1. 2013-2014 Talent Development Focus Community House Middle School Community House Middle School, Sep. 2013 Welcome, Parents! 1

2. To develop and extend the type of learning and thinking that is characteristic of “experts” through advanced content knowledge that is organized around key ideas and principles and applied meaningfully in problem-solving exercises. The Goal of TD Education 2 Community House Middle School, Sep. 2013

3. What are some key characteristics of “gifted” learners? Community House Middle School, Sep. 2013 ALL students may demonstrate gifted behaviors in varying degrees. It is a matter of the complexity, frequency, and intensity of the demonstrated behaviors that determines whether students require differentiated, “TD” instruction. Text complexity is the number one indicator of a challenging and rigorous curriculum (not “special projects” done outside the regular classroom setting). CCSS, Appendix A, 2009 The Common Core State Standards, now adopted by 45 states, District of Columbia, and 4 territories, aims to not only target “gifted” students, but to target ALL students in ALL subjects with a challenging and spiraled curriculum. 3

4. So what do we mean by “text complexity?” Community House Middle School, Sep. 2012 Text complexity is determined by qualitative and quantitative “measures.” A lexile is a quantitative score assigned to a text that reflects such elements as sentence length and construction, word length and frequency, and text cohesion. In order to exit high school reading at this level, students should be exposed to more complex texts throughout the K ‐ 12 years, as indicated in the "stretch text" chart (next slide). © lexile.com, 2010 Where nation is: 800-1010 Where nation needs to be: 955-1155 So, where is CHMS on this scale?? 4

5. Text Complexity at CHMS Community House Middle School, Sep. 2012 Where nation IS: 800-1010 Where nation needs to be: 955-1155 2/3 of CHMS = 1100-1400 + 5

6. So what does this all mean…? Community House Middle School, Sep. 2013 All students MUST be reading text that is appropriately challenging for them in all subject areas! CHMS uses “tiers” of text complexity (students read texts in a target “tier” or zone, both in and out of class, and are re-assessed throughout school year to gauge changes in lexiles). Refer to Lexile Framework below: http://cdn.lexile.com/m/cms_page_media/135/Lexile%20Map_8.5x11_FINAL_Updated_May_2013%20(4).pdf Outside of school, students need opportunities to read “real- world” texts that are not only complex but informational in nature (i.e., New York Times, Wall Street Journal, etc.). 6

7. What does TD look like at secondary level? “The Inclusive Model” Community House Middle School, Sep. 2013 All students enrolled in Honors or Standard-level courses based on certain “Open Access” criteria (TD status a factor) MAP – Measures of Academic Progress (Math and ELA) http://www.nsbsd.org/cms/lib01/AK01001879/Centricity/Domain/41/DESCARTEsEssentials.pdf Differentiation is provided in every course through content, process, and product changes within a given unit / lesson. Differentiated Education Plans…let’s take a look! GROUP DEP's\CHMS_6th_DEP_2013-2014.docxGROUP DEP's\CHMS_7th_DEP_2013-2014.docx GROUP DEP's\CHMS_8th_DEP_2013-2014.docx 7