WEST HARTFORD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT Agenda Item: Quest Update Meeting Date: March 15, 2016 From: Through: Dr. Nancy De Palma, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Mary Thompson, Director of Gifted and Talented Tom Moore, Superintendent BACKGROUND: QUEST, West Hartford Public School s Gifted and Talented program, has been addressing the learning needs and unique learning profile of a broad range of advanced and highly capable students since 1994. Guiding students to become independent, lifelong learners who will know how to act upon their individual interests and talents to become the innovators, the artists, the scientists, the political and philosophical thinkers, the humanitarians, and the leaders in their communities and beyond has become the hallmark of the program s work. Our Philosophy The QUEST program endeavors to create intrinsically motivated lifelong learners. Using the Model of Continuous Improvement, the following strategic actions define the areas of focus for the QUEST Department Development and Performance Plan (DDP). These strategic actions align with the District s mission, Board of Education goals, and school strategic actions to promote the achievement of all students. QUEST Essential Agreement We value the open minded and cooperative exchange of ideas. We seek to positively influence our collaborative team with each member contributing toward our collective success -QUEST Team 2015-2016 Agenda Item: VI.B.1. 1
QUEST Mission Statement The mission of the QUEST program is to provide opportunities for students to explore and extend their unique gifts and talents of intellect within a learning environment that encourages: Q uestioning the world around them U nderstanding their role in the learning process E xploring the past, present and future S earching for solutions and meanings T hinking creatively and critically QUEST identified students in grades 4 8 are immersed in a continuum of opportunities that advance their learning and self-understanding through diverse and challenging experiences found in QUEST, Math QUEST and Art QUEST. QUEST teachers typically loop with their students at both the elementary and middle schools, so that meaningful relationships between and among students and teachers are formed. For middle school students, the social and emotional aspects of QUEST are particularly important. QUEST is a community comprised of like-minded students who benefit from individualized instruction by teachers who are qualified to meet their unique social, emotional and academic needs. These connections students make last through high school. QUEST is built on the Enrichment Triad Model (Renzulli, 1977), and the School-wide Enrichment Model (Renzulli and Reis, 1985). While students are first formally identified in the spring of their 3 rd grade year, identification is a continuous process through 8 th grade. Beginning in 4 th grade students participate in three types of enrichment learning activities. Each experience guides the learner to greater depth, complexity, and independence. Renzulli s Enrichment Triad Model consists of: Type I Enrichment: Exploration and discovery are the key elements in Type I enrichment. Students are exposed to general exploratory experiences such as presentations, performances, workshops, interest development centers, etc. Inspiration is the goal! Type II Enrichment: How to is the key element in Type II enrichment. Students engage in individual, small group and/or classroom lessons to develop the skills and processes necessary for independent learning and thinking emulating experts connected to their area of interest. Type III Enrichment: Being the practicing professional is the advanced level of enrichment learning. Students conduct in-depth independent/small group investigations based on their personal interests and motivations. QUEST is designed to meet the unique needs of the gifted and talented population. As noted by SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted), we strive to foster in gifted individuals that mental health and social competence necessary for them to be free to choose ways to develop and express their abilities and talents fully. With support, gifted individuals 2
can develop abilities that empower their own lives and forge positive connections with others. Math QUEST is an accelerated math program for students who have demonstrated exceptional math ability two grade levels beyond their current grade placement. Math QUEST is offered in grades four and five for students who qualify based on multiple criteria. Elementary QUEST teachers deliver the rigorous advanced instruction. In 6 th grade, students who meet the requirements are placed in 7 th grade Honors Math. Art QUEST invites any incoming 5 th grade student across the district to submit a portfolio for committee review in the fall. Approximately 30 fifth graders are selected for 20 weeks of after school art classes in two school locations, staffed by four art teachers. Art QUEST classes include one or more visits to an art museum and/or an artist s studio. Each year an Art QUEST Exhibit celebrates the students work at the conclusion of the program. The tables below show through pull-out, the number of students identified and serviced by the QUEST program. At the elementary level, all identified students are serviced by the QUEST teachers, while at the middle school typically only about half of identified students are serviced. This is partially due to the fact that at the middle school level QUEST meets during learning lab, along with band, choir and orchestra. Students may choose 2 electives, QUEST being one of them, if they so choose. Table 1 Elementary Schools 2014-2015 2015-2016 Total students grade 4 & 5 1557 1477 Elementary students identified 240 237 and served % of all students identified 15.4% 16.1% Number of QUEST Teachers 6.5 fte 6.7 fte Math QUEST Elementary students identified and served 51 53 % of all students identified 3.3% 3.6% Table 2 Middle Schools Total students grade 6-8 2201 2222 Middle school students identified 365 380 % of all students identified 16.5% 17.1% Middle school students serviced 200 254 % of students serviced 54.8% 66.8% Number of QUEST teachers 2 fte 2 fte 3
