RECHS AIG Plan

2021-2022

Goal Correlating with Standard 1:   To implement identification procedures that are clear, equitable, and comprehensive and lead towards appropriate educational services.

Rockingham County Schools define what it means to be academically gifted in reading, academically gifted in math, intellectually gifted in reading, intellectually gifted in math, and both academically and intellectually gifted.

• Students who are academically gifted have the ability to perform at the top ten percent on standardized assessments in comparison to the same age peers in reading (AR), mathematics (AM), or in both areas (AG).
• Students who are intellectually gifted (IG) have reasoning skills at the top five percent on a nationally normed test in comparison to the same age peers in reading (IG-R), mathematics(IG-M), or in both areas.
• Academically and intellectually gifted (AI) students demonstrate strengths in the areas of performance and reasoning skills in at least one academic area.

Students in grades four through thirteen may be referred for possible AIG placement by administrators, parents, students, or teachers. Rockingham County Schools’ AIG program will identify AIG students in grades 8-13 through the use of multiple pathways and multiple entry points. Annual end-of-grade test results in 8th grade and end-of-course test results at 8th grade and at the high school level will be reviewed as possible entry points for students in grades 8-13. The Identification/Placement (I/P) team will meet at least two times a semester to review data and discuss any new possible placements. I/P team members will include: a counselor, an English Honors teacher, a Math Honors teacher, the high school instructional coach or the AIG Lead Teacher, and an administrator. Cognitive Abilities Test results at these grade levels can be utilized every two years to identify academically and/or intellectually gifted students. Pathways for a student to be identified as academically and/or intellectually gifted in grades 8-13 are described below:

TRANSFER STUDENTS

Because AIG guidelines are consistent throughout the system, placements for students who transfer within the system are automatic. Any student from another system who transfers with appropriate documentation of participation in a program for academically or intellectually gifted will continue to receive services in the appropriate AIG setting. In such cases, parents are notified and invited to attend a DEP conference with the instructional coach.

AIG Identification and Placement Team Members*

2021-2022

*The committee meets at least twice a year to discuss placement of students for the upcoming or following year. New students who meet the criteria are discussed, as well as students who are currently in the program.

Entrance Criteria –High School (Grades 8-12)

Pathways to AIG Student Identification

*Students may qualify through more than one pathway and could qualify as Academically and Intellectually Gifted.

**CogAT testing can be initiated by the parent, a teacher, an IP team member or the student every two years.

These totals and percentages are based on the total enrollment (Grade 9-13) as of  

As of 10/1/2021

Numbers and Percentages of Formally Identified AIG Students

RECHS High School

2020-2021

Goal Correlating to Standard 2:   To employ challenging, rigorous, and relevant curriculum and instruction K-12 to accommodate a range of academic, intellectual, social, and emotional needs of gifted learners. 

Each school has an instructional coach which provides support to teachers in employing diverse and effective instructional practices. Co-teaching is used as the service delivery model to ensure that differentiation, extension, and enrichment are provided to the gifted students. This model includes the following:

• Cluster-grouping of AIG students in classrooms
• List of all AIG certified teachers is provided to the principals
• Training on co-teaching practices for the instructional coaches, teachers, and administrators
• Instructional coach planning time with teachers
• Flexible use of four co-teaching approaches
• Equitable services for unidentified students from underrepresented populations
• Combinations of approaches used during a lesson to meet needs of students

AIG Service Delivery Options at RECHS High School

At the high school level, students are able to self-select courses and participate in special activities. This self-selection process is supported through counseling, DEP meetings, and recommendations from teachers, instructional coaches, and school counselors.  Students have the option to pursue Honors and Advanced Placement classes as well as High School Academies.  Each student has the option of attending a traditional high school program or one of the following academies:

• Reidsville High School - IB program
• Rockingham County High School - Public Safety Academy
• Morehead High School - Health Science Academy
• McMichael High School - STEM Academy
• Rockingham Early College High School

In addition to selecting a high school academy, all students can participate in a Virtual Academy.  These online courses are taken in addition to the regular coursework and the majority of the offerings are at an advanced level.

The instructional coaches collaboratively plan with instructional staff to ensure appropriate services for gifted learners. Coaching cycles are utilized to facilitate teacher growth and improvement in instructional practices.

Goal Correlating to Standard 3:   To recruit and retain highly qualified professionals and provide relevant and effective professional development concerning the needs of gifted learners that is ongoing and comprehensive. 

Each school has a full time instructional coach that is AIG-licensed or will be licensed within one year of assuming the position.  The following responsibilities ensure that the needs of gifted learners are explicitly met:

• Implement, facilitate, and integrate the district and school AIG Plan including:

• Conduct identification placement team meetings
• Coordinate the development of Differentiated Education Plans (DEP) for Students
• Plan school level advisory council meetings (2 per year)
• Provide direct and indirect services following the district AIG Plan
• Serve as parent contact for AIG communication and concerns
• Create and submit a school AIG plan to the AIG director or AIG lead teacher
• Organize and keep secure AIG student paperwork and data

