poster, but my son is there for 3 years already. We are very happy with this school system.

NP here -- what's the GT program been like for your son over the past 3 years?

Sorry for confusion. I thought the question was about the FCCPS. My son never was in the GT program.

[Anonymous]

Do you have any experience with the homework load at Falls Church City schools in, say 2nd grade and 5th grade?

[Anonymous]

My child is in 2nd grade at TJ and her homework is 20 minutes of reading a night and then either a pretty easy math worksheet, some background reading for inquiry, or "word study" sorting words with short versus long vowels and then writing sentences with them. I'm not sure how much homework varies from teacher to teacher. She's also in the TAAP group and that consists of one hour of enrichment a week. Two quarters are social studies and the other two are math. The TAAP instructor blogs are: http://taapnews.wordpress.com/ and http://tj2ndgradetaap.wordpress.com/

[Anonymous]

I would be interested in hearing about this too.

I have children in Fairfax County. We've considered moving to Falls Church. I've spoken with one family whose child is receiving GT services in Falls Church. This child's GT-services experience is very different from my child's GT Center experience. (As someone else mentioned, it is pull out once a week sort of thing.) This family does enrichment on their own outside of school and in the summer. That said, the family is very happy with Falls Church school system -- as everyone in Falls Church seems to be . . .

Again, anecdotal, but this child's homework load is much lighter than my child's. (This was a comparison up to 6th grade . . .) I think that is a plus for Falls Church schools. But I really like the Center experience, and I am afraid to give it up.

[Anonymous]

21:22 - Funny; we are in the opposite boat. Wondering whether we would be better off in a district with GT centers...maybe we should trade!