Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Minutes from 1/7/25 Meeting

 HiCap Parents Council

January Meeting

District Office

01/07/2025 - 10 AM - 12 Noon


In Person Attendance: Amity, Elizabeth, Angie, Ashley, Jan, Mairead, Allen, Hong, 

In Person Late: Liz P., Carson

Zoom Meeting Attendance: Terra, Beth R., Terri, Holly, Veronica, Nikhat, Terra, Imen

Zoom Late: Elisa, 


Secretary: Liz P.

Zoom Liaison: Mairead


Next meeting date: Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Discussion: 

  • Gender disparity in HiCap 

    • NSD Data

      • About 400 more boys district-wide single and dual qualification

      • Dual qualified: about 200 difference district-wide

      • Single qualified ELA: more female (662 female, 307 male)

      • Single qualified math: more male (906 male, 447 female)

    • Before universal screening, it was noticed that boys may have been tested more and first born tested more

    • It will be interesting to see data/results after the adoption of the new math assessment test (when prep is more difficult)

  • Math discussion

    • Webinar style discussion coming for parents to discuss math pathways; some schools may also be offering conversation – end of January & beginning of February 

      • Topics we are hoping to see: what are the choices, right time to make choice (May/June before 6th grade [or earlier]), how the choice now affects paths/choices through high school, how does MS selection affect transcripts for college (P/F vs grade), is choosing a double acceleration a failing?, how to make a good choice (talk to teachers, consider future career interests, etc.), off-ramps later (repeating, stats, etc.), what the rigor is going to be (coming from elementary and going to HS essentially), late-qualifiers to math (what can families do?) 

      • Please communicate to all 5th grade teachers to share this information with their students

      • Note: The two above points were sent to Amity as she had to leave meeting early

    • NSD creating new workbooks for elementary teachers

    • Hot topic nationally. Ex. Are students ready for algebra in eighth grade (Minnesota has been doing this for years, for example)?

    • Timbercrest: Rep (Beth) feels like opening the door to feedback was like a dam broke. Many parents, children, and teachers feel the jump is too much.

      • How can we change messaging into choosing a level? Rather than a saying they have dropped back

      • Skyview has similar issues

      • Schedules for incoming 6th graders are still being done in May and June so parents can modify selection (according to Amity); it does indeed become more difficult in September

    • Be careful with using the word JUMP for math. There is no jump (unless a child is joining the program after 2nd grade); Math curriculum is a spiral and progressive. We are not jumping over these items. 

  • Skyview update

    • They think their model for science is great and has raised the bar for all kids

    • Lots of conversations about how to measure the success of the program (I-Ready or something else?)

    • They use the terms mild, medium, and spicy - Amity has asked students to report how they discuss this with their parents

  • NSD Middleschool Task Force

    • Three working topic areas: PD, ND, Socio-emotional

    • Sometimes our program feels like an accelerated math program (rather than a way to provide basic education to gifted children)

    • AAP - Advanced Academic Program 

      • Math is acceleration, not enrichment

      • Social studies, science, and English - hicap kids will be with hicap kids. It won’t be different curriculum, but may include enrichment through some use of additional documents, reading an extra book, etc.

      • Skyview 6th grade does not do it

    • It feels like middle schools don’t understand what it means to be a hicap kid and their unique needs

Council Questions/Updates

  • Meet and greet with families

    • The one that happened, mainly stay at home parents attended

    • There was nothing new for the reps (in terms of the discussion and issues)

    • Could be a good replacement for playdates

    • Issue of late-qualifiers came up; questions around testing, issues around professional development and class sizes

    • Could clarify the position of the Council 

    • Next event: Tentatively March 3 - Maybe Woodinville Library? Might be earlier based on dates of registration


Action Items

  • ASHLEY will share council Google doc of math pathways. A

  • ALL: Offer suggestions for the math pathways document (would love a TL; DR and subject headings)

  • ELEMENTARY REPS: Promote the math webinars! Post on FB, send to 5th grade teachers, etc. Point families this first to webinar, then to HiCap page, then to teachers.

  • MIDDLE SCHOOL REPS: Please find out when your school is doing registration for incoming 6th graders and share with council

    • Timbercrest: March 20 is intro, March 25th selection forms due

  • ELISA will consider booking a meet and greet session AFTER the Math webinar but before registration forms are due (based on the dates). Possible location is Woodinville Library.


Next month Agenda/Meeting

  • November working groups and items