• Deliver school and district professional development in the area of increasing student achievement through formative assessment, instructional strategies, vocabulary instruction, and Common Core/Essential Standards to support differentiated classroom instruction.
• Collaborate with the school based instructional leadership team and district leaders
• Effectively employ coaching strategies to assist teachers with reflective practice to inform and   improve instruction through research based best practices.
• Co-teach, model lessons, and provide meaningful instructional support to classroom teachers.
• Participate in CASA meetings and collaborative planning meetings

RCS AIG department recommends that classroom teachers have AIG certification when the classroom membership includes AIG students.  Principals are expected to cluster group and provide flexible scheduling options to ensure identified learners are served by regular education teachers who are AIG certified, whenever possible. Instructional coaches, who are also certified, work with identified AIG students and with teachers who do not have AIG certification.  Using information in our locally developed AIG Application, the AIG department monitors the placement of students in classrooms with AIG certified teachers. In the spring, each principal is given a list of current AIG certified teachers at his/her school site as plans are made for the next school year.

AIG Certified Teachers

Rob Seltzer - Math

Valencia Abbott - Social Studies

Stephanie Dickens - Social Studies teacher & IC

Andrew Johnson - English teacher

Planned Professional Development at School and District Level:

Collaboration Opportunities within School Environment

List of Classroom Teachers who serve gifted students:

Goal Correlated with Standard 4:   To provide an array of K-12 programs and services by the total school community to meet the diverse academic, intellectual, social, and emotional needs of gifted learners.

Students receive services and are cluster-grouped according to their identified area(s) of strength. Students requiring individualized services may need subject or grade level acceleration in a setting that best meets their differentiation goals.  Differentiated Education Plans (DEP) and Individualized Differentiated Education Plans (IDEP) are developed to align services with students’ demonstrated needs. Instructional coaches collaborate to make sure that students have equitable access to resources.

All teachers and schools are consistently aware of student identification and service needs at each grade level. Communication is facilitated through the following means:

• School-level AIG program and plan review
• Identification/Placement Team meetings
• Instructional coaches meetings
• AIG weekly updates
• Established procedures for transferring student records
• Talent Development Pool Lists
• AIG Application Rosters

Collaboration to address the social and emotional needs of students is facilitated through:

• Instructional Coach  Meetings
• Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS)
• Collaboration Around Student Achievement (CASA) meetings
• Instructional coach/counselor collaboration meetings: Book study, planning lessons to address student social and emotional needs, training on the development of DEPs each spring
• Annual training for teachers at the school level
• Identification/Placement Team meetings to focus on the holistic needs of gifted learners
• District level collaboration between Director of Instructional Programs and Assistant Superintendent of Support Service/Exceptional Children’s Program

The RECHS AIG program supports and encourages students to consider participating in the following community services, extra-curricular programs, and/or contests:  

Goal Correlated with Standard 5:   To ensure on-going and meaningful participation of stakeholders in the planning and implementation of the local AIG program to develop strong partnerships. 

- Parent meetings (include date of DEP meeting)

- Advisory council members and dates of meetings

- Partnerships with businesses, parents, and other stakeholders in the

  community

Parents of rising 9th-12th AIG students will be invited to attend an informational meeting in  December 2019. At this meeting, parents will be provided with information regarding course and extra-curricular options that are available at the high school for gifted students.

At the high school level, students self-select their courses, so they are actively involved in the DEP process annually. This ensures that students are well-informed of their options and well-directed in their course selections for the upcoming year. The IC and school counselors will conduct individual DEP meetings with students in December 2019, and the DEPs will be  sent home with the students to be signed by the parents. Signed DEPs will be collected by the IC and/or the counseling department.

Advisory Council Members and Meeting Dates

The Advisory Council meets at least twice a year, once in November and another time in April. The purpose of the Advisory Council is to review and evaluate the AIG program at the school in order to continue meeting the needs of the AIG students in the school. Minutes are taken at the meetings, and they are submitted for review to the county’s AIG Advisory Board. The members on the Advisory Council include the IP team, as well as parents who are interested in participating.  

Goal Correlated with Standard 6:   To implement, monitor, and evaluate the local AIG program and plan to ensure that all programs and services are effective in meeting the academic, intellectual, social, and emotional needs of gifted learners. 

                - Annual review of goals and objectives

                - Growth Summary Based on EOG Results (Do not include student

   names.)

                - Retention data of under-served populations

Annual Review of Goals and Objectives

• Person responsible for school plan and portfolio
• The school advisory committee will have ongoing input as we review goals and objectives throughout the year.  The system’s AIG Advisory Board will also be involved in the review.

• AIG data will be analyzed at the end of the year to determine the average growth of AIG students. Other appropriate information will be evaluated, as well.  

• Upon request, the Director of Testing and Accountability will provide data and professional development that will assist in the analysis of AIG data to determine the growth of AIG students. This will occur in the fall of each school year. The analysis will be of the previous year’s end-of-grade-test results.

• A growth summary is attached to show the average growth of “High School AIG students in both reading and math.  This data has been gathered from the previous spring’s EOG and was provided by the Director of Testing and Accountability for Rockingham County Schools.

Minimum Performance Standards

 A growth summary is attached to show average growth of AIG students at each grade level in reading and math.  This data will show information gathered from EOC Testing Data from spring of 2021.

Summary/Action from Analysis of Data:

A copy of each plan is to be turned in to the principal and to the AIG Lead Teacher.  The Instructional Coach keeps a copy also.