Question about Highly Gifted Centers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could someone please explain the application process. For ex., what school year, who initiates the process (school or parent)?

.

You must apply in 3rd grade by early November. It is entirely parent initiated. In some schools a teacher may suggest, but if not, no parent should assume they shouldn't apply.

Kids who apply take a test in December and decisions are made by April.

In addition to parent-filled application and essay, HGC testing, earlier 2nd grade global screening, and teacher recs are considered. Ther is no quota per school, but the process does try to spread admits out. There are useful MCPS parent info meetings held in the fall to explain the program and application process. There is program info on the MCPS website.

Okay, but really, is admission based almost entirely on test results?

[Anonymous]

Talk to more people in specific programs and get more insigths.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could someone please explain the application process. For ex., what school year, who initiates the process (school or parent)?

.

You must apply in 3rd grade by early November. It is entirely parent initiated. In some schools a teacher may suggest, but if not, no parent should assume they shouldn't apply.

Kids who apply take a test in December and decisions are made by April.

In addition to parent-filled application and essay, HGC testing, earlier 2nd grade global screening, and teacher recs are considered. Ther is no quota per school, but the process does try to spread admits out. There are useful MCPS parent info meetings held in the fall to explain the program and application process. There is program info on the MCPS website.

Okay, but really, is admission based almost entirely on test results?

Most people say that admission is based almost entirely on test results. It's hard to know for sure, MoCo gives parents very little info. You simply get your child's results from the HGC test and whether they are accepted into a program, wait listed or rejected. The program itself is all project-based, but purely focused on acceleration for reading/writing (incorporating more history and science into the projects). My 2-yr-ahead math kid got into a program last year, but reading/writing aren't his best areas. He hated the vibe of the school we visited, so we turned it down, as he'll still get the strong math he needs at his current school. I know MANY kids who are going, including a lot of my son's friends. Some are quirky, some not, some sensitive, some not. In general, most I know are generally well-rounded, well-adjusted kids.

[Anonymous]

Anyone know if the map-m and map-r scores are considered?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Could someone please explain the application process. For ex., what school year, who initiates the process (school or parent)?

.

You must apply in 3rd grade by early November. It is entirely parent initiated. In some schools a teacher may suggest, but if not, no parent should assume they shouldn't apply.

Kids who apply take a test in December and decisions are made by April.

In addition to parent-filled application and essay, HGC testing, earlier 2nd grade global screening, and teacher recs are considered. Ther is no quota per school, but the process does try to spread admits out. There are useful MCPS parent info meetings held in the fall to explain the program and application process. There is program info on the MCPS website.

Okay, but really, is admission based almost entirely on test results?

I've heard that teacher recs are pretty important, although test scores are still most important by far. Also, some schools regularly send 2-3 kids to HGCs, while other schools (often the HGC home school) regularly send more kids.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, my daughter is in 4th grade at a center. She's doing great, making friends and talking about other kids when she never did that before. She has kids interested in the things she says and not thinking she's the odd smart kid, and she's finds the kids there interesting too.

The teachers there and the school counselor know about gifted kids and their sensitivities. My daughter has sensitivities to noise and other stimulus that are far muted than they once were. It's not even noticeable now whereas when she was in K, she had permission to wear headphones to drown out classroom noise. I believe that the teachers would recognize issues common (or even uncommon) to gifted kids and react in an appropriate manner, moreso than a regular classroom teacher just because they would see it more often. I am very comfortable sending my daughter there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, my daughter is in 4th grade at a center. She's doing great, making friends and talking about other kids when she never did that before. She has kids interested in the things she says and not thinking she's the odd smart kid, and she's finds the kids there interesting too.

The teachers there and the school counselor know about gifted kids and their sensitivities. My daughter has sensitivities to noise and other stimulus that are far muted than they once were. It's not even noticeable now whereas when she was in K, she had permission to wear headphones to drown out classroom noise. I believe that the teachers would recognize issues common (or even uncommon) to gifted kids and react in an appropriate manner, moreso than a regular classroom teacher just because they would see it more often. I am very comfortable sending my daughter there.

Nice. My daughter is at one as well and it hasn't been nearly as accepting. The kids there still make fun of and/or exclude other kids who don't quite fit in. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed based on everything I had read. I think it still has a lot to do with the administration and current group of kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, my daughter is in 4th grade at a center. She's doing great, making friends and talking about other kids when she never did that before. She has kids interested in the things she says and not thinking she's the odd smart kid, and she's finds the kids there interesting too.

The teachers there and the school counselor know about gifted kids and their sensitivities. My daughter has sensitivities to noise and other stimulus that are far muted than they once were. It's not even noticeable now whereas when she was in K, she had permission to wear headphones to drown out classroom noise. I believe that the teachers would recognize issues common (or even uncommon) to gifted kids and react in an appropriate manner, moreso than a regular classroom teacher just because they would see it more often. I am very comfortable sending my daughter there.

This was my son's experience as well. He was very "flat" during his earlier elementary school years and didn't have a circle of friends (although he did get along with other kids; just didn't click).

When he went to the Center, it was as if his life turned technicolor. He came home every day so excited about what he was doing and about his new friends. He loved his teacher, loved his class - it was fantastic.

He's in a MS magnet now and thriving.

