Peru Community School Corporation

Levels of Services Program Plan

 

Mission:  Peru Community Schools high ability students are given a rich curriculum where it is accelerating, compacting and enriching content areas such as mathematics, science the humanities, language arts and computer science.

 

Gifted Definition: Gifted and talented children and youth are those students with outstanding abilities, identified at preschool, elementary and secondary levels. These students are capable of high performance when compared to others of similar age, experience and environment, and represent the diverse populations of our communities. These are students whose potential requires differentiated and challenging educational programs and/or services beyond those provided in the general school program. Students capable of high performance include those with demonstrated achievement or potential ability in any one or more of the following areas: general intellectual, specific academic subjects, creativity, leadership and visual and performing arts.

 

This plan outlines the educational services for high ability students offered by the Peru Community Schools in compliance with IC 20-10.1-5.1-4 and 511 IAC 6-9.1-2 Sec.2 Components include:

 

Counseling and Guidance Plan

Curriculum and Instructional Strategies Plan

Multifaceted Student Assessment Plan

Professional Development Plan

Systematic Program Assessment Plan

 

Counseling and Guidance Plan

 

Peru Community Schools has four counselors available to the secondary schools, grades 7-12.  Two school counselors are available at the two elementary buildings.  In the buildings where the L.I.F.T. program is located, the counselor coordinates services with the four L.I.F.T. teachers.  This individual assists in meeting the affective needs of high ability students.  In the junior high school, the counselor works with the students and staff for academic and career planning.  The careers curriculum includes use of the C.O.I.N. program, available in the eighth grade, which helps students identify interests and abilities.  Students attend a Career Fair and are able to interview individuals currently working in their areas of interest.  In the high school, the counselors assist students in course selection, career planning, and post-secondary educational planning.  An annual College Fair is held to encourage student consideration of post-secondary education opportunities.  Counselors in all buildings are available for personal counseling when needed. Referrals may come from self, other students, parents, or staff.  Outside agencies such as Four County, Bowen Center, and home-based counselors are utilized for students upon the discretion of the counseling staff.

 

Procedures for enrollment in L.I.F.T. honors program include recommendations from parents and teachers or other staff members, standardized test scores, and student performance in the classroom.  Eligibility begins once they enter school. Students may be removed from a class in the elementary and junior high buildings following an exit conference between the Teacher and Parent.  The G.T. Coordinator or counselor may also participate.  Future placement may be discussed at that time.  At the high-school level, course selection done by the student, in accordance with the guidelines for the Academic Honors Diploma, determines placement in the program.  Students in the high school meet with a counselor on a yearly basis to determine future course selection.  Scheduling is influenced by each student’s four-year plan built during the last year at the junior high school.  Additional information, such as testing, classroom performance, course scheduling concerns, and post-secondary plans may influence student placement in Honors level classes.

Curriculum and Instructional Strategies Plan

 

Program Overview

The Peru Community School Corporation’s L.I.F.T program provides identified exceptional students with the opportunity to obtain and improve academic and creative skills.  The elementary program consists of a K-2 differentiate instruction in Math and Language Arts and a Pull Out Program with enrichment activities through Science and Social studies, 4 self-contained classes in grades 3-6 covering all subject areas.  At the junior high level the program consists of accelerated offerings in mathematics and language arts.  Advanced Placement and Honors opportunities exist at the high school in various academic areas.

 

At all schools there are opportunities for academic competitions, seminars, and workshops such as spelling bees, Math Bowl, Indiana Mathematics League, Academic Super Bowl, Science Olympiad, and Spell Bowl.  Information pertaining to enrichment programs including summer programs is made available by the L.I.F.T. Coordinator and the guidance department.

 

Philosophy of Peru Community School Corporation is concerned with providing quality education for all students.  This concern includes providing a differentiated curriculum for students with exceptional academic, intellectual, creative and/or leadership abilities as well as for those talented in the visual and performing arts.  Curriculum for this program can be located through the GT Coordinator.  Teachers of this program along with administrators have a copy of the program outline.

 

We promote intellectual growth in the academically high ability students by accelerating, compacting and enriching content areas such as mathematics, science the humanities, language arts and computer science.

 

We believe that the intellectual capacity of our high ability students should be developed by the instruction in critical thinking, logic, high thinking skills, research and independent study.

 

 

We also believe that our high ability students should have opportunities to develop self-esteem, concern for universal values, leadership abilities and a profound love of learning which will help them become well informed, productive adults.

 

To these the L.I.F.T. (Learning Incentives for Tomorrow) was formed for the Peru Community Schools.

 

Program Goals of High Ability Students will;

learn to appreciate and function with their abilities to interact successfully with others.

become self-directed and create original products while using higher levels of thinking.

Accelerate their work in specific content areas when appropriate.

 

Broad Based Planning Committee at present are working toward a renewal of goals, motivation, and direction for growth of the L.I.F.T. Program for Peru Community Schools. 

