Inside this issue:
Celebrate OutstandingTeachers: Reid and Sullivan 2 Kemps Landing/Old Donation School Construction Update 2 News You Can Use/Spotlight
on Gifted 3
Community Advisory Committee for Gifted Education
4
Read the Local Plan for the Education of the Gifted 2015-2020
4 Thank you for taking the
time to read the latest issue of the Gifted and Talented Bulletin. It is my sincere hope that this issue will be helpful and interesting to you!
Of utmost interest will cer-tainly be the 1/2 day parent conference to be held on August 10, 2016 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Breakfast will be provided. Additional details are in the flyer be-low. Please plan to join us; it promises to be a wonder-ful day of learning and ad-vocacy!
The parent conference being held in conjunction with an elementary cluster teacher training conference held on the same day and the day after. We are excited about the opportunity to introduce new cluster teachers to the
gifted program and to col-laborate proactively with parents as we all work to advocate for the gifted learner.
Other highlights include the teachers who were selected for recognition as Virginia Beach’s Outstanding Teach-ers of the Gifted. You will enjoy reading about Jill Reid and Missy Sullivan on page 2. You will also ap-plaud Valerie Winborne who was named Master Dance Educator of the Year for 2016 by the National Dance Society. Please read more about Valerie on page 3. How fortunate we are to know and work with such exemplary teachers! On June 21 the Community Advisory Committee for Gifted Education (CAC) will present its annual report to
the VBCPS School Board. This report highlights the work of Gifted Programs throughout the year and reports on the implementa-tion of the Local Plan for the Education of the Gifted 2015-2020 which was ap-proved by the Board last June. Please tune in to hear their recommendations and the many accomplishments of Gifted Programs. Read more about the CAC on page 4.
Thank you for your support of Gifted Programs. Have a safe and wonderful summer and we’ll see you in August at the conference!
Gifted and Talented Bulletin
Director’s Note
Veleka S. Gatling, Ph.D.,
Executive Director of the Office of Programs for Exceptional Children
O f f i c e o f P r o g r a m s f o r E x c e p t i o n a l C h i l d r e n : G i f t e d P r o g r a m s
Newsletter
Info:
The Office of Gifted Pro-grams continues to support the concept of “Go Green.” Over 3,700 subscribers receive notification each time the newest edition of the electronic newsletter is available for reading. If you are not currently a subscriber, click on the small icon at the top right of the homepage where it says “sign up for email updates,” scroll down to find the Gifted and Talent-ed Bulletin, enter your email address, and you will receive an email
notice, too. The newsletter is published at the end of each semester. Archives of previous issues are available here.
The Gifted Programs’ blog: Conversations: The Gifted Learner can be found at
vbcpsgiftehttp://www.weebl y.com/weebly/main.php# dprograms.
Page 2
Kemps Landing/Old Donation School Construction Update
Virginia Beach Selects Two Outstanding Teachers of the Gifted
The Virginia Association for the Gifted accepts nominations for regional Out-standing Teachers of the Gifted Awards. Virginia Beach nominated two outstand-ing educators for this year's award: Jill Reid, the gifted resource teacher (GRT) at Princess Anne Elementary School, and Missy Sullivan, GRT at First Colonial High School. Both teachers are exempla-ry teachers of the gifted and will repre-sent us very well in the Region 2 competi-tion.
Jill Reid, GRT at Princess Anne Elemen-tary School, loves working with gifted students. Her passion consists of working with cluster teachers infusing technology and gifted pedagogy into the division-wide curriculum to develop the student’s maximum potential, while making the lesson relevant in the twenty-first centu-ry. Her educational philosophy embraces teaching the whole child, which includes developing the student’s social emotional
skills and their intellectual capacity. Melissa “Missy” Sullivan, First Colonial High School GRT, adores presenting in-formation to teachers, staff, administra-tors and other specialists locally, region-ally, and nationally. Missy thoroughly enjoys developing students’ talents while simultaneously developing and expand-ing her thirst for knowledge.
According to her principal, Dr. Nancy Ferrell, “She has been a leader at First Colonial not only training the cluster teachers in best practice for gifted learn-ers but serving as a member of First Co-lonial’s Instructional Team Leader Com-mittee.” As you can see, she believes in developing the capacity of others at vari-ous levels.
Congratulations to Jill Reid and Missy Sullivan!
Construction on the new site for the combined Kemps Landing/Old Donation School continues at a rapid pace. The school name, Old Donation School, was approved by the Virginia Beach School Board for use when the new school opens. The program for identified gifted students selected by application housed at Old Donation School will be called the Edward E. Brickell Academy for Advanced Academics and Arts. The Gifted Visual Arts Program grades 3-5
and the Gifted Dance Education Program grades 2-8 will also be housed at Old Donation School.
