Monday, December 17, 2018

Minutes from the 12/3/2018 Meeting

12/3/2018 HiCap council meeting – In attendance: Jen Benson, Brenae, Austina, Jennifer, Bonnie, Norma, Myriam, Lauire, Lisa, Kristy, Xioying, Lauren  

Council only meeting: Welcome Norma: New sunrise EAP rep

Nonprofit Google G-Suite discussion:
  • Bonnie made motion to apply for google nonprofit account for class contact lists
  • Jennifer seconds
  • Motion passed
  • Need a disclaimer notifying people of security offered
Survey gizmo
  • Will continue paying for now until we can download data and make sure we got it all
2E issues
  • Canyon park is threatening to take away kids 504s
  • Middle school kids may not use their 504 but may need it in high school
Sylvia and Myriam talked to PTAs
  • Need to give list of training opportunities to teachers from Jen. Council can distribute this to schools if needed.
  • PTA willing to financially support this training if district won’t cover
    • Class cost
    • Cost of sub for teacher to attend
    • PACE does pay for subs for teacher training – may be a building decision
  • Equity issue: if school has money that school might get more. Need to find the root issue. Is it:
    • Money
    • Getting teachers to participate
    • Principal’s goals for the building
Austina’s talk this week at ?? place at ?? time Gifted ed day is Jan 25th in Olympia - If anyone interested in affected change for mandatory PD, join in

 Jen Arrived Screening is underway
  • K-5 Naglieri
  • 6-7 NNAT3
    • New 6-7th will also do ITBS
    • Existing will use SBA
  • Dual qualified kids – no testing at all – will not have a login
  • Single qualified – will have assessment but not screening – will not have a login
  • Done with screening by December 18th
  • All students K-7 will get communications – Email through mail chimp. Also will have post cards go to every student saying look in kid mail. Results by teacher/school/student. $3k for postcards, cheaper than sending letter with results.
  • Should have results by end of winter break
  • Step 2 in January
  • Missed screening: will use 2nd data point if they miss the window
    • Schools may not have passed the screening dates on to families
    • Schools screening schedules are on the hicap website for elementary
    • Middle school info TBD – no more than 300 kids to screen
    • Contact teacher or principal to get screening day
  • January testing is by HiCap office
Non-Enrolled Students
  • Private school, homeschool, and all non-enrolled students
  • Will not test these students
  • Step 1: Students need to enroll in their neighborhood school on March 4th for next year to be considered
  • Step 2: Will have a portfolio review – out of respect of the student if the portfolio shows advanced learning, why keep testing the student? Will just give them services.
  • If private school/homeschool does not do standardized testing then provide what they do have to show their student has high cognitive potential and high academic ability.
  • State law does not require schools to consider non-enrolled kids for hicap programs.
    • Other schools charge you to test
    • OR Do not consider non-enrolled students at all for program
  • Will allowing student work for non-enrolled kids be an equity issue with currently enrolled kids who don’t test well but have a large body of student work that shows high potential and ability?
  • Is there a way to get the overview of what the MST will do when considering non-enrolled students?
  • Monthly review of non-enrolled student portfolio. Will convene MST more often if more portfolios come in at once
In-class math
  • Using TenMarks for in-class math needs – will sunset in June. Microsoft will be working on a new solution
  • Will meet with MS again in January. Will have a more robust model for in-class kids in Fall. Piloting in Spring. Menu of options. Comprehensive solution
  • Walk to math might be a part of the menu of math options along with this online by 2021
  • TBD if teachers will be contractually allowed to teach math above grade level – but conversations are being had
Middle School
  • Conversation around class compositions – HiCap only class or mix
    • Will have AAP in 6,7 next year in all MS
    • Jen and ASST super will take charge of all middle school composition next year
    • End of Feb, composition analysis
      • Notifying parents, getting acceptance
      • Admins will be told what classes they are offering in the fall. Will create sections for buildings and they don’t get to add any kids to those sections.
      • Will determine which kids will go in AAP classes, principals can’t add or take out kids
      • If not at capacity, Jen is giving them students they can add to the class, principals don’t get to choose. Will likely be students who almost made it into AAP or SBA analysis.
      • If challenge classes with AAP cluster, they will provide PD to those teachers
      • Advice to leadership team is that a non HiCap kid added to AAP class, that kid should rollup into HiCap classes next year.
    • In some AAP classes they are not teaching AAP curriculum in the AAP/Challenge mix. Only teaching Challenge curriculum. Is this setting the kids up for failure in future years when they have REAL AAP curriculum?
    • Some schools have limitations of schedule. Ex: one school triple jump math kids don’t have an AAP English class available for them. In another school AAP kids have electives they are not able to take.
    • Math classes with mixed grades is not the same as an advanced math class – pace is not the same
    • Jen will be clustering kids in math classes as well in Middle School
    • Can Jen look at Science and consider ELA qualified kids for HC science?
  • Middle School teachers questioning kids 504s
    • Material is easy enough that kids are not needing to use the 504 this year
    • Contact Damen Schuneman who is in charge 504s. Director of CTE and supervises 504s
  • EAP
    • Memo about standards in progress report was from jen
    • Some teachers modified or didn’t include jen’s memo
  • SEMAC – curriculum committee –
    • Seeking approval today for NNAT3 and Torrence
    • May not use Torrence for all, but want to have opportunity to use it if needed
  • Next meeting date Jan 15th 10-12
  • Professional Development
    • Jen has past info on PD but not a schedule for upcoming
    • PTAs willing to fund their own school, but that’s an equity issue
    • Can council fundraise for whole district Inclass teachers to get PD?
    • Jen thinks EduFest (Gifted conference in Idaho July) is a good thing for these teachers to attend as PD. Maybe offer 2 per building
      • Would have responsibility to prepare info to share with building when they get back
      • Principals would have responsibility to give these teachers time to do their responsibilities
      • $470 + 200 housing + 100 meals + air fare+ airport parking/transportation per participant
    • Can we create a page with all of these PD opportunities listed? – need the content to put on there
      • Conferences
      • Online training - NWGifted?