Thank God for the HGC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How are kids in MOCO elementary schools "tested" for these G/T centers. In the spring, we got a letter saying that our DS had been identified as G/T...but I later came to realize that this is a fairly common designation in MOCO. Just wondering if I should be pursuing more testing...or is a more passive process where the school invites you into the program.
Thank you for any insights.

The chances are that your DS reads above grade level and/or is above grade in math. It does not mean that your DS is precluded from being gifted. Remember, standards are pretty low so large numbers of students are labeled as G/T. You could always put emotions aside and compare your child to those with the same SES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How are kids in MOCO elementary schools "tested" for these G/T centers. In the spring, we got a letter saying that our DS had been identified as G/T...but I later came to realize that this is a fairly common designation in MOCO. Just wondering if I should be pursuing more testing...or is a more passive process where the school invites you into the program.
Thank you for any insights.

The chances are that your DS reads above grade level and/or is above grade in math. It does not mean that your DS is precluded from being gifted. Remember, standards are pretty low so large numbers of students are labeled as G/T. You could always put emotions aside and compare your child to those with the same SES.

I read this three times and have NO idea what you are trying to say.

To the PP to whom this bolded post is directed: Testing for HGC entrance is offered in third grade. You need to opt in - it is not a passive process in that you need to ask to have your child tested. As part of the testing, parents complete an application and obtain teacher input/recommendations.

If your child is invited to attend the HGC, you will receive an invitation in the mail; if not, then you will receive a notice that your child was not invited or that he was wait-listed.

I hope this helps.

[Anonymous]

About 40% of MoCo second graders are designated as gifted. Only about 2% are accepted at the centers. Anyone can apply to the centers regardless of whether they have been labled gifted in second grade. The label is nice but not particulalry important.

[Anonymous]

I was interested in the center for next year (for my current 3rd grader), but her teacher says that the GT center will be implementing curriculum 2.0 next year. She laughed (the "how pathetic is that" not the "how funny is that" laugh) when she told me. Ridiculous! I want to get this child away from 2.0 b/c she's bored out of her mind. I don't think there's much of a future for the center if the administration implements 2.0 there.
Anyone else worried about this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was interested in the center for next year (for my current 3rd grader), but her teacher says that the GT center will be implementing curriculum 2.0 next year. She laughed (the "how pathetic is that" not the "how funny is that" laugh) when she told me. Ridiculous! I want to get this child away from 2.0 b/c she's bored out of her mind. I don't think there's much of a future for the center if the administration implements 2.0 there.
Anyone else worried about this?

If you are relying on one teacher, who does not work in the Center, for your info, you should think again. Your DD's teacher doesn't know what she is talking about. The application of 2.0 to the Center program has not yet been determined (I know this for a fact), but to the extent that it is applied, it will be done in a way that recognizes the needs of the Center population.

Moreover (and I also know this for a fact), ultimately Center teachers teach what they are going to teach, regardless of what the MCPS mandate is. These teachers know what they need to do, and they do it.

Your DD's teacher doesn't know what she is talking about.

[Anonymous]

The PP is correct - it has not yet been determined if 2.0 will be applied to the HGC next year, and even if it is, the HGCs will find a way to make it challenging for those in the center - either ignore it in their own way, use the 2.0 as a guideline and then teach what they need to in order to challenge the HGC students.

In any case, it is too late to apply for a 3rd grader...applications needed to be in months ago, and the test was given to the 3rd graders last week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The PP is correct - it has not yet been determined if 2.0 will be applied to the HGC next year, and even if it is, the HGCs will find a way to make it challenging for those in the center - either ignore it in their own way, use the 2.0 as a guideline and then teach what they need to in order to challenge the HGC students.

In any case, it is too late to apply for a 3rd grader...applications needed to be in months ago, and the test was given to the 3rd graders last week.

My post might not have been clear - my 3rd grader took the test last week. When I filled out the parent form in the fall, escaping 2.0 was a priority. The "teacher" who indicated that 2.0 was going to be implemented at the center was not, in fact, a classroom teacher (not sure why I thought I needed to protect identifying info on here in that way), but rather a senior administrator who would know what's going on (of this I am certain).

I'm not saying that it is or is not true - it is simply what this (I believe) reliable source has said. All I can say is that, if true, I will avoid the center and be moving this child to a private school to escape 2.0. Before 2.0 was implemented at my kids' school, we also heard about how it would be tailored to our school's population (lots of high achievers) and that teachers would work around it to meet all students' needs, etc. What I have seen all year is an empty and ill-conceived curriculum that is failing lots of kids. Unfortunately, the very teachers and administrators who, last year, promised us that the high achievers would not be abandoned (and who seemed genuinely committed to making this curriculum work for all) have been frustrated. It is clear that MCPS has put a lot of pressure on the individual schools to toe the line on 2.0 and to not make waves about accommodating accelerated learners.

I guess this should have been obvious from the beginning. I heard the stories that Sup. Starr was no supporter or GT education and that "leveling the playing field" and "fairness" were utmost on his agenda. I don't have a crystal ball to foresee what will happen with GT implementing 2.0, but I think the indications are strong that MCPS (under Starr and 2.0) is not friendly to GT or acceleration of any kind. Hope I'm wrong.