 

Professional Development Plan for Peru Community Schools on file with IDOE

 

 

 

Elementary

 

The self-contained elementary classes meet at Blair Pointe Elementary School.  The curriculum parallels but is differentiated from the regular classroom curriculum.  The enrichment and enhancement for both classes includes independent study, research, and simulations to real audiences.

 

In March of a student’s K- 5^th grade year, classroom teachers make recommendations for those students to be included in the L.I.F.T. program.  Parents are also able to nominate their children for inclusion in this program.  Nomination forms are due mid-March.  Near the end of March information and permission-to-test forms are sent to parents of nominees.  Students considered for placement in L.I.F.T classes should meet one or more of the following criteria:

 

90% or above on the NWEA in any one of the following:

A.  Reading

B.  Language Usage

C.  Mathematics

 

Pass+ on ISTEP in English/Language or Math on ISTEP

 

The Otis-Lennon School Abilities Test is given in April to nominees who return completed parent checklists and permission-to-test forms.  A screening committee meets near the end of April to determine placement in the elementary classes.  Letters of invitation are mailed to parents of the finalists in May.  Parents are given the opportunity to attend a L.I.F.T. “Meet the Teacher” night prior to making a placement decision. 

 

 

 

Middle School/Junior High

 

In March, sixth-grade teachers nominate students’ for seventh-grade L.I.F.T. classes.  Students are selected by the following criteria:

 

NWEA percentiles of 90%+ in English/Language or Math.

 

 

Scale scores of 535+ on the ISTEP proficiency scale.

 

Parents and Seventh-grade teachers make recommendations for placement in the eighth-grade L.I.F.T. classes. Teachers complete a recommendation form, the school counselor compiles data, and the teachers and counselor meet to determine those who will be invited to enter the program.  Students in the seventh-grade L.I.F.T. are automatically included in the eighth-grade L.I.F.T. unless a conference has determined that a student is removed from the program.  Parents are given the opportunity to attend a L.I.F.T. “Meet the Teacher” night at Peru Junior High School in April prior to making a placement decision.

 

Seventh-Grade Offerings: English & mathematics (pre-algebra)

 

Eighth-Grade Offerings: English &  mathematics (algebra)

 

 

A student may be enrolled in one or two of the L.I.F.T. classes at his or her grade.  Students who take algebra as a seventh grader will be placed in the eighth-grade class.  The following year as eighth graders, these students will take geometry at Peru High School.

 

High School

 

The high school provides the following L.I.F.T. Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) Classes:

 

English 9 Honors: Admission to this class is based upon courses taken in junior high school or permission of a counselor and the English Department Chair.

 

English 10 Honors: Admission to this class is based upon courses taken in the junior high school or permission of a counselor and the English Department Chair.

 

English 11 Honors: This is a continuation of English 9 & 10 Honors.

 

English 12 Honors/W131: This is offered as a dual credit through PHS and IU.  To be accepted for enrollment in this course, it is recommended a student should have earned no less than a ‘B’ in English 11 Honors or be recommended by the AP committee.

 

Algebra, Second year: This is for students who will be continuing in mathematics sequence by enrolling in Pre-Calculus.

 

Pre-Calculus/AP Calculus AB AP Calculus BC

3^rd Year Chemistry AP

 

Multifaceted Student Assessment Plan

 

Placement into the programs:

 

Elementary

At the elementary level, students are assessed in K through 6^th grades.  Tools used to identify and assess students of high ability are: OLSAT test, teacher recommendation, standardized tests, and teacher observation.  Throughout the year, student achievement, based on the curriculum, is assessed by many tools, such as: teacher observations, objective and essay tests, teacher developed criteria and professional judgement, student-teacher created rating scales, oral evaluations, and product analysis.  Foreign language is part of the curriculum, and therefore, similar evaluation tools are utilized.

 

Junior High/ Middle School

At the junior high level, students are assessed throughout the year.  Tools used to identify students of high ability are: Graphic organizers, journals, student-kept written record of grades, projects used to enhance the gifted child, teacher recommendation, 3 week evaluations recorded, and essay. Those experiencing difficulties will conference with the guidance counselor, parent, student, and teacher.

 

High School

At the high school level, students are assessed throughout the year.  Tools used to identify students of high ability are: PSAT, SAT, ACT, participation points, portfolio, computer generated assessment, 4 ½ week evaluations recorded, and Senior Project- Essay.

 

Professional Development Plan

 

The professional development component for Peru Community Schools’ GT program provides for release time and substitutes so that gifted teachers may attend state and national conventions and conferences as opportunities are presented.  In the event of a modification of the school-day schedule, the GT program provides and funds GT teachers with release time for visitations, curriculum revision, and appropriate training.

 

Individual teacher and/or program needs may determine participation/attendance at various seminars.  Teachers and parents may use the Education Service Center activities, SIS Center resources.

 

B.B.P.C. members may attend Indiana Association of Gifted and Talented Conferences and/or National Association for gifted education conferences.

 

Those teaching the AP and W 131 classes take the AP summer teacher training institutes.