• Gifted and Talented Education 

  •  Gifted

  •   Wendy King, Supervisor

     Amy Ward, K-12 Gifted Coordinator
    Lyndria Bland    , EDGE Coordinator (Empowering Diversity in Gifted Education)
    Sarah Reeps, Division Gifted Resource Teacher
    Jill Rodeffer, Division Gifted Resource Teacher
                                  PH: 571-252-1440                               
  • Contact Gifted Education

  • For news, announcements, and gifted referral forms, please click the Notifications tab below.  
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  • NOTIFICATIONS - Important Info/Announcements

    Welcome

    Welcome to the Gifted Education office. We appreciate your interest in our programs and hope you will be able to find the information you need on this website page. If not, please contact one of the staff members listed above at your convenience. It will be our pleasure to speak with you.
    Gifted Education Advisory Committee Meeting
    November 9, 2023
    7:00 pm - 8:30 pm, LCPS Administration Building
    RSVP Here:  https://forms.office.com/r/0syauhhpKv
    Agenda
    Elementary School Forms (4th and 5th Grade):  
    Elementary Permission to Evaluate forms are due to the Gifted Resource Teacher at your child's school by October 2, 2023. The submission window for the elementary fall gifted evaluation cycle has closed. The submission window to request a gifted evaluation for 4th and 5th grade students will reopen in January for the spring evaluation cycle.
    Middle School Forms (Grades 6-8):

    Middle School Permission to Evaluate forms are due to the Gifted Resource Teacher at your child's school by October 6, 2023.

  • SY24 Gifted Education Advisory Committee (GEAC)

    SY2023-24 Gifted Education Advisory Committee

    Loudoun County Public Schools sponsors a Gifted Education Advisory Committee (GEAC). This committee serves as a support group to review and make suggestions about gifted programs and to promote community awareness of gifted education. School personnel, community members, and parents/family members serve on the committee. Every effort is made to have a broad-based group of committee members from all high school attendance areas. Meetings are open to the public.

    GEAC meetings take place from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm. During the 2023-24 school year, meetings may be held in-person or virtually. In-person GEAC meetings are held at the LCPS Administration Building at 21000 Education Court, Ashburn, VA  20148. The meeting status (in-person or virtual) will be posted on this webpage prior to each meeting date. The agenda for each meeting will be posted on the Monday prior to the meeting.

    SY23-24 Meeting Dates

    September 7, 2023

    November 9, 2023: RSVP Here

    January 11, 2024

    March 7, 2024

    May 9, 2024

    SY23-24 GEAC Members

    SY23-24 Meeting Details:

    November 27, 2023

    Special Meeting (Virtual)

    RSVP at gifted@lcps.org 

    November 9, 2023 (In-Person)

    RSVP Here: https://forms.office.com/r/0syauhhpKv

    Topics: Special Programs (IB, Dual Language Immersion, Health & Medical Sciences) & Engaging Students with Intellectual Games 

    Agenda

    September 7, 2023 (In-Person)

    Topics: SY24 Gifted Update & Strategies for Motivating Gifted Learners

    Agenda 

    Related Article: Motivating Gifted Students Who Are Not Achie

    Presentation

    Gifted Plan Status:

    Local Gifted Plan - The current LCPS gifted plan is under revision.

    Gifted Plan with Addendum

    Gifted Plan - approved by GEAC 11.12.20 (currently under revision)

    SY22-23 Meeting Information:

    May 11, 2023

    • Agenda & Presentation

    • Topic: Work Session - Gifted Plan

    • In-Person Meeting (Admin. Building, Room 100 A)

    March 9, 2023

    January 12, 2023

    • Agenda

    • Topic:  Importance of Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum

    • Presentation

    • Time: 7 pm - 8:30 pm

    • Location:  LCPS Administration Building, Room 104 A

    November 10, 2022 (Virtual Meeting)

    September 15, 2022

  • Thomas Jefferson HS for Science and Technology

    Applications for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology (TJHSST)

    Class of 2028

    Applications Available: Monday, October 23, 2023 - 4:00 pm 

    Last Day to Begin Applications: Wednesday, November 15, 2023 - 4:00 pm 

    Applications Deadline: Friday, November 17, 2023 - 4:00 pm


    Am I Eligible to Apply?

    • Are you currently in 8th Grade?
    • Are you interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics)?
    • Are you enrolled in Algebra I or Higher?
    • Are you enrolled in science honors and one other honors course (English or Social Studies)?
    • Do you have a grade point average of 3.5 or greater? (7th & first quarter 8th grade)
    • Full application requirements can be found here: TJHSST Eligibility Requirements | Fairfax County Public Schools (fcps.edu) 

    I Am Eligible to Apply - Now What?