Members of the Community Advisory Committee for Gifted Education (CAC) toured the new site in March. Members were impressed with the effective use of space, the light-filled areas, and the flexible classrooms in which to learn.
For further information and continued up-dates, please visit http:www.vbschools.com/
school_renovation/schools/OldDonation-KempsLandingES.asp
Photos from Anthony L. Arnold, P. E., Director, Facilities Planning and Construction
Jill Reid, pictured in the top photo,
accepts her award from Dr. Veleka Gatling, left, and her principal Ms. Gloria Davis, right.
Missy Sullivan, pictured in the bottom photo, cele-brates with Dr. Veleka Gatling, right,
and her principal, Dr. Nancy Farrell, left.
Pictured, left to right: A recent birds-eye view of Old Donation School; CAC members and staff at the end of their recent tour; An interior view of Old Donation School
The Gifted and Talented Bulletin’s
“News You Can Use: School Spotlight,” will provide information and showcase happen-ings and events throughout the gifted program. Information on these and other schools is available on each school’s web-site. Visit vbschools.com to access the school links and read more! Have a recom-mendation for the spotlight? Let us know on the Conversations blog.
Kings Grant Elementary School
Gifted resource teacher (GRT) Heather Follante reports that “gifted students are seeing the link between the creation of the Bill of Rights and its applicability to cur-rent events today. To accompany the fifth grade social studies unit “Reflections of Democracy,” gifted students began to ex-plore the concept of individual rights verses group rights with current events. Students used Paul’s Reasoning (see William & Mary’s site for more information about Paul’s Reasoning http://education.wm.edu/ centers/cfge/curriculum/teachingmodels/) to think critically about these events. Current events articles were presented to students and they were encouraged to identify all the stakeholders in each scenario and con-sider their point of view (including assump-tions) that each group is making as well as the implications for each group in each situation.
One of our gifted program benchmarks is to develop an understanding for systems of knowledge, themes, issues and problems that frame the external world and develop critical thinking.This activity allowed stu-dents to see how what they have learned about the creation and need for the Bill of Rights is still relevant today.”
North Landing Elementary
School
The fifth grade KidWind team from North Landing Elementary won 1st place in the
local competition to advance to the national competition at the American Wind Energy
Association, or AWEA, Conference in May in New Orleans. KidWind is a competition based on the ideas of engaging people in the wind energy business and building an understanding of STEM projects. Students say they have three main factors of success: collaboration, design, and process. The team has built strong connections while working with each other, thus, creating trust in one another. Students admit it took them a while to actually understand their goals and how to accomplish them. GRT Becky Wallace is the team sponsor. Follow their progress on Twitter @WallaceNLES.
White Oaks Elementary School
GRT Adrienne Kravchak shares news about Mrs. Johnson’s fifth grade class who is putting the final touches on a video task. She reports, “They were challenged with creating a video that teaches a physics con-cept learned this year. One group created a stop motion video on sound and another designed an experiment to prove the Law of Conservation of Mass. All students felt the pressure of working well with a team and a deadline. They did a fantastic job! We can’t wait to watch them all and reflect on our accomplishment.”
In addition, she says, “Second grade classes had a blast proving that magnetism is a force that follows rules. They designed and created objects that could be moved using the rules they discovered through experi-mentation. The tricky part was making it move without touching it! Students worked together with a partner to design and rede-sign their object.”
Tallwood High School
Lisa Walker, GRT, reports, “Mrs. Trevino’s Biology and Global Ecology classes are tak-ing on the role of experts in the fields of advanced biology and global ecology to re-search the potential positive and negative impacts, potential use and misuse and limi-tations of the of genetic information gained through of emerging genetic technologies.
Breaking News !
Valerie Winborne, Virginia Beach City
Public Schools (VBCPS) gifted dance pro-gram chairperson, has been named the Pre-kindergarten-12th grade (P-12) Mas-ter Dance Educator of the Year for 2016. Presented annually by the National Dance Society, the award recognizes excellence in dance education in school divisions. Winborne has taught in the division's Gift-ed Dance Education Program at Kemps Landing/Old Donation School for eight years. The program serves more than 350 students and includes instruction in mod-ern, ballet and creative dance techniques as well as the history and theory of dance. "We are so fortunate that VBCPS offers such high-quality fine arts programs to students and to have such talented educa-tors like Valerie engaging our students every day," said VBCPS Superintendent Aaron Spence. "I congratulate her on this notable achievement and thank her for sharing the gift of the performing arts with students."
News You Can Use: Spotlight on Gifted
The essential question for the students’ research: What are genetic technologies and how are they impacting the human population?
