Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Minutes from 2/2/2018 Meeting

2/2/2018 Hicap meeting with Jen
  • Parent night 6:30-7:30 in Bothell performing center
  • Will be recorded with chapters to look at particular parts
  • Posted in a week or 2
  • Translation in real time
  • Help families find the email in trash/junk mail. Friday everyone should have heard from HiCap. Some got one a month ago
Testing update
  • Signatures: not printing out signatures, links in email to give consent then a backup phone call to confirm if they haven’t heard from them. Spanish speaking people in ELL department to call for Spanish speaking families
  • Torrence is $20 per student, so to save costs they will move some students on without some of the tests
  • 85th – 94th percentile is what Dr. Ford suggested. Above 95th percentile follows NSD traditional cutoffs for HiCap services
  • See chart for specifics on how each child’s scores will be used
    • 85-94 = K gets Torrence for Holistic, 1-7 Torrence and ITBS, 8 Torrence only
    • 95-99
      • K = Immediate Holistic services with no additional tests
      • 1-3 = Torrence and ITBS (Math for all, Reading as well for those not IRR 2 grades above grade level)
      • 4-7 = If SBA in top half of Level 4 SBA in either or both content area offer services, take ITBS for any that aren’t in level 4, Torrence for those who don’t qualify immediately by SBA scores
      • 8 = if SBA in top half of Level 4 SBA in either or both content area offer services, Torrence for those who don’t qualify by SBA
    • Did not qualify: not getting scores in letter, can email to request scores = not until feb 26th
    • Next year there will be an online system to get DNQ scores faster
  • ITBS and Torrence can be administered in Spanish if needed
  • Single content students can retest every year in other content area
  • All families will get letters today if they qualify and will get scores
  • Need to educate families and parents that a low score is not indicative of the child’s potential in school. One test on one day isn’t a statement about their ability to be successful.
  • Current EAP/AAP kids will not get results until they request it
  • We will get analysis of current kids scores in an aggregated form
  • K will start assessment Feb 12th – just Torrence about 30 minutes 250 Kids across 20 elems
  • Start with middle schools after K
  • Hope to finish in March – have 10 proctors to test 3000 kids (3/15/2018 - updated to say finish in May)
  • Could have half of testers quality - 1500 qualify which would double program (1700 currently)
  • Some buildings may have enough qualify that they transition gen ed classrooms to EAP classrooms since the kids are already there.
    9th and 10th grade transition Survey Results
  • Survey results
  • Kids generally satisfied
  • Ela and Social studies have more dissatisfaction due to AAP->Gen ed in those with what’s available
  • Each high school different
    • Bothell uses Edmonds CC for CHS, doesn’t have many AP classes for younger grades
    • WHS uses UW Cascadia for CHS, has lots of AP and can take them earlier
    • Inglemoore have IB, but problem with 10th grade, not old enough for ib but not AP available
  • Pre-AP and Pre-IB are like a step backwards for many AAP kids
  • Surprised at number of older kids in their class
  • Abrupt change from JR high to high school: HS doesn’t allow retakes in some classes, jr high did. Not growth mindset
  • Jen says she’s given guidance to buildings to put kid in appropriate classes regardless of Hicap designation
  • Can we have a designated hicap counselor at each high school?
  • Need executive function help with these kids
  • Some would like to have the AAP cohort stay together
  • Can the district distribute the survey to all Hicap 9th and 10th kids to increase numbers of respondents
  • Put link to survey on our website with bold graphic or something to catch their eye
  • Put 2017 satisfaction survey on website, too
  Requested Characteristics of teachers for hicap classrooms
  • Teaching in discipline they have their degree in
  • Openminded toward gifted population with 2E
  • Education around how a child can be designated as hiCap
  • Understand Social emotional needs of hicap – teachers and counselors
  • Open to hicap training, take PD, Ongoing PD especially for Gen Ed teachers turning into HiCap Teachers.
  • Compress curriculum Recognizing pace is important to hiCap kids. Let kids direct the pace and compacting of curriculum per their needs
  • Open to more than one way to get the answer. Kids think in a different way, not necessarily use the procedures taught in class. If they get the concept let them dictate how
  • Fine isn’t good enough for hicap kids. Conversation on potential disability if kids aren’t functioning at their potential
  • Assess potential. Every kid should experience enough challenge that it’s visible. Develop grit
  • Competition isn’t a good motivator for this group. Perfectionist tendencies
  • Don’t use these kids as teachers for other children
  • Instead of memorization, have critical thinking skills
  • Need to teach study skills and exec function
  • Open to current brain research
  • Less repetition and more project based learning
  • Have previous experience with hicap kids – have hicap kids, were a hicap kid, taught hicap kids
  • Teachers of color, diverse culture and experience.
  • Cultural Competency training
  • May have to rethink middle school teaching models. Have hicap teacher teach 6,7,8 hicap rather than one grade of hicap, challenge and gen ed per teacher.
  • Knowledge in math above grade level they are teaching
  • Empathy and patience