EXCEL

EXCEL - Programs for the Highly Capable

What is EXCEL?

EXCEL is Evergreen School District's program for meeting the unique academic, social, and emotional needs of highly capable students in grades 2-8. Qualified students are placed in one of three program options.

Program Options

Parents may request a program preference from program options once eligibility is determined.
(Please refer to Identification and Selection Process regarding program placement.)
Transportation is provided by the district for all the program options.

ELEMENTARY

Grades 2-5: EXCEL Pull-Out: Students may be placed in one-day-per-week classes held at Evergreen Flex Academy. They are bused to Evergreen Flex Academy on that day from home and returned to their neighborhood school before the end of the day. Students interact with others from the same grade level across the district in activities designed to respond to the needs of highly capable learners by strengthening communication, research, interpersonal, and leadership abilities, with a focus on critical and creative thinking processes. This is an enrichment option and does not accelerate the academic areas of Language Arts, Math, and Science, which are taught in the regular classroom. Pull-Out students are also cluster grouped in their regular classrooms with differentiated instruction when feasible.

Grades 3-5: EXCEL Full-Time: Students placed in the Full-Time Program are bused, based on their residence, to their designated magnet school, either Image or Illahee Elementary schools. Students admitted to this program must demonstrate high academic achievement of at least one year above grade level. The faster pace and greater depth/complexity is designed to meet the needs of academically gifted learners. Successful students exhibit persistence, strong motivation, and task commitment, as well as the need and readiness for an accelerated and differentiated curriculum.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Grades 6-8: EXCEL Blocks: EXCEL students are “blocked” in Language Arts and Social Studies. All 5th graders are assessed and placed at the appropriate levels for math instruction through the district’s Assessment office (360-604-4015). Students attend their residential middle school’s EXCEL program. Accelerated science courses are available for math-ready students.

CURRICULUM

The EXCEL curriculum for students in the elementary Full Time and middle school EXCEL Blocks follows the district’s curriculum frameworks and the state’s academic learning requirements at an accelerated pace. All EXCEL classes emphasize:

critical and creative thinking processes
communication, organizational, study, research, and quality production skills
group processes
decision making
problem solving
affective/emotional development
self-direction and accountability

Identification and Selection Process

This is a six-month process, during which anyone (parents, teachers, media specialists, friends, family, acquaintances, members of the community, cohorts, etc.) may refer a student for testing. The process is twofold, including 1) eligibility, and 2) placement. Selection and placement is made by the Multi-Disciplinary Selection Committee (MDSC). The MDSC, made up of administrators, teachers, and program staff, reviews test data and first determines eligibility.

They subsequently determine placements based upon test scores and space available, as well as teacher recommendation, parent preference, and any supporting data supplied. Students living outside of the Evergreen Public Schools boundaries are not normally considered for program placement. Exceptions are made on a case by case basis, depending upon program space availability. Students may also be placed through the Appeal Process, in which the MDSC examines documentation for students whose test scores did not meet the criteria but for whom other evidence exists of high ability, a need for program placement, and a high probability of success. Retesting for eligibility purposes is available, although currently identified students will not be retested annually to maintain eligibility. Additionally, eligible students cannot be retested solely for the purpose of increasing their ranking score. The criteria for retesting are: 1) at least 6 months between testing sessions; and 2) testing at the next higher grade level. Private testing results, as well as testing information from other school districts, are accepted for review. The State of Washington requires both mental ability (IQ) and achievement testing.

Eligibility & Placement Requirements:

Above the 90th percentile in the mental ability composite score, or
Above the 95th percentile in the achievement composite score and any mental ability subtest in an academic area above the 90th percentile.
Private testing: IQ above the 95th percentile.

Placements

Placement is made by the MDSC using the Washington Administrative Code (State Law).
Elementary offers two programs, and parents may request a program.
Students meeting the placement eligibility criteria are ranked through a process which combines achievement and mental ability scores. The HCP is unable to use, for ranking or identification purposes, scores from achievement tests which do not include reading, language, and math subtests.
Students are ranked and placed until the class enrollment cap is reached. Students are then ranked in the same manner on waiting lists. An invitation to participate in an alternate program is extended if space is available.
The MDSC uses rank scoring, parent requests, teacher recommendation and other supporting information to place students.
Students are placed in the appropriate school based upon their residential address.
Occasionally placements for a student are not a good fit and a change is made in placement. Changing more than once between programs is discouraged and requires available space and MDSC approval.

