Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Tour Information + a Testing Update

Testing Update

This is from the AL Office:

Two testing dates have been added. Two additional Saturdays have been added to the Advanced Learning Eligibility Testing schedule: Jan. 9 and 16. Both of these will take place at Thurgood Marshall ES. Our original testing make-up date, Jan. 23 at Cascadia@Lincoln, will still occur for families who were unable to attend earlier testing dates. 

If you have not heard from Advanced Learning regarding a testing date by Wednesday, Jan. 6, please contact us at advlearn@seattleschool.org.

No changes are planned for the Appeals Process during the current testing cycle. We have heard that some families are confused because updates have been proposed to the Superintendent Procedures 2190, Highly Capable Services and Advanced Learning Programs. If finalized, these changes were intended to take effect during next year's testing cycle - not this one. Regardless, for now the action has been postponed to allow new board members time to transition. The updates had been scheduled for presentation at the Dec. 14 Curriculum & Instruction Policy Committee meeting, but we now anticipate reintroducing the updates in February.

School Tours

I also received this update from the HCS Advisory group:

Below is a list of information about Highly Capable Cohort sites/pathway schools for 2016. This list includes the information we have so far. Please consult the individual schools or websites for additional information. (Sorry some dates have already passed by)
Thurgood Marshall Elementary 
Principal Katie May and the Thurgood Marshall PTA will be hosting school information sessions and tours on the following days.  Except where noted below, they will begin with an information session with Principal May, followed by tours guided by PTA volunteers.  Tours will conclude at 10 am with a brief group Q&A session.
Please check in at the Main Office when you arrive and proceed to the Library on the second floor.  No RSVP is necessary. 
Tuesday, January 13, 9:15 am - Tour Only
Thursday, February 12, 8:45 am
Monday, February 23, 5:30 pm HCC Information Session, 6:30 School Tour (classroom observation not available), 7-7:30 General Information Session
Thursday, March 5, 8:45 am
Wednesday, May 20, 8:45 am

Washington Middle School

Evening Information Sessions:
Thursday, December 3, 6:30-8:00 pm OR
Thursday, February 116:30-8:00 pm

Location:  Washington Middle School's Cafeteria

School Day Tours:
Friday, December 117:45-9:15 am OR

Friday, February 197:45-9:15 am

Location:  Meet in Washington Middle School's Cafeteria

Tours and Info Sessions are open to all 4th and 5th grade parents and students. 
Please contact Bridget Backschies (thetriplebee@gmail.com) or Tasha Irvine (tashasirvine@gmail.com) with any questions.
Jane Addams Middle School

Tour for prospective parents and student
February 11, 6:30 pm


Garfield High School



Tuesday, January 26 and Thursday, January 28, 20169:00-9:45 meet in the QJA (preferably) or the Gym (if necessary); 
9:45-10:30 – building tours
Thursday, February 11, 20166:00-8:00 – presentation in the Commons followed by self-guided tours with ASB/Link Leader support (department heads and program staff)
Ingraham High School
Shadow Visits will begin on Dec 1st - until February 25th, we will shadow on Tuesday, Weds and Thursdays from 7:50 AM - 11:55 AM. Parents can call to register their student for a shadow visit beginning on Nov 23rd - 206-252-3889 - Maria Medina
Ingraham Open House 2016 for incoming students 
February 3rd – 7:00 PM – Ingraham Auditorium
This is a general information night open to everyone - Mr. Floe/Principal and the Ingraham Staff will answer any questions about academics, sports, clubs and student life at Ingraham. 

Ingraham High School IB Information Night 
February 10th – 7:00 PM – Ingraham Library
This is an information night for parents and students going into the IB Program. 

Ingraham High School Day Time Tours 
February 3rd – 8:00 AM – 9:30AM
Tour begins in the school Auditorium - parents must accompany students on the tour

Ingraham High School Day Time Tours 
February 10th 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Tour begins in the school Auditorium - parents must accompany students on the tour

Questions? Call the Main Office #206-252-3889All tours are for parents and students. No need to RSVP for tours or the night open houses. 

KUOW in the process of writing a piece on minorities and AL programs


I'm looking for families of color who have considered - or enrolled in - gifted/highly capable programs in Seattle Public Schools. I'm working on a story for KUOW Public Radio about the reasons behind the lack of diversity in the district's gifted classes, and I'd like to hear your experiences. Email adornfeld@kuow.org - and feel free to share this request with anyone you know! Thanks so much

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am confused about the January dates. I've emailed with AL, and they said that the full Cogat testing for K-2 students will take place on "Saturdays in January", but will not be scheduled until ALL of the initial screening results are received. I'm having hard time understanding how that will work, given that the initial testing is still going on until January 23rd.

Doublespeak

Benjamin Leis said...

My understanding is that scheduling should happen in the first week of January.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Benjamin but aren't they still doing the initial screening test on Jan 9th per their website (plus the makeups on Jan 23rd)? How will they get results in time to schedule further testing in January?

DS

Anonymous said...

Have the completed tests been sent for scoring? We were told results for the screener would come before the holiday break.

c

Michael Rice said...

For anyone planning to tour Ingraham, I am in room 42. I will be teaching either AP Statistics or IB Math Studies, but if you have questions about math at Ingraham, feel free to stop by and I will be happy to talk with you. I have 4th period prep, which starts at 11:00.

Anonymous said...

I am confused how screening works for 2nd graders. The process is different from when my daughter went through this. Will my child be tested again if he is in the range, or on the margins?

Thanks!

SE mama

Anonymous said...

Your child will be tested again if his result on the screener is 94 or above. How scheduling will work for those who meet the bar is unclear. It sounds like those who were tested on one of the original dates (through 12/12) will be asked to take the full Cogat on a Saturday in January. That assumes those kids will have screener results back by the first week of January so they can be scheduled. Benjamin correct me if that's not right.

tc

Anonymous said...

would you hear anything at all if your child didn't meet the bar?

-wondering

Anonymous said...

The website says that everyone should have received a testing date by Jan 6. Does that include K students who passed the screener and need full testing? Benjamin, I notice that you said that scheduling for full testing is supposed to happen during the first week of January.

-also wondering