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Highly Capable (HiCap)

Glossary of Gifted/Highly Capable Terms

Advanced Placement: Formal AP curriculum for which high school students can complete a course and take the exam for college credit. Also, placement in a class more advanced than the student's age.

Advanced learning opportunities: Experiences or activities that are above or beyond the "regular curriculum." Challenging classes or activities that not all students could, should or would want to do.

Cluster Grouping: A group of approximately 3-8+ students are grouped according to advanced ability in a regular classroom.

Curriculum Compacting: Mastery of required curriculum is demonstrated at a faster pace in order to create classroom time to work on advanced learning projects.  For example, the student can "test out" of a grade-level unit and work on something at his/her readiness level instead.

Differentiating Curriculum: Strategies designed to accommodate the various needs of learners in a classroom are employed. Examples include learning centers, tiered assignments, and curriculum compacting.

Gifted Behavior: Behavior that emerges when above average ability, high task commitment, and creativity interact with one another in relation to a particular topic, area of interest, or a specific talent.

Grouping by Readiness: Grouping within a skill area. May be within the classroom, grade-level, or cross grade-level. Most commonly done in language arts and math. May include both vertical acceleration and/or horizontal enrichment.

HiCap Teaching Specialist: Person providing the leadership in planning, developing and providing services in a highly capable program. Works with building principals, classroom teachers, specialists, parents and community members in an effort to promote educational stretch for even the advanced students in a school.

Honors Classes: Curriculum offering greater depth and complexity. Typically for high-achieving, motivated students.

Independent Study: Student contracts to complete specific work or project with supervision and monitoring.

Interest Groups: Students who participate in a class or group based on a common interest in a topic such as poetry, drama, or photography.

Multiple Intelligences: This philosophy says there are various ways to "be smart."  Each intelligence type involves the ability to solve problems, fashion a product, or make a contribution that is valued in at least one culture or community. Based on the work of Harvard psychologist Dr. Howard Gardner, the are 7 or 8 types:  visual-spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, linguistic, logical-mathematical, and sometimes nature is added as a talent area.

Multi-Disciplinary Selection Committee (MDSC): Defined by the WAC Chapter 392 as consisting of a classroom teacher with training and experience in teaching highly capable students; a psychologist, or other practitioner with training to interpret test results; the program administrator; and additional professionals deemed desirable by the district. This committee is responsible for the final identification of highly capable students.  Objective test scores (ie. NWEA MAPS, Cognitive Ability Test) are given greatest weight, and more subjective measures (ie. student, peer, teacher, or parent referrals) are also used. Multiple data points are considered, looking for a pattern that shows an academic need for advanced curriculum.

Newsroom: An environment that facilitates self-directed learning projects for HiCap identified students and teacher-referred students.  This class is usually for gifted readers.

Parent Nomination: Involves giving parents the opportunity to nominate their own child for identification for highly capable services. A parent can simply email the HiCap specialist at that child's school, or the HiCap coordinator for the district, stating why the child should be considered.  Child's full name, grade level, and school should be included. Parent nominations are part of the information considered by the Multi-Disciplinary Selection Team.

Pull-Out: Students leave the regular classroom to attend HiCap classes based on a need for additional challenge in a given area, i.e., math, language arts or self-directed study.  This is usually at the elementary level.

Push-In: The HiCap teaching specialist comes into classrooms by teacher invitation for a whole-class activity.

Revolving Door Identification Model: Designed to provide supplementary services at the time and in the particular areas where such services have the greatest potential for benefiting students. The revolving door allows students to move into and out of services as the need arises.

Schoolwide Enrichment Model: Developed by Dr. Joseph Renzulli, this model is designed to meet the needs of traditionally defined gifted students as well as to enrich the lives of all students within a given school or district. Key features of this program include various levels and types of services; involvement of classroom teachers, parents and administrators; procedures for curriculum compacting; and frequent, open communication.  Our program initially began as a Schoolwide Enrichment Model program, but has evolved slightly over the years in order to meet the WACs.

Self-Referral: Involves giving students the opportunity to nominate themselves for possible HiCap identification/services.  Students may also refer their peers.  The student would simply send a letter or email to the HiCap specialist at the student's school, detailing full name and grade, and providing reasons the student should be considered.

Talent: Demonstrated skill or advanced ability in one or more of the multiple intelligences.

Talent Development: Establishing the conditions and providing opportunities to explore the multiple intelligences in order for talent to emerge.

Talent Groups: Students who are referred to the HiCap specialist based on a demonstrated talent in a particular area such as math, reading, or visual-spatial skills.

Talent Pool: Students whose demonstrated abilities (or potential for highly capable behavior) based on criteria established by the Washington Administrative Code qualify them for special provisions within and in addition to the regular curriculum. These students are invited to participate in HiCap services. 

 

Upcoming Events

April 1

Spring Break (No School)

Start: Apr 1, 2024 End: Apr 5, 2024

Multi-Day Event

April 9

Board Meeting

6:00 PM

April 15

Board Workshop

1:00 PM

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