Appeals

Appeals are considered annually by the Multi-Disciplinary Selection Committee and are based upon a review of the documentation received. Please see the schedule under Identification for deadlines. Contact the HCP office for forms and information. Students may be appealed more than once.

2012-2013 SCHEDULE

ELEMENTARY FULL-TIME and MIDDLE SCHOOL EXCEL BLOCK

Classes begin and end on the same schedule as regular classes.

ELEMENTARY PULL-OUT

Pull-Out classes begin September 14, 2012. The last week of EXCEL Pull-Out is June 3-7, 2013.

IDENTIFICATION & PLACEMENTS

Fall Testing for placement in 2012-2013: Testing is limited to students new to the district since November 2011.

Registration Opens Aug. 1, 2012

Registration Closes Sept. 7, 2012

Testing Sept. 15, 2012 (Saturday)

Notification of eligibility/placement Sept. 28, 2012

Winter Testing: Grades 1-7. (For placement in the 2013-2014 school year).

Testing notification Oct. 1 - Nov. 15, 2012

All referrals for testing & eligibility are done online. Click on the clipboard icon in top right corner to create account and then select "refer for testing."

Deadline

for Online Referrals Nov. 15, 2012

Testing Schedule mailed Dec. 14, 2012

Testing will be done in neighborhood schools during regular school hours January 7-February 14, 2013.

Test results mailed by March 22, 2013

Appeals opens
     (Contact the HCP Office)                         March 25, 2013
Appeals Deadline to HCP Office                       April 12, 2013
Notification of Placement                               May 10, 2013

The HCP office is closed June 30 – August 20.

PROGRAM GOALS

Gifted learners need a faster pace and greater depth/complexity than is offered through the standard curriculum. They also need interaction with their intellectual peers. With this in mind, the goals of the EXCEL Program are:

To identify students who have high intellectual, academic, and creative thinking ability.
To provide differentiated instruction appropriate to the needs of gifted learners.
To place students among their intellectual peer group.
To develop in students a sense of self, life-long learning, quality production, and critical/creative thinking abilities.
To engage in ongoing evaluation of students' progress and placement.
To provide appropriate staff development opportunities to maximize teaching effectiveness in providing for the academic and social/emotional needs of gifted learners.
To engage in ongoing program evaluation and revision.

HOW YOU CAN BECOME INVOLVED

The Highly Capable Programs Advisory Committee is a representative group of parents, teachers, and administrators which advises the district about HCP matters and acts as a liaison between parents, program personnel, and the community. If you would like to be considered for membership on the committee, call the Highly Capable Programs office at (360) 604-4001.

EXCEL PTO is a group of parents that once per year invites donations. EXCEL PTO meets quarterly and disburses funds to support EXCEL classroom district-wide. For more information, contact EXCELPTO@gmail.com. To donate fund, checks payable to EXCEL PTO may be mailed to PO Box 87543 Vancouver WA 98687.

Further Information:

For questions regarding test scores, placement options, referral for testing, etc., please contact your students’ teacher or your school’s HCP Liaison. The following are HCP building liaisons:

Burnt Bridge Creek	Susan Payton
Burton	Patty Dugger
Columbia Valley	Margaret Scott
Crestline	Cathy Heide
Ellsworth	Debbie Small
Endeavour	Rhonda Walton
Fircrest	Anju Auluck
Fisher's Landing	Kristie Wall
Harmony	Jan Wright
Hearthwood	Kristina Parmenter
Evergreen Flex Academy	Brenda Lillie
Illahee	Marci Hay
Image	Heather Majewski
Marrion	Elizabeth Christina
Mill Plain	Laurie Treosti
Orchards	Carrie Foshee
Pioneer	Janet Dondelinger
Riverview	Mary Demert
Sifton	Jan Grassel
Silver Star	Rocky Baker
Sunset	Karen Morley-Smith
York	Stephanie Land
Cascade	Adrianne Campbell
Covington	Helen Hafer
Frontier	Heather Love
Pacific	Brad Riggs
Shahala	Brian Goforth
Wy'east	Kim Wanke
Evergreen	Eve Eden
Heritage	Jeff Brick
Mountain View	Gregg Plitt
Union	Todd Spike