Can you please share or suggest work samples to submit for appeal?

[Anonymous]

My kid loves to read, do math, build legos and play. I didn’t submit anything the first round because I didn’t really have anything to submit. He was in pool with his scores. I’m going to have my child work on projects to submit for his appeal.

Can you recommend what we should submit as a work sample?

[Anonymous]

Make up math questions (by writing couple of different real life questions in sentences) and answer those questions also by writing (NO math spreadsheet).

For examples, with a picture of some animals eating fruits (and some not), the kid should make up a question like
How many monkeys are hungry and currently on the trees?

These kinds of samples help showing the creative side of the kid while also demonstrate writing and logic skills.

One of the work samples from DD school is like that.

[Anonymous]

PP Another example from school is when DD needs to decorate a pictures with multiple letter B.

DD ends up using B in Rabit ears , bridges and tons of other things to make up a cool story. The sample is mentioned in the GBRS forms under Creative section.

[Anonymous]

Not sure if you’re allowed to submit the same amount/type of samples as the first round parent referral. But there was a question on the referral form about whether or not your child could focus on something for an unusual amount of time. In our case DD did have an unusual obsession/skill with magnatiles so I mentioned it in the form and then included pictures of some of the creations with multiple levels and “rooms” the creation of which required some forethought on DD’s part.

Also included a copy of piano recital program showing DD had composed two original pieces for the recital.

I literally photocopied the comments section from DD’s report cards over several years where teachers said thing like “eager and enthusiastic learner,” “consistently demonstrates [xyz]...”

I don’t know if any of these were typical things to include but DD was not in pool and is now accepted.

[Anonymous]

Work samples are not going to get your child in on appeal.

[Anonymous]

We applied from outside FCPS, so her entire file was what we submitted. Almost everything was what she had not done at home. Examples:

1. A long poem she wrote in class. Their prompt was a shoe, and she wrote about a dragon that ate a shoe. It was hilarious.

2. A two page story, again with a mundane prompt that she took in unexpected directions.

3. Some of her drawings. Because she can sit for hours, watching videos and looking at books, figuring out techniques.

4. Science fair project - demonstrates ability to think logically, organize her thoughts, be methodical, etc. It was all done at school, so we didn’t influence it much.

4. Math work samples. Can’t remember what it was, but it wasn’t worksheets. Her quant score was high, so we didn’t focus much on it.

We also submitted a letter of recommendation from her music teacher, and copies of her awards from an outside (non-academic) activity that she has engaged in since she was 4.

[Anonymous]

Do you have anything sent home from school that you liked?

I submitted a picture my kid did in art class that had gotten sent home. He named the picture after a book I knew he read on his own at home (and that’s what the picture was of) and I included a short note saying that. He’s not winning artistry awards or anything but I thought it was nice / creative how it was about the book. I wasn’t really looking for things to submit but it had just gotten sent home and I liked it.

I think you can take pictures of Lego creations and include.

[Anonymous]

Yes we included the lego creations and my child wrote a story about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Work samples are not going to get your child in on appeal.

This is not true! Last year child had high-in scores with low GBRS. Didnt get on 1st round. AART said no WISC needed bc NNAT +Cogat scores were high. We submitted work samples and letters of recommendation, and these alone the got child in via appeal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Work samples are not going to get your child in on appeal.

My child was rejected with in pool scores. I submitted no work samples in the first round.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Work samples are not going to get your child in on appeal.

My child was rejected with in pool scores. I submitted no work samples in the first round.

If you're serious about your kid getting in, have a WISC done.

[Anonymous]

At the risk of outing myself, I will share a description of a couple of work samples that weren't really work samples with the original packet - DS got in to AAP...
- Scoresheets from imaginary basketball games he plays in our basement - going from what was basically a list of backwards numbers at age 4 to spreadsheets now. The current spreadsheets show the games broken down by quarter (with excel formulas) and NCAA style brackets. Also included a description of how he plays both teams, ref, scorekeeper, and commentator.
- A narrative about his interest in Hamilton - how he listens to the soundtrack on Alexa and follows along in the Hamilton the Revolution book, and has gone from reading just the lyrics to reading the sidenotes that Lin-Manuel Miranda included in the book (and sharing interesting tidbits with us as he reads). I included a couple pictures of us at Hamilton for his birthday and him dressed as Hamilton for Halloween.

Neither of these seem like traditional work samples. I had spoken to the AART in the fall because I knew his NNAT scores wouldn't get him in the pool and wanted to be prepared to parent refer. I said "I'm not sure what to use for work samples! I hear about people submitting lego projects or blogs... all my kid does when he gets home from school is listen to the Hamilton soundtrack and follow along in the book." She said that actually was a great example of higher level thinking and I could turn that into a work sample. Point being, think outside of the box.

He did get into the pool (barely) based on CogAT scores and probably had decent GRBS - I haven't seen the packet. So I have absolutely no way of knowing whether these helped or not.

I'm 100% sure if anyone on this board knows DS in real life, you will know exactly who I am

[Anonymous]

I believe that the best thing you can do is write a letter explaining what it is about your child that precludes his needs from being met in a regular classroom. Explain why the child can’t learn in a regular classroom and needs to be in the AAP classroom instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe that the best thing you can do is write a letter explaining what it is about your child that precludes his needs from being met in a regular classroom. Explain why the child can’t learn in a regular classroom and needs to be in the AAP classroom instead.

AART told me the appeal should be as if you're starting all over again. A letter like suggested above + more work samples + testing (approved IQ test)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At the risk of outing myself, I will share a description of a couple of work samples that weren't really work samples with the original packet - DS got in to AAP...
- Scoresheets from imaginary basketball games he plays in our basement - going from what was basically a list of backwards numbers at age 4 to spreadsheets now. The current spreadsheets show the games broken down by quarter (with excel formulas) and NCAA style brackets. Also included a description of how he plays both teams, ref, scorekeeper, and commentator.
- A narrative about his interest in Hamilton - how he listens to the soundtrack on Alexa and follows along in the Hamilton the Revolution book, and has gone from reading just the lyrics to reading the sidenotes that Lin-Manuel Miranda included in the book (and sharing interesting tidbits with us as he reads). I included a couple pictures of us at Hamilton for his birthday and him dressed as Hamilton for Halloween.

Neither of these seem like traditional work samples. I had spoken to the AART in the fall because I knew his NNAT scores wouldn't get him in the pool and wanted to be prepared to parent refer. I said "I'm not sure what to use for work samples! I hear about people submitting lego projects or blogs... all my kid does when he gets home from school is listen to the Hamilton soundtrack and follow along in the book." She said that actually was a great example of higher level thinking and I could turn that into a work sample. Point being, think outside of the box.

He did get into the pool (barely) based on CogAT scores and probably had decent GRBS - I haven't seen the packet. So I have absolutely no way of knowing whether these helped or not.

I'm 100% sure if anyone on this board knows DS in real life, you will know exactly who I am

Eh. Tons of kids are obsessed with both basketball and Hamilton. I wouldn’t be so sure.