GATE
Gifted and Talented Education

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LOS ALAMITOS 2007 - 2008 GATE PLAN

District Services
 
The San Jose Unified School District’s Strategic Plan provides the cohesive framework for continuous improvement efforts to meet the needs of gifted learners.  Key to our progress are the strategic plan elements of student achievement, professional development, equity, diversity, community engagement and technology.  To support program development within the strategic plan framework, the district relies on the concepts and philosophy outlined in the California State Frameworks, the district standards benchmarks, and the State Standards for Gifted and Talented Education.
 
The Gifted and Talented Education Services in SJUSD are based on the belief that every child deserves the opportunity to develop his/her full potential.  The purposes of the GATE Services in San Jose Unified School District include:
 
            *search for and identification of students who demonstrate a capacity for excellence far exceeding that of their chronological peers through an identification process that begins for all students in second grade
            *to seek out and include students from all cultural, linguistic and economic backgrounds
            *to develop intellect and creativity, support their interests, guide them in building leadership skills and positive self-concepts
            *to provide appropriately, differentiated services and program options which meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of students through; cluster grouping, flexible grouping in academic subjects, before and after school programs in the visual/performing arts and science, summer programs that include John Higgins, West Valley College for Kids, ID Teck Camps at Santa Clara University, etc.
            *to ensure our teachers are trained and ready to meet the challenge of teaching the gifted in the regular classroom by a strong professional development program
            *to help parents nurture their students’ gifts and talents in the home and in collaboration with the school and district through Parent General GATE Meetings held 5 times per year as well as offering through CAG and the Santa Clara County Office of Education
            *to provide support services for GATE families at all sites and the district office
 
Site Services
 
How are GATE services provided at the site?
 
The Gifted and Talented Educational Services at Los Alamitos are provided through the following goals:
 
            *to provide differentiated opportunities for learning that are aligned with abilities and talents of individual students;
            *to provide flexible/cluster grouping t
            *to help develop sensitivity and feeling of responsibility for others;
            *to help develop realistic and healthy self-concepts
            *to help develop a commitment to constructive ethical standards;
            *to help develop a commitment to constructive academic standards
            *to establish an environment for association with intellectual and chronological peers;
            *to develop a flexible curriculum that meets individual student needs;
            *to develop stimulating and challenging methods of study;
            *to cultivate students’ abilities to think critically, experiment, and foster self-direction, independence, leadership and creativity;
            *to utilize skills of teachers on teaching teams as well as other resources and internal/external consultants;
            *to use on-going assessment through teacher observations, student interviews, observation surveys, running records, rubrics, quizzes, criterion-referenced tests, teacher made tests, and standardized tests.
 
The above services are embedded within each grade level’s curriculum.
 
How will the site provide GATE training for instructional and support roles?
 
            Los Alamitos will provide training during each staff development day.  Teachers are encouraged to take advantage of the various courses offered by the district’s GATE department.  They are encouraged to obtain GATE certification.  Also, the site will send one or two teachers to the February 2008 CAG conference.  As other conferences or trainings are made available, information will be shared with teachers.  Teachers who attend will be asked to give a site training on their newly acquired knowledge.  The site provides a GATE library with many reference books and lessons available to check out and use.  There is also a parent library located in the media center for parents to draw upon for reference and support. 
 
1.  Data Summary
            a.  Academic
 
Student performance based on the CST for 2005 indicates the following:
Grade Level            2005 CST     Non-GATE Language GATE 2005 CST    Non-GATE MATH GATE 2005 PBA Non-GATE Writing GATE 2005 PBA Non-GATE Math GATE
Third 75% 89% 75% 89% 53% 71% 86% 98%
Growth +/- 10% 1% 7% 1% -21% 7% 2% 4%
Fourth

 

 86% 3% 86% 86% 0 0 0 0
Growth +/- 14% 3% 14% 7% 0 0 0 0
Fifth 67% 100% 55% 100% 0 0 65% 100%
Growth +/- -8% 6% 23% 33% 0 0 -15% 3%
 ALL indicates all students at this site including GATE students scoring proficient or above.
GATE indicates only GATE students scoring proficient or above
 
Growth +/- indicates % of growth from last school year to this school year  (2005/2006)
 
            b.  Social Emotional needs based on teacher, parent and student input:  The site needs to work on underachievers, twice exceptional,  and behavioral challenges. 
 