    If you meet the eligibility requirements you may begin your application beginning Monday, October 23, 2023. 


    Upon submission of your application it will be reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum requirements. You will then be scheduled to complete the Student Portrait Sheet and the STEM Problem-Solving Essay on Saturday, February 3, 2024.


    For more information, go to TJHSST Freshman Application Process | Fairfax County Public Schools (fcps.edu).


    Calendar for 2023-24 Freshman Application


    Mon, Oct 23    Applications Available - 4:00 pm

    Wed, Nov 15   Last Day to Begin Applications - 4:00 pm

    Fri, Nov 17      Application Submission Deadline - 4:00 pm

    Sat, Feb 3       SPS/Essay Writing Administration - 8:00 am

    Sat, Feb 24     Inclement Weather Date for February 3

    Fri, Feb 9      Accommodations Make-Up SPS/Essay Writing Admin. - 8:00 am

    Fri, April 26    Final Notifications Released on or Before


    * Dates on calendar above may be subject to change

    TJ Admissions Virtual Information Session

    For more information on the application process, click on the link below to watch a YouTube video on the TJ Admissions Process: 


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coThg0jwvb8 


    Please address questions to:  TJAdmissions@fcps.edu

  • SY23-24 Governor's School

    2024 Virginia Summer Residential Governor’s Schools

    Are you currently a high school sophomore or junior?  If so, you should consider applying to the 2024 Virginia Summer Residential Governor’s Schools.

    The Virginia Summer Residential Governor’s Schools are approximately four weeks long and are held each summer on various college and university campuses throughout Virginia.  The Governor’s Schools offer students a unique opportunity to work and study not only with other students with similar talents and interests, but also with mentors, professors, scientists, and other professionals in their field of interest.

    The following Summer Residential Governor’s Schools will be offered in 2024:

    • Agriculture 
    • Humanities
    • Math, Science, and Technology 
    • Visual and Performing Arts

    And Mentorships in:

    • Marine Science 
    • Engineering 

    LCPS students must apply through their home high schools.  Students may apply to only one Governor’s School.  School divisions select the students they nominate for the state level application process.

    SY24 Summer Residential Governor's School Video Presentation

    General Information Handout

    General Information Handout (Spanish)

    How to Apply

    How to Apply (Spanish)

      

    VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS STUDENTS:

    LCPS students interested in the 2024 Visual and Performing Arts Governor’s School must participate in our local preliminary audition for selection to attend the state level audition. The 2024 LCPS Preliminary Audition will be IN-PERSON, by appointment, on October 30, 2023, at Briar Woods High School.

    The deadline to register for the IN-PERSON Preliminary Audition is October 23, 2023. Please complete the Registration Form found here:  2024 Audition Registration Form 

    All Applicants:

    The Virginia Summer Residential Governor’s School website should update on October 6, 2023.  Do not begin the application process until the 2024 applications appear on the website.

    The link to the website is 

    https://vdoe.prod.govaccess.org/teaching-learning-assessment/specialized-instruction/governor-s-schools/summer-residential-governor-s-schools

  • Program & Evaluation Information

    Elementary School:

    Middle School:

  • SEARCH (Grades K-3)

    SEARCH teachers provide model lessons in thinking skills to students in grades K-3*. Classroom teachers work with the SEARCH teacher to screen students 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:  perceiving, reasoning, connecting, creating, and evaluating.  Each grade level learns about each component at increasingly more complex and abstract levels.
    Thinking Keys:
    Perceiving is understanding and learning with one’s senses. Concrete spatial and visual activities are provided and students are encouraged to look at objects in many different ways. Pattern recognition and prediction skills develop and are used along with reasoning skills.

    Reasoning is using information to find answers that can be proven, are logical, and make sense. Reasoning activities begin at the simple level of recognizing, labeling, classifying, and comparing attributes of concrete objects. As students mature, reasoning activities become more abstract as students use analysis and logic to solve problems.

    Connecting means linking information and ideas to see how they fit together. At the basic level, students identify and extend patterns using concrete objects. More abstract problem solving involves interpreting and extending numeric patterns, determining relationships between concepts, and making generalizations. Students make connections between cause and effect.

    Creating is putting ideas, information, or objects together in a new or different way. Students learn to be flexible and fluent in their thinking with familiar objects as well as unusual and/or real life problems. Original ideas are elaborated with humor and/or beauty to provide clarity and completeness. Student products may be visual, verbal, spatial, or kinesthetic.

