Do you think your child needs a greater academic challenge in school? Parents can apply now to have their children tested to see if they qualify for one of Tacoma Public School’s highly-capable education programs. Be sure to turn in your completed referral form by the Feb. 3 deadline to have your child included in the spring testing cycle.
The district’s highly-capable programs will accept referrals for the 2012 selection process for students currently in grades 3 to 7, and these programs serve students who have an identified need for additional academic challenge.
The three elementary school programs include:
JAWS is the Joining Abilities With Subject Matter pull-out enrichment program for students in the third, fourth and fifth grades. JAWS is currently located at Browns Point, Fawcett, Lowell and Skyline elementary schools.
The Self-contained Advanced Individual Learning, or SAIL, program is full-time self-contained program that serves students in the fourth and fifth grades. Browns Point, Lister and Point Defiance elementary schools currently house the SAIL program.
The Gifted and Talented Education, or GATE, program serves third, fourth and fifth graders in multi-age classrooms at Downing and Northeast Tacoma elementary schools.
For highly-capable students in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades, the program offerings generally include options in language arts and social studies. Teachers use an interdisciplinary curriculum developed around higher order reasoning, constructing meaning through inquiry, advanced content and concepts, and relevant issues and themes. They also employ many cognitive learning models, such as concept mapping with literature and vocabulary webs. The curriculum is also embedded with a reasoning model, a persuasive writing model, a change model and a research model.
The highly-capable programs staff will accept referrals at any time and from anyone including parents, teachers, administrators or community members. You can find referral forms on the Highly Capable Programs Web site or in school offices. Send completed referrals or bring them to Tacoma Public Schools, Central Administration Building, Highly Capable Programs, Attention: Lindsay Franklin, Room 328, 601 S. Eighth St., Tacoma, WA 98405
The program staff will accept referrals through Feb. 3, 2012, for the students to be included in the spring testing cycle. By law, the district must have parental permission in writing to assess students in grades 3 to 7 for the Highly Capable programs.
All families listed on referral forms will receive a letter about the testing schedule. Only those students whose parents or guardians have provided written permission will be tested. If follow-up testing is necessary, the Highly Capable staff will notify parents and guardians and arrange the time and date with the schools.
As in past years, teachers will use a universal screener in January to assess all second-grade students. Based on the results of that screening, parents/guardians and schools will receive notification if any further testing is required.
For more information, contact the Highly Capable programs office at 253-571-1120.