2.  Needs Assessment and Services Evaluation:
 
            a.  How are your GATE academic and social emotional needs assessed by staff, parents, and students?
 
The needs are assessed by feedback through the district’s surveys, CST scores, student progress reports, conferences, alternate rankings, PBA’s in writing/math, benchmark tests, observation, and parents’ questions.
Los Alamitos will develop a GATE parent/student survey this year to extract information on specific needs of our site’s population.  Also, this should be added to the site’s Curriculum Advisory Committee. (CAC)
                                                                                            
            b.  How do staff, parents and students evaluate the Gifted and Talented Education at the site?
 
It is evaluated through faculty meeting discussion, grade level meetings, parent’s input and during staff development.
Los Alamitos will develop surveys this year to help evaluate our GATE site education.
 
            c.  How do you share GATE data, needs assessments and evaluation with parents, staff and students?
 
Information is shared through faculty meetings, staff development, inservice days, GATE parent meetings, School Site Committee, “Lion’s Roar”, and the site’s GATE plan.
 
3.  Measurable Site Goals:
 
            a.  Looking at your current data from item #1 above, what improvements would you like to see for GATE students?
 
Los Alamitos would like to witness the following improvements based on the 2006 CST table:
 
            *Increase growth in 3rd grade CST LA scores
            *Increase growth in 3rd grade MATH CST scores
            *Increase growth in 3rd grade PBA writing
 
            b.  What areas(s) will you target for GATE students this year?
 
Los Alamitos will target language arts and math.
 
**It is important to note that these goals are being proposed based on a third of GATE’s population moving on to sixth grade and a third moving into the formula that currently does not have CST scores reflected.  Once scores are received, we will need   to adjust goals if needed.
 
4.  Curriculum and Instruction:
 
            a.  What extensions/strategies will be used to meet the needs of GATE students based on your targeted goals in 2b above?
 
Grade level teams will meet to analyze student performance on the CST scores, content standards, disaggregated GATE student data, benchmark data, and Performance Based Assessments (PBA’s/WPA) in writing and math.  The teams will write up plans to target instruction for specific curricular areas.  Once targeted, the teams will put into effect objectives to meet improved student performance goals in those areas.  Teachers will use flexible grouping based on readiness levels, choice, whole class instruction, partner work, and independent study while differentiating the core curriculum.  Flexible and cluster grouping allows GATE students to learn with and be challenged by their academic and intellectual peers.  Focus will be on developing state standards.  Instructional grouping may also include individualized accelerated instruction, independent study, and mentors. 
 
            b.  How will you ensure differentiation is taking place?
 
This will be done through teacher self assessment/grade level assessment and principal observation.  Differentiation is taking place when within the classroom the following are being demonstrated:  compacting, questioning strategies, learning profiles, ,readiness, and interest are taken into consideration, cognitive development is occurring and choice is shown.
 
            c.  Will you offer enrichment activities in addition to the core curriculum?
 
Within the grade levels, challenging above and beyond activities are offered in addition to the core curriculum that relate to the content theme being studied.  Lunchtime reading clubs are offered.  Fun Math opportunities, science, art, and other programs are offered after school.  Field trips and outside speakers will be offered to students throughout the year to increase knowledge in different areas.  Also, students may be asked to do independent contracting to study their subject of choice in depth.
 
5.  Social and Emotional Needs:
 
            a.  How and when is your staff informed about the social emotional needs of GATE students?
 