    Evaluating is using information to make a decision. Students begin evaluating by determining what the facts are and what considerations are important in making a decision. Students learn to develop criteria and rank solutions or choices according to the criteria when making decisions.

  • FUSION - School-Based, Collaborative Gifted Program (Grades 4-5)

    The School-Based, Collaborative Gifted Program, now known as FUSION, is a new model for delivering gifted services for 4th and 5th grade gifted learners. It was established to provide 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 and by integrating curricula developed for gifted learners (e.g., William & Mary Literature Units, Jacob's Ladder, and Mentoring Mathematical Minds).  In addition, gifted learners meet during the week with other gifted learners to collaborate on a variety of challenging, interdisciplinary projects.

  • Differentiated Classroom Instruction/DCI (Grades 4-5)

    What is DCI (Grade 4 - 5)?

    The LCPS Gifted Education Department has added a new level of gifted services for 4th and 5th grade students. 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.

    The gifted resource teacher will meet with DCI students to provide extension or enrichment options to differentiate instruction for them 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 for 4th and 5th grade students may be directed to the gifted resource teacher at your child’s school.

  • EDGE - Empowering Diversity in Gifted Education (Grades K-5)

    EDGE (Empowering Diversity in Gifted Education) is a talent development  program designed to provide additional academic rigor and challenge to develop the talents of students who exhibit high academic skills 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. 

    Equitable learning experiences lead to deeper learning for all students. EDGE participants may include students from culturally, linguistically or economically diverse (CLED) backgrounds as well as students who may be twice exceptional. EDGE provides research-based academic opportunities that develop talent by providing additional rigor and challenge to prepare students for higher-level academic pathways. 



  • SPECTRUM (Grades 6-8)

    The SPECTRUM program is designed to meet the needs of middle school students (grades 6-8) who have been identified in need of gifted services. Students attend SPECTRUM for a half block (approximately 45 minutes) every other day.
     
    The SPECTRUM curriculum framework focuses on four themes that are explored each year:  Business & Economics, Communication & Culture, Technology & Engineering, and Ethics & Perspectives. Students engage in project-based learning, research and inquiry, and problem solving. They are challenged to collaborate, communicate, and apply their knowledge to real-world situations. Learning experiences are designed to develop initiative, creativity, and leadership skills. SPECTRUM provides students with opportunities for self-assessment and reflection on the demands and responsibilities of the gifted learner.
    Spectrum Family Message:
    To learn more about Spectrum and the spring gifted evaluation cycle, please view this video.
    Spectrum Forms:
    Permission to Evaluate Form (English)
    Permission to Evaluate Form (Spanish)

  • Twice-Exceptional Learners (2e)

    Twice-Exceptional (2e) Resources

    Spotlight on 2e Series (The 2e Resource)

    The Twice-Exceptional Dilemma (NEA)

    Twice-Exceptionality (NAGC White Paper)

  • New to LCPS

    Families New to LCPS

    If you are considering moving to or have just moved to Loudoun County and have questions about gifted services available in Loudoun County Public Schools, please read the information below.

    I just moved to Loudoun County, how can I learn about gifted education services available in LCPS?  You may start by reviewing the LCPS Gifted & Talented webpage. In addition, each school has a gifted education webpage. You may consider reading the gifted webpage of the school your child may or will attend. The elementary school webpages are titled SEARCH and the middle school webpages are listed as Spectrum. Each elementary and middle school has a gifted resource teacher. You may also contact this teacher by phone or email to ask any questions that you have about the gifted program.

    The LCPS Gifted Education program does not have reciprocity with other school divisions for gifted services. Students new to LCPS must be evaluated and identified in need of gifted services prior to participating in FUSION or Spectrum.

  • Resources - Parents

    General Information
    Gifted 101 (NAGC)

     

    Resources

    National Association for Gifted Children
    Hoagies' Gifted Education Page
    Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG)

     

    Parent Resources

    Advanced Placement

  • Resources - Teachers

    Teacher Resources
     
     
     
     
     

  • Re-Entry and Withdrawal Forms

    Click here for the Gifted Education Withdrawal Form in English.   
    Click here for the Gifted Education Withdrawal From in Spanish.
     
    If a child is withdrawn, s/he may not re-enter the program in the same school year.  The child may re-enter the following school year.
     
    If you wish for your child to re-enter the program once s/he has withdrawn, you must fill out a re-entry form and submit it to the Supervisor of Gifted Education.
     
    Click here for the Gifted Education Re-entry Form in English. 
    Click here for the Gifted Education Re-entry Form in Spanish. 

  • Gifted Course Information

    https://www.lcps.org/Page/245711

Last Modified on November 27, 2023