SEARCH

Resources

EDGE

EDGE (Empowering Diversity in Gifted Education) is a talent development model designed to provide additional academic rigor and challenge to develop the talents of students who exhibit high academic potential and who are from groups historically underrepresented in gifted programs and other advanced academic opportunities. A student with high potential shows readiness for performing at an exceptional level of accomplishment in at least one academic domain and/or is characterized by exceptional gifts, talents, motivation, or high level interests in any academic domain.

At Sully, we have a 3rd grade EDGE group that starts right away with the beginning of the school year. 2nd grade will start EDGE as we begin the 2nd quarter. I visit 4th and 5th grade classrooms each week for Math and Language Arts.

SEARCH

Seeking Educational Activities to Reach and Challenge Higher Level Thinking Skills 

From the LCPS gifted webpage: 

"SEARCH teachers provide model lessons in thinking skills to students in grades K-4. Classroom teachers work with the SEARCH teacher to screen students for referral and identification for gifted services. The bi-weekly SEARCH lessons are designed to foster an environment that encourages students to think, take intellectual risks, and develop an excitement for learning and discovery across a variety of thinking skills.

The SEARCH curriculum is problem-solving based and founded upon gifted education research. The curriculum spirals developmentally through five components:  reasoning, perceiving, connecting, evaluating, and creating. Each grade level learns about each component at increasingly more complex and abstract levels. " 

From Mrs. Styles: 

SEARCH is for all students K-3.  I visit the K-3 classrooms twice per month.   I present a creative or critical thinking lesson that is intended to challenge students and give them an opportunity to think in new and different ways.   No grades are given for SEARCH and you will not find it on the report card.   SEARCH allows me to observe / screen students for possible future referrals for gifted services.   All students benefit from the exposure to critical thinking and creative thinking opportunities.  We play games, work alone or in groups, solve puzzles, draw, and write (unusual ideas are encouraged).  It is important that students gain experience persevering in the face of a challenge, as there will certainly always be tasks that are difficult throughout life.  SEARCH is a great time to take an academic risk and showcase those "outside the box" ideas without worrying about grades.  

All 3rd graders are screened by the gifted department in the spring.   During our SEARCH time, we work on making a portfolio.  This means I keep a folder with student work samples that will be used as part of the screening process.   In addition to the portfolio, MAP and CoGat scores are considered. 

4th and 5th graders can also go through this process.  If they were not found eligible in 3rd grade they can be re-referred, or if they are new to the county as they enter 4th or 5th grade, they can be referred.  

Keep an eye out for special events from the gifted department to find out more (Gifted information nights), or contact me with any             questions you may have.

FUSION

2023-2024 Welcome Letter for Parents of FUSION students

FUSION is for 4th and 5th grade students that have been identified as gifted through the LCPS evaluation process.  FUSION students spend two hours per week with me in a pull-out group, and I visit them for an additional hour each (weekly) for Language Arts and Math in their classrooms.

This year, the theme for FUSION is "Leadership".   In addition to critical thinking / problem solving and differentiated Math / Language Arts tasks, we will learn about different types of leaders, common characteristics of leaders and people who display leadership qualities.  Students will explore their own characteristics and explore what kind of leader they could be, and what leadership characteristics they already possess.  

DCI students have also been identified as gifted for either Math or Language Arts.    These students are provided enrichment services when I come into their classrooms.

G/T Program Goals

Gifted Education Program Goals

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 one's learning).