Students investigated both the pros and cons of these new technologies and created INFOGRAPHICS to share their research and concerns for ethical use now and in the future. In a culminating Socratic Seminar, students evaluated genetic engineering and the potential for controversy through dis-cussion of pertinent articles on the topic. Their conclusion: The potential for great scientific advances is exponential with new genetic technology, but we must be aware of the ever-present danger of unethical use.”
Check out vbschools.com for
more information!
Department of Teaching and Learning Virginia Beach City Public Schools 2512 George Mason Drive Virginia Beach, Virginia 23456 Phone: 757-263-1405 Fax: 757-263-1424Email: Veleka.Gatling@vbschools.com
O f f i c e o f P r o g r a m s f o r E x c e p t i o n a l
C h i l d r e n : G i f t e d P r o g r a m s
The purpose of the Community Advisory Committee for Gifted
Education is to advise the School Board of the educational
needs of all gifted students in the school division. The duties
and responsibilities of the Community Advisory Committee
for Gifted Education are to:
review annually the local plan for the education
of gifted students, including revisions.
determine the extent to which the local plan
for the previous year was implemented.
develop annual goals and priorities.
represent the community.
encourage a collaborative relationship between
school division staff and the community.
become knowledgeable about current programs,
research and best practices in gifted education
and its relationship with general education.
focus attention on issues relative to improving the
educational services for gifted students.
submit recommendations of the advisory committee
in writing to the Superintendent and the School Board.
Community Advisory Committee
f o r Gifted Education ( C A C )
Sarah Allard Ex-officio, Middle School Resource Sandy Beale-Berry Kempsville
Sun-Siret Betancourt Ex-officio, Elementary School Resource Jill Campbell First Colonial
April Cobos At-large Amy Converse Princess Anne Yoon Do Landstown DeAnna Emborski At-large Amanda Fox Green Run
Veleka Gatling Ex-officio, Administration Ryan Luzak, Chair Cox
Woody Parsons Student Representative Ginger Ploeger Ocean Lakes
Tanya Ramirez Salem Evan Rice Tallwood
Kay Roberson Ex-officio, High School Resource Gary Webster Kellam
Valerie Winborne Ex-officio, Arts Humberto Zuniga Bayside
Meeting Dates
Site
June 13, 2016
6:30 PM
Room 113
School Administration Building
Building #6
2512 George Mason Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
June 21, 2016
(Report to the
School Board)
6:00 PM
School Board Room
School Administration Building
Building #6
2512 George Mason Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
Page 4
Gifted Education Community Advisory Committee
Local Plan for the Education
of the Gifted 2015-2020
Virginia Beach City Public Schools Local Plan for the
Education of the Gifted required by the Virginia
Depart-ment of Education (VDOE) for all school divisions in the
Commonwealth was approved by the Virginia Beach
School Board on June 30, 2015.
The plan governs the work of Gifted Programs for
2015-2020 and was approved by the Virginia Beach School
Board on June 30, 2015.
The 2015-2020 Local Plan is available
here
.
CAC Meeting Dates and Locations
Dr. Aaron C. Spence, Superintendent Virginia Beach City Public Schools
2512 George Mason Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23456-0038
Produced by the Department of Media and Communications for the Office of Programs for Exceptional Children For further information, please call (757) 263-1405.
Notice of Non-Discrimination Policy
Virginia Beach City Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. School Board policies and regulations (including, but not limited to, Policies 2-33, 4-4, 4-43, 5-7, 5-44, 6-7, 7-48, 7-49 and Regula-tions 5-44.1, 7-11.1, 7-57.1) provide equal access to courses, programs, counseling services, physical education and
athlet-ic, vocational education, instructional materials, and extracurricular activities.
To seek resolution of grievances resulting from alleged discrimination or to report violations of these policies, please con-tact the Title IX Coordinator/Director of Student Leadership at (757) 263-2020, 1413 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach,
Vir-ginia 23451 (for student complaints) or the Section 504/ADA Coordinator/Chief Human Resources Officer at (757) 263-1133, 2512 George Mason Drive, Municipal Center, Building 6, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23456 (for employees or other citizens). Concerns about the application of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act should be addressed to the Section 504
Coordinator/Director of Guidance Services and Student Records at (757) 263-1980, 2512 George Mason Drive, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23456 or the Section 504 Coordinator at the student’s school.
Alternative formats of this publication which may include taped, Braille, or large print materials are available upon re-quest for individuals with disabilities. Call or write Dr. Veleka Gatling, Virginia Beach City Public Schools, 2512 George
Mason Drive, P.O. Box 6038, Virginia Beach, VA 23456-0038. Telephone 263-1405(voice); fax 263-1424; 263-1240 (TDD) or email her at Veleka.Gatling@vbschools.com
vbschools.com
