Elementary School:

• SY24 Elementary Gifted Programs

• SY24 Gifted Evaluation Process - Fall 2023 Cycle

A description of our services:

SEARCH - KG-3rd Grade

Cardinal Ridge Gifted Resource Teacher delivers interactive, bi-weekly lessons to all children in grades K-3. SEARCH lessons are developed to foster an environment that encourages students to take intellectual risks and to develop an excitement for learning and discovery across a variety of thinking skills. The curriculum spirals developmentally through five components: reasoning, perceiving, connecting, evaluating, and creating. 

FUSION - 4th & 5th Grade

The school-based, collaborative FUSION program is a new model for delivering gifted services for formally identified 4th and 5th grade gifted learners. FUSION, formerly FUTURA, provides gifted services for students at their home schools. A gifted resource teacher collaborates with classroom teachers to challenge gifted learners in their regular classrooms by enriching and extending the general curriculum.  In addition, gifted learners meet in the Gifted Resource Room for two-hour sessions to collaborate on a variety of challenging, project-based learning activities designed to integrate the five C's of 21st century learning: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Communication, Collaboration, and Contribution to Real-World Problem-Solving.

DCI - 4th & 5th Grade

Beginning in Spring 2022, the LCPS Gifted Education Department added a new level of gifted services for 4th and 5th grade students. It is called Differentiated Classroom Instruction or DCI. Students who, during the gifted evaluation process, demonstrated exceptional performance in one domain, language arts or mathematics, were found in need of DCI in their area of strength. Students are identified for DCI mathematics and DCI language arts--or, on occasion, both domains.The gifted resource teacher will meet weekly with DCI students to provide enrichment via deeper learning, rigor, and hands-on, project-based learning. 

EDGE 

The EDGE program’s mission is to identify, nurture, and challenge high-potential students who have been historically underrepresented in LCPS advanced academic and gifted programs. The classroom and gifted resource teachers work in tandem to promote academic rigor, foster a growth mindset, and prepare these young learners for more challenging and rigorous academic pathways.

Seeking Educational Alternatives to Reach and Challenge Higher-Level thinking skills

The Loudoun County SEARCH program, offered to all K-3 grade students, focuses on thinking skills and is designed to foster a classroom environment that encourages students to develop an excitement for learning and discovery. SEARCH teachers work within the classroom to stimulate curiosity, practice problem solving strategies, incorporate cooperative learning activities, provide opportunities for students to use higher level thinking skills, and to identify students with exceptional ability. During the lessons the primary classroom teacher makes observations to gain insight into the students’ various skills, strengths, and learning styles. Both teachers work cooperatively to recognize and develop the potential for excellence in each student. The SEARCH teacher is available to assist in the development of lesson plans and activities that promote higher level thinking, model or provide tips for differentiating instruction and to offer enrichment to students who have been formally identified for gifted services. The Loudoun County SEARCH lessons are organized under the learning keys listed below and are aligned with theVirginia Standards of Learning.

These lessons fulfill the goals of the LCPS Gifted Education Department which are:

1.To become divergent creative thinkers who recognize problems and solve them.
2.To construct personal meaning and understanding of others and of the world around them.
3.To develop the capacity for self-assessment (ownership of the learning).

Main Topics (The Thinking Keys):

• Connecting

• Reasoning

• Creating

• Perceiving

• Evaluating

What is DCI?

The LCPS Gifted Education Department has added a new level of gifted services for 4th and 5th grade students this year. It is called Differentiated Classroom Instruction or DCI. Students who demonstrated exceptional performance in one domain, language arts or mathematics, during the gifted evaluation process were found in need of DCI in their area of strength. Some students may have been identified for DCI mathematics and DCI language arts.

This year, the gifted resource teacher in your child’s school will co-teach with your children's classroom teacher to provide extensions or enrichment options to differentiate instruction for your child in their area of strength. These activities are designed to provide additional opportunities for rigor and deeper learning in language arts and/or mathematics.

Questions about DCI  may be directed to the gifted resource teacher at your child’s school.

EDGE Empowering Diversity in Gifted Education

The EDGE program is designed to nurture and challenge students with gifted potential from historically underrepresented populations. The program provides additional academic challenges for students designed to develop students' individual potential. Grade-level teachers and gifted resource teachers work together to find and nurture gifted potential in young learners and prepare them for more challenging and rigorous academic pathways.

Goals:

• To develop high-level reasoning skills in students by providing additional academic challenges.

• To provide students with opportunities to enhance behaviors associated with high achievement such as developing independence and demonstrating respect for one's self and others.