Gifted Education for Middle School Children
The Middle School Gifted Program serves students through a cluster/resource model or a full-time gifted school. Students may apply for admission to the gifted middle school, Kemps Landing Magnet, or students may choose to remain in their neighborhood schools and receive gifted instruction through the cluster resource model. Either option allows gifted students to work to their potential through curricular opportunities emphasizing differentiated instruction, specialized programs, and the use of strategies designed especially to raise levels of thinking and learning. If you need additional information contact Kelly A. Hedrick, Director, Office of Gifted Education and Academy Programs at kellya.hedrick@vbschools.com.
See individual school listings.
The cluster/resource teacher program available in each middle school provides the potential for gifted resource teachers and core area cluster teachers to develop exciting, differentiated curriculum through a collaborative team effort. In addition, this model promotes optimum understanding of the needs of gifted children for all school staff, without creating an isolated learning environment. Gifted students interact with their teachers and classmates in a heterogeneous grouping, while attaining benefits through the modification of content, process, product, and learning environment.
Each middle school is assigned a gifted resource teacher whose responsibilities include resource and leadership duties, as well as services to students. The gifted resource teacher may work face-to-face with the students or work with cluster teachers, other school personnel, and organizations to facilitate direct services. Demonstration teaching, collegial sharing, collaborative planning, peer coaching, and providing staff development opportunities create the essential link of the gifted resource teacher to the cluster teachers. Communicating the needs of gifted learners, as well as the choices available to these students, is an integral function of the gifted resource teacher.
Students have the opportunity to take advanced classes in English, science, and mathematics, and may begin a foreign language. The pace in these classes is rapid and students explore the subjects in greater depth and with additional intensity. Selection of these courses in middle school allows students the opportunity to take advanced classes in high school, whether as part of advanced placement curricula or as one of the possible high school academy opportunities.
Kemps Landing Magnet School (KLMS)
Kemps Landing is a full-time school for academically gifted students in grades six through eight. Kemps Landing Magnet School, together with family and community, aims to provide a safe, nurturing environment in which open communication and a challenging, differentiated curriculum will prepare gifted students to be lifelong learners, committed to excellence. Students must apply to Kemps Landing and be accepted in order to attend.
Kemps Landing Magnet School requires English, math, science, social studies, physical education, an exploratory, and a foreign language. All students entering the sixth grade will take Latin. Seventh and eighth graders have the opportunity of continuing with Latin or changing to French, German, or Spanish. In addition to these language credits, all students also receive credit toward graduation for Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II/Trigonometry, and Earth Science upon successful completion of these courses. Because a foreign language is required of all students at KLMS, an extended day allows participation in an exploratory program. Classes such as chorus, orchestra, band, drama, computers, oral/written communication and other specialized courses are offered. Opportunities exist for students to explore topics or subjects of specific interest through distance learning. Extracurricular activities include options such as Future Problem Solving, Destination Imagination, forensics, debate, Academic Challenge, SCA, and several other clubs in which students have special interests. The school does not offer a competitive sports program.
International Baccalaureate Program- Plaza Middle School
The Governor's School for the Arts
http://www.Gsarts.net
Students in Virginia Beach City Public Schools, in grades 9-12, are eligible to attend the Governor's School for the Arts in Norfolk, Virginia. Students must complete an application and audition for the intensive programs in dance, music, performing arts, theatre, and visual arts. The applications are available from the school all year and the adjudication process takes place in January of each year. Interested eighth grade students may attend informational meetings held in November (at student's school) and December (citywide) each year.
Students take their academic classes at their regular high schools in the morning and attend the Governor's School for the Arts for three hours every day during the regular school year. For each year they attend, students may earn three credits.
For more information, please visit the above web site.
The Secondary Arts Enrichment Program
Students identified in visual and performing arts and in grades 6 - 12 may participate in opportunities offered through the Secondary Arts Enrichment Program. Workshops, lectures, and other options are advertised in direct mailings to students identified in the particular arts area. Questions may be addressed to Cathy Jones, Gifted Programs Coordinator, at CathyJ.Jones@vbschools.com.
Students may be considered for gifted programs through referral by parents/guardians, students, teachers, themselves, and other persons who may have knowledge or expertise to make such a referral including community members, or by any other appropriate school personnel e.g., the student support teams. Should students be eligible for gifted services, parents/guardians will automatically be sent information about the gifted programs.
Referral forms are available in all schools from the gifted resource teacher, the guidance department, or the gifted program contact person and may be submitted at any time during the academic year.
The process for Kemps Landing Magnet School requires that completed applications be received by the first of February of the current year.
Students in grades 6 & 7 may apply to the visual and performing arts program housed at Old Donation Center that serves students in grades 3 - 8. Selection is made through an application and audition process. Auditions are held in the spring. Applications may be submitted throughout the year.
Student eligibility for citywide gifted services is determined through the use of multiple criteria, and students must demonstrate potential for exceptional performance and academic needs that cannot be met through general education curricula. The Virginia Department of Education has established the following categories of giftedness:
Screening and Placement
Once a student has been tested, an eligibility committee reviews all information submitted to determine the best placement for the student. Criteria for selection will include data from a combination of the following elements:
Notification Procedures
Applications for the Cluster/Resource Program and other citywide gifted programs are reviewed periodically throughout the year.
Parents/guardians are notified of the committee's decisions by letter. Applications for Kemps Landing Magnet School are accepted by the first of February for the current year. Parents or guardians are notified of the committee's decisions by letter.
Parents/guardians, teachers, or counselors for a variety of reasons may initiate the consideration process for a change in program placement. The evaluation committee considers the same criteria previously used for program placement, and any additional information that may be available such as performance in gifted program activities and classes. After the committee reviews all information, it will recommend one of the following actions:
Requests for appeals for gifted services and admission to Kemps Landing Magnet School are first addressed by the administrator(s) at Kemps Landing Magnet School. All other appeals are sent directly to the Office of Gifted Education and Academy Programs. If the parents/guardians do not agree with this decision, they may submit an additional request to the Director of the Office of Gifted Education and Academy Programs who chairs the second level appeals committee. This committee is composed of the Director of the Office of Gifted Education and Academy Programs, the supervisor of psychological services, an elementary curriculum coordinator, a middle school curriculum coordinator, a high school curriculum coordinator from the Office of Instructional Services and Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
The appeal of a placement decision regarding a student may be made in writing by a parent, a teacher, or other appropriate school personnel. Parents/guardians and students are invited to present new information including a portfolio that they feel would be helpful to the committee in making their decision.
At the committee's initial meeting on the appeal, the committee will review all data that has been collected. At that time, the committee will decide if additional assessment data is needed, and if so, would make a request to psychological services for individual test(s) to be administered; or, the committee may determine that based on the data that has been submitted, no additional data is needed.
The committee's decisions may include one of the following:
Local Plan for Gifted Education
Each school division is required to submit to the Virginia Department of Education for approval a plan for the education of gifted students. Copies of Virginia Beach's plan are available upon request. Copies and alternative formats of the document are available at the school administration building.
Community Participation
The Gifted Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC) is appointed by the division superintendent to offer advice regarding gifted services. The CAC is comprised of parents, gifted education teachers, administrators, gifted students, and the business community. The makeup of the committee reflects the various school levels and populations, geographic, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity of the community.
Parents have formed an active PTA chapter at Kemps Landing Magnet School that meets monthly. The PTA is very active in school activities and plays a large part in fund-raising efforts and special projects. All parents are encouraged to join.
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