Initial+Discussions


 * GIEP Meeting April 25, 2007**

Attending: Amy Schrode Melody Nay Melissa Glanden Mary Rita Bonner Katie Flaherty Kristin Colfer Linda Nitsche

· What’s new with gifted in OJR? · Discussion Points: § **Dr. Hemberger stated in his email:** -Supports idea that GIEP should be written from a strengths perspective.
 * INITIAL QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS FOR AGENDA**

-Can work with student’s teacher to address deficits – but this should not be written in the plan.

-Failure to identify an area of strength in a student profile should be a signal that gifted support may no longer be necessary.

· What is being used for PLEP section? How are you finding the strength areas? · Should these goals be based on student strengths / interests and where the curriculum is weak, or should it be based on student weaknesses to ensure continued success?

· **Additional experiences from Aimee:** · In an IEP, all needs must be addressed in the goals and SDI – for a GIEP, must all strengths be addressed? · If writing goals from a strength perspective, should we also include needs in terms of what needs to be done to build on the strengths, or should we eliminate needs altogether? · Should we be fixing the weaknesses? What is the balance between fixing a deficit and fixing a strength area weakness? Other examples? · What about gifted students who are not reaching their potential? Based on disorganization, study skills? Whose responsibility is this? Underachievement? · Who is responsible for monitoring a learning support 504 that is attached to a GIEP? · How are you assessing and evaluating that students have reached their measurable goals?
 * -**Goals were written based on strengths. Attended gifted conference GIEP writing and the speaker talked about writing goals on strengths. Have incorporated needs as subgoals. For example, if annual goal is creative writing, then subgoal is to strengthen organization of written pieces. Child has creative ideas and wonderful writing skills for the most part, but needs help organizing thoughts to bring it all together. The main goal is still based on strength.
 * General GIEP Points/Issues-**

· Amy – Needs to be closely aligned to curriculum · Dixie will be meeting with staff to help develop vision for gifted programming/curriculum · Should be focused on the needs of the students · Dr. Hemberger- Should be written from a strengths perspective · If an area of weakness is masking or blocking an area of strength then it needs to be addressed · If there is not a strength that can be identified, then the student may not have a need for specially designed instruction · Maintain the student as the focus of the instruction and GIEP · Dixie will be meeting with staff to help develop vision for gifted programming · On Legal Questions Amy – Andy Faust – Attorney – helps us to understand legal issues Must align gifted education to the curriculum Need to recheck information about acceleration that may be conflicting · On Acceleration Amy - The philosophy is changing - Acceleration is a possibility- It is the child’s need not the district’s configuration that should drive programming. Students may take college courses, but we are not required to pay for them. We can help them access the courses and help them with the scheduling. · LEA is the one who has control over the funding, scheduling, exceptions to · A public school system needs to offer the Chevy vs. the Cadillac to meet the child’s needs · Amy - If they surpass our programming, we can recommend other options, but we do not need to pay for it · Elementary has common assessments which make it easier to defend a student’s needs · High school feels it has ‘loose’ data · HS - Focusing programming on Strength, Ability and Interest · MS- we need a directive from above to resolve and bring consensus to issues related to PLEP, Goals and Objectives, Specially Designed Instruction
 * Issues related to PLEP**

· High School creating goals for classes you are not a part of and which the regular classroom teacher may have difficulty implementing · Need a template / guide to show how the GIEP goals should be stated
 * ISSUES RELATED TO GOALS AND OBJECTIVES**

· Need additional in-service with regular education teacher · May need a more rigorous screening process in the early years · Discussion with psychologist for use of WISC IV scores for identification · Need to address concerns and needs for **underachieving gifted students- Reference PAGE Bulletin “Overcoming Underachievement” distributed at meeting** · Need to address concerns and needs for **social-emotional needs** · Questions related to **acceleration** · Get clarification about acceleration from Andy Faust (particularly for MS/HS) · HS –maybe the best areas we can help gifted students at the HS is with career
 * ISSUES RELATED TO __NEED__ FOR SPECIALLY DESIGNED INSTRUCTION**

· Scheduling of gifted in Middle School · Scheduling of gifted in High School · Need to identify other options, opportunities, and specially designed instruction for high school programs · Apparent conflict between Chapter 15 (addressing deficiencies) vs. Gifted · How do we write goals for dual identified students – IEP goals and progress monitoring focus on deficits · Need to identify our MISSION to understand the foundation for programming and decisions · Need to clarify what the district WILL PROVIDE · What should be included in **Specially Designed Instruction** and **Support Services?** · If we do not see the need for GIEP goals what is the process to eliminate paperwork? A reval is more paperwork to eliminate paperwork. Could do what Barbara Thrush suggested - just maintain the present levels?
 * OTHER CONCERNS**

· Linda, Melody and Katie should sit with Dr. Hemberger to discuss legal issues · Linda, Melody and Katie should sit with Dixie to discuss curriculum and scheduling issues · All elementary staff, middle school staff and HS staff shoud meet separately with Dixie and Dr. Hemberger to build an understanding of gifted at the different levels · Then, develop a list of concerns and meet to develop K-12 alignment · Elementary gifted support teachers should meet - Bring a copy our PLEP and the items we include to help develop consistency · First, meet with team members to identify areas of concern/questions (what we started today) and prioritize that list. It would make sense to address issues that impact all grade levels first. · Second, we brainstorm possible solutions to those issues. · Third, e-mail information to key administrators so they can review before we meet and identify a date to meet with the gifted staff. · Fourth, we meet. What I heard today is most team members are seeking confirmation of policy and/or procedure in the form of vision/guidelines for gifted education in the district. · Email elementary teachers to set up time to meet during the next two weeks · Email Dixie about arranging a time to meet · Elementary gifted support teachers should meet - Bring a copy our PLEP and the items we include to help develop consistency
 * SUGGESTIONS OFFERED**
 * Agreed Upon TO DO List**