Gifted Education in the Ferguson-Florissant School District Presented by the Probe Staff Introduce self

Probe Verb To investigate, to explore, & to seek to uncover information about something or someone. Noun The Gifted Education program for FFSD area students in grades 2-5. Adjective Describing a student that has been identified as Gifted and served by FFSD. “My Probe Student attends Probe one day a week where they probe and investigate many topics.” Used to be an acronym Now simply the word probe

What is the Probe Program? Provides higher-level learning opportunities for intellectually and academically exceptional students in grades 2-5. Rigorous and relevant curriculum presented in thematic problem solving units that develop 21st Century skills Opportunity to regularly interact with their intellectual peers. Higher level Thematic problem solving units Interact w/ intellectual peers

Where is Probe? Probe 2-5 program is housed at Duchesne Elementary Students attend one day a week from 8:45 AM-1:45 PM

2nd-5th grade students identified as gifted Who can participate? 2nd-5th grade students identified as gifted from FFSD district schools, non-public schools, and homeschooling families

What about sixth graders? 6th graders that qualify for Gifted Services attend the STEAM Academy full time

What criteria are used to identify Probe students? The state has specific guidelines for gifted services. Each district has DESE approved criteria that identify the top 5% of their population to receive services. Different districts = different criteria DESE approved

How are students nominated for the Gifted Program? Universal Screening of all First and Fifth Graders Parent or Teacher nomination of students in other grades

Universal Screening All First grade students - 4th quarter All Fifth grade students - 1st quarter Review standardized assessments 15-20 % of children at a grade level will take group tests. (CogAT7 Screener) Approximately 10% of children at a grade level will move on to the individual test. (KBIT2) Parents and teachers complete behavior rating scales Data is reviewed to determine if student meets criteria for gifted services Read and discuss slide CogAT consists of analogies KBIT consists of verbal and nonverbal subtests

Parent or Teacher Nominations Parents and teachers should contact the school counselor, who will send nominations to Susan Luebbers at STEAM. Nominations follow the same process as universal screening. Contact school counselor

What are gifted traits? Pass out flyer

How do I support students that are gifted in my classroom? Make sure your students get breakfast before they leave for Probe Try to plan field trips on non Probe days Try to limit how much work your students must make up on Probe day Contact us if your Probe student is struggling academically

PROBE STAFF Colin Brown: Probe office professional Bea Wilmering: 2nd Graders Susan Cloud: 3rd Graders Karen Doering: 4th Graders Michael Vordtriede: 5th Graders Susan Luebbers: Probe tester Dr. Sheila Ward: Probe Director and Administrator Dr. Chris Ries: Director of STEAM & Gifted Education PROBE STAFF

How can we help prepare? For the youngest children, focus on attributes. Discuss similarities and differences.

Exposure to the format of analogies is helpful Exposure to the format of analogies is helpful. Help kids see the relationships between items (opposite, big/small, part to whole, etc.)

Verbal analogy practice

Characteristics of Gifted Learners