Elementary QUEST The fourth grade QUEST curriculum includes exploring personal identity, recognizing characteristics of gifted learners of the past and present, learning guided inquiry skills, developing creative and critical thinking, and completing a group thematic project. In fifth grade, students build upon 4 th grade experience and conduct a Type III investigative project on a topic of their own choosing. Students are expected to research their chosen topic deeply with the dual purposes of both learning and making a contribution to their field of interest. There is a part time QUEST teacher assigned to each elementary school to facilitate QUEST and Math QUEST. Charter Oak International Academy will have a fulltime QUEST teacher for primary enrichment K-3, QUEST grades 4 & 5 and Math QUEST. Math QUEST accounts for 3 hours a week of instruction and QUEST is 1.5 hours per week. The QUEST teacher may serve as a coach/support to other teachers offering differentiation strategies for Project Based Learning, or may coordinate other school-wide activities. Middle School QUEST Middle school QUEST students launch the year with a thematic unit per grade level. Students investigate the following themes throughout the year. Grade 6 students focus on QUEST Identity, Grade 7 focus on Adolescent Brain Development, and Grade 8 focus on Legacies. Students from each grade at each school are brought together for a field experience in the fall that connects to these themes. QUEST offers a varied menu of learning activities for QUEST students. Advanced research investigations of students personal interests (some students spend their 3 years in middle school expanding and investigating one topic), participating in National History Day and developing service learning projects are just some of the activities that engage students 1.5 hours a week under the guidance of the QUEST teacher at each middle school. The QUEST teacher may serve as a coach/support to other teachers offering differentiation strategies for Project Based Learning, or may coordinate other school-wide activities. For those students who have been identified, QUEST is an elective, non-graded course. QUEST is offered to 6 th, 7 th and 8 th grade students following a slightly different format. A part time teacher is assigned to Sedgwick and Bristow Middle Schools, and a two part time teachers are assigned at King Philip Middle School. What s New? QUEST Fluid identification of students who perform or show potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment in gifted/talented service areas occurs 4
throughout the year. Students new to WHPS who were identified in another district will be assessed to determine placement in QUEST. All QUEST staff, building administrators and building curriculum specialists received an updated Frequently Asked Questions prior to parent teacher conferences that include revised QUEST identification procedures and gifted/talented services. QUEST identification procedures have been revised and updated. Pertinent assessment data is collected in making identification decisions. A parent/guardian referral form is under development for families (upon request) to ensure their input in the process. A student nomination form was created to enable students to reflect on their self-understanding and interest in QUEST participation. QUEST teachers are increasing their visibility and collaboration with other building professional staff, including regular education teachers, special education teachers, other instructional staff, and administrators to enrich and support curriculum and instruction based on school need and QUEST teacher availability. They are an additional lens to increase underrepresented populations. Project SPARK at Wolcott School is a way to focus on early identification of high potential students and intervention to promote achievement among students in grades K-2, particularly those students from traditionally underserved groups in gifted programs. QUEST communication to parents has increased. Continued support to staff, classroom teachers, and parents through emails, phone calls and meetings is ongoing. QUEST curriculum and scope/sequence are reviewed and revisited yearly to reflect the development of 21 st century content and skills. Working with the Information Technology department, technology integration and resources have increased at all schools to continue the advancement of 21 st skills for gifted/talented students. QUEST staff continually participate in professional development geared towards a better understanding of the CCSS and the SBAC/AIMSweb assessments in establishing multiple sources of data to review and revise program and plans. QUEST continues to work collaboratively with classroom teachers to facilitate exposure to enrichment opportunities for all students through differentiated classrooms instruction when scheduling permits. Math QUEST Math QUEST scope and sequence curriculum continues to be reviewed and revised to meet the needs of students working at least two grade levels beyond grade level. As the 5
implementation of the CCSS for Math continues to advance students in the classroom, Math QUEST curriculum continues to shift as well. Collaborative time for Math QUEST staff to meet has been very important for curriculum development and increased resources for gifted/talented services A district wide Math QUEST informational meeting was held for all interested parent(s)/guardian(s) to inform them of the Math QUEST program and the screening process. QUEST and Technology 4-8 The 21 st century skills have introduced an urgency to instruct and develop a solid base for students and staff that transcend all curricular areas. Technology is an integral part of the QUEST classroom environment. Student are challenged to use technology as an essential tool to support critical thinking, problems solving and function needs. Professional Development UCONN/In-service: In collaboration with the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut, QUEST teachers participated in professional development revised training and consulting on the School-wide Enrichment Model and its implementation in the QUEST curriculum. UCONN/Confratute: Confratute is a summer conference geared toward providing educators with research-based practical strategies for engagement and enrichment learning for all students, as well as meeting the needs of gifted and talented students. CAG: Staff attended the New England Conference on Gifted Education and Talent Development in October. This was hosted by the Connecticut Association for the Gifted and brought together gifted education leaders from across the state. Professional development ensures continued development, awareness, and improvement for staff. Google Classroom/Hangout Book study: Mindset Student Data: collected, analyzed and evaluated Math teachers attend middle school department meeting Glossary of Terms Acceleration Students are advanced at a higher-level and pace of material more suited to the students skill level and preparedness. Pull out Students spend a portion of their time receiving advanced instruction and specialized services and the remainder of their day in the regular classroom. 6
Push in/enrichment Students may receive additional materials, extensions, or projects designed by the QUEST teacher and classroom teacher to challenge them in mathematics or English Language Arts. Type III Projects - Students participating in the QUEST Program in grades 5-8 are invited to pursue Type III Investigations, either individually or in a small group. A Type III is an indepth investigation related to a real world problem based on a student's interest. Each student must utilize a myriad of skills and talents in order to create an original research document, a literary work, a work of art, a service project, a public service announcement, a community based project, or a performance composition in dance, music, or drama. Independent Investigation Celebrations are held each spring for students in grades 5-8 to share their unique investigations with parents, siblings, friends, teachers, mentors, and administrators. As a team, we continue refining, prioritizing, and investigating the standards detailed in the National Association for Gifted Children Standards, CT Common Core standards, and building an informed facility of learning regarding student outcomes on the Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium (SBAC). 7