The faculty is informed through faculty meetings.  The GATE liaison will share a minimum of two articles on this subject during the 2007-08 year.   The staff will receive training during at least one staff meeting.  The staff GATE library has books available on this subject.
 
            b.  How are the needs of under achieving GATE students met?
 
Information will be shared through the GATE liaison.  At least one article will be shared with the staff.
  
6.  Staff Development and Resources
 
            a.  Who is your GATE Liaison?
 
Faith Borges is Los Alamitos’ GATE liaison.
 
            b.  What GATE staff development and resources will your staff need this year to meet your goals stated in #3?
 
Los Alamitos would benefit from trainings that provide proven differentiated lessons that benefit students in the core curriculum content.  They would benefit from seeing language arts/math lessons demonstrated.  In the past, working a half/ day as a grade level was a positive/productive experience.  (mentor teacher models lesson to all grade level teachers, next period teachers/mentor teacher debriefs/ and third period the grade level writes a lesson to implement.(subs paid by GATE funds)
Teachers would benefit from training regarding twice exceptional students.
 
            c.  When will staff development be offered and by whom?
 
Los Alamitos is looking into trainers in the area of underachievers, twice exceptional, and behavioral issues.
 
Faith Borges will bring lessons on differentiation to staff development days.  She will ask Marta Hansen, director of GATE,  to come to Los Alamitos for staff development.
 
7.  Parent Involvement
            a.  Who is your GATE parent representative?
 
We need to recuit a new parent representative.  We had two great parent GATE representatives in the 2006-07 year. 
 
We will be asking for three grade level representatives this year to assist the GATE liaison/principal in different matters.  (organize library, help address newsletters, help develop surveys, help facilitate communication efforts)
  
            b.  When are your 3 or more parent site GATE meetings?
 
Los Alamitos will have three GATE parent meetings this year.  We will continue working together with other south end schools to hold top quality parent evenings.  Our first meeting will be held Tuesday,October     Maarta Hansen will be addressing       Our second meeting will be held in February 13th.  Our presenter will be Mr. Yul Inn.  He will be doing a family math evening.  This will be the third year for Mr. Inn.  This evening has had very positive feedback.  Our third meeting will be with Mr. Jim Wiltens.  He will address positive parenting.  Los Alamitos will host this meeting for all the south end schools.  This will be held on March 27.
 
Another idea is to hold a meeting for purposes to develop a GATE parent, student survey.
 
            c.  What topics need to be addressed at your GATE meetings based on your goals stated in #3?
 
The GATE plan will indicate goals and strategies to reach goals.  A differentiated lesson will demonstrate a way in which we reach those goals.  A math night will allow the family to go further in depth in math. 
 
8.  Budget, Activities, and Responsibility Timeline
 
ACTIVITY                  TIMELINE RESPONSIBILITY EVALUATION COST
GATE liaison stipend 8/07 thru 6/08 F. Borges S. McGuiness $500
Mandatory deduction for stipend

 

 

 McGuiness $  50
Professional Development Faculty Mtgs., CAG, Staff Development McGuiness/Borges McGuiness/Borges $1200
Specific Program Implementation Math AR, Reading AR, Language 3rd,4th, 5th grades McGuiness/Borges $600
Parent GATE meetings Oct. 17, Feb 13., March 27 McGuiness/Borges McGuiness/Borges $500
Professional Parent/Teacher Library Purchase through CAG & Publications Borges McGuiness/Borges $200

 

 

 

 Total $3,050
 
Based upon a projected budget for the 2007-08 school year.

Resources

California Association for the Gifted - parents, educators, and community members  interested in the education of gifted and talented young people

Hoagies' Gifted Education Page - a comprehensive resource guide for education of gifted children

Lyceum of Santa Clara County - a non-profit, volunteer organization which provides enrichment programs for gifted children

GT World - an on-line support community for parents of Gifted and Talented children

San Jose Unified School District - the phone number for the GATE office is (408) 535-6087

Educational Links - a comprehensive set of links for students, parents and educators

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