GT LEADers in Action!November I edition

Thank you, veterans and family members, for your honored and selfless service!

SAGE Parents Organization is hosting a special lunch TOMORROW, Tuesday, November 15 at 11:30 at the PDEC (Professional Development Center) with Becky Manning, Director of GCISD Advanced Academics.  She will share the E2 Initiative:  Enrichment and Extension efforts of GT specialists in the district supporting regular classroom teachers.  Please make plans to bring your sack lunch for this informative session.

GT LEAD KINDERGARTEN TESTING INFORMATION: 

There is a video of the parent information meeting from Nov. 10 on the Advanced Academics website for those who were not able to make it.  The deadline for parents to refer their child(ren) for gifted testing is November 30.  Please contact your child's homeroom teacher if you are planning to do so.  Classroom teachers will contact me about sending parents a digital parent inventory and permission-to-test.  

Kindergarten testing will occur January 4-13th. 

5TH Grade GT LEAD/ASPIRE MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENT INFO MEETING: 

Tuesday, December 6 at  6:00 pm 

Professional Development Center, 5800 Colleyville Blvd., Colleyville  76034

This meeting is for parents who are interested in Middle School GT program for their:

• current 5th grader (non-GT identified) student testing for the gifted and talented program
• current 5th grader (Identified GT) student testing for the Aspire Academy
• current 5th grader (Identified GT) student looking for their placement options for Middle School 

There will only be one district-wide meeting, but then a video of it will be put on the Advanced Academics website for those who cannot make it. 

The referral window for parents to refer their child(ren) for gifted testing is December 1-12.  

Please contact your child's homeroom teacher if you are planning to do so.  Classroom teachers will contact me about sending you a digital application to test.   

The actual Fifth Grade testing will occur January 4-13th. 

Grades 1-4 GT LEAD/Aspire Academy Testing Information:

First, Second, Third, and Fourth Grade parents, please stay tuned for more details. However, below you will find dates for GCISD's GT testing windows. 

• 1st - 4th GT Identify Parent Info Night, February 2, 2017 
• 1st- 4th Parent Referrals, February 13 - February 28, 2017
• 1st- 4th Gifted and Talented Testing, February 27 - March 10, 2017 

Here's the blueprint of our classroom:

1st grade is the only crew I know that can complete a draw start, transfer it to a puzzle board, and then challenge their classmates to solve their puzzle.  Scholars also focused on logic challenges with deductive reasoning from clues.  And math problems kept their brains fully active!

2nd grade showed their thankfulness by considering the "perspective" from a non-living thing.  For example, microscopes are thankful for soft eyelashes that brush against the eye piece.  3D printers are thankful for filament to print models.  Scholars drew double draw-starts to reveal the connection and wrote thank you letters showing that appreciation.

Apparently, Legos can be thankful for solar energy, primary colors, flat surfaces and clean toddler hands.

3rd grade opened their hearts and talents to creating holiday cards for the seniors at GRACE.  Scholars were challenged to add something original or innovative to their design.  They painted lovely watercolor messages that I know will warm hearts.  They also concluded their academic discipline study by writing a letter to their future self.  

4th grade studied critical elements of famous monuments, like the Statue of Liberty.   They recognized that she portrays liberty, freedom, enlightenment, etc.  Students then self-reflected on critical characteristics of their own identity.  Please talk about that list with them to help narrow it down. 

Really cool Jack and Rowen photobomb

5th grade is thrilled to announce that it's SPARK Talk time!  Dr. Robin Ryan, Superintendent of GCISD School District, created a video for these students, encouraging them to better the world through their independent study.

Ask your child what this "messy web" reflects when one student forgets their responsibilities.

3D puzzles

HAVE A FANTASTIC THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
WITH YOUR FAMILY!