Rigorous academics for students in kindergarten through 12th grade
• Silence your cell phones
• Share the question time with
others
• Contact the Accelerated
Programs office if you have
questions specific to your
student
Heather Sanchez
Director of Accelerated Programs
Meghan Palmer
Julie Bergevin
Science Evergreen Middle School
Math/Science Kamiakin Middle School
Britt Galen
Diane Durant
Suzanne Hurd
Accelerated Programs Psychologist
Accelerated Programs Supervisor
Accelerated Programs Administrative Secretary
Carol Lewis
Jaya Ramesh
Gifted Education Advisory Council
Gifted Education Advisory Council
Heather Sanchez
Each student will graduate prepared to lead
a rewarding, responsible life as a contributing
member of our community.
Every Student
Future Ready:
•Prepared
for
College
•Prepared
for the
Global
Workplace
•Prepared
for
Personal Success
Designed to meet the learning styles and needs of students
with superior intellectual, academic, and creative abilities.
Highly capable students are students who perform or show
potential for performing at significantly advanced academic
levels when compared with others of their age, experiences,
or environments.

Outstanding abilities are seen within students' general
intellectual aptitudes, specific academic abilities, and/or
creative productivities within a specific domain.

These students are present not only in the general
populace, but are present within all protected classes
according to Chapters 28A.640 and 28A.642 RCW.
The legislature finds that, for highly
capable students, access to accelerated
learning and enhanced instruction is
access to a basic education.
There are multiple definitions of highly capable, from
intellectual to academic to artistic. The research literature
strongly supports using multiple criteria to identify highly
capable students, and therefore, the legislature does not
intend to prescribe a single method. Instead, the
legislature intends to allocate funding based on two and
three hundred fourteen one-thousandths percent of each
school district's population and to authorize school
districts to identify through the use of multiple, objective
criteria those students most highly capable and eligible to
receive accelerated learning and enhanced instruction in
the program offered by the district.
Access to accelerated learning and
enhanced instruction through the
program for highly capable students does
not constitute an individual entitlement
for any particular student.
Districts shall make a variety of
appropriate program services available
to enrolled students who participate in
the district's program for highly capable
students. Once services are started, a
continuum of services shall be provided
to the student from K-12.
•
The middle school Quest program provides our most highly
capable students the opportunity to engage in rigorous and
challenging curriculum with their academic peers.
•
The program is designed to meet the needs of students
who have been identified as having exceptional cognitive
and academic ability by accelerating and enriching the
district curriculum.
•
Classes include greater breadth and depth of subject
matter, a wide variety of learning processes and teaching
methods and high expectations for student work and
achievement.
For 6th grade students, Middle School Quest
consists of language arts, social studies, science
and math, leaving them two additional periods for
required and elective classes.
For 7th and 8th grade students, Middle School
Quest consists of language arts, social studies
and science. Students are placed at the
appropriate math level for one other period,
leaving them two additional periods for required
and elective classes.
In Middle School Quest classes
•
•
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learning pace is faster than in the regular education program
work exceeds grade level standards by at least one grade
level
emphasis is on
advanced academic thinking skills and strategies
• strong communication and collaboration skills
• an increased awareness of local and global
citizenship
•
Middle school Quest programs are currently
located at:
Evergreen Middle School, Redmond
• Kamiakin Middle School, Kirkland
• Redmond Middle School, Redmond
The district assigns a student to attend a middle
school Quest school based on his / her home
address. School assignment is subject to change.
•
Meghan Palmer
Julie Bergevin
Science Evergreen Middle School
Math/Science Kamiakin Middle School
MIDDLE SCHOOL
QUEST
SEPTEMBER 2016
OVERVIEW:
• Middle school is often the largest transition and
challenge for all students.
• Set high expectations and following through.
• Enrichment occurs in increments that are inversely
proportional to adjustment to middle school.
• Problem solving real world or self-generated
problems. (Academic OR social)
• Small projects that transform into larger ones.
• Projects that make students uncomfortable &
challenge their world of understanding.
THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO:
FAILURE
GROWTH
WORDS OF WISDOM:
• “Use your agenda. When I first entered 6th grade, I thought I
could remember the homework in each of my classes. That
ended in forgotten assignments and homework questions.
When I started using my agenda, my late assignment count
went down to zero.”
• “Find a secure way for your student to remember their locker
#’s, that they keep on them. Don’t put it on their phone, as that
will be locked away in the day. Find your students’ passing
period times so you know when to text them during the day.”
• “Parents, don’t stress your kids out. Let them face it on their
own.”
• “Help your student/encourage your students to utilize their
agenda and PowerSchool accounts.”
• “USE THE AGENDA. DO YOUR HW!”
SCIENCE:
NEW FOCUS ON ENGINEERING
MATH
NUMBER SENSE
Middle school math student
trajectory:
6th grade quest – 7th grade math
7th grade quest – Algebra
8th grade quest – Geometry
By high school they are two
years ahead of standard
trajectory.
Current research shows that our brains grow most when we do 2 things:
1. Extend effort – struggle is important.
2. Correct our mistakes and practice the correct way. It is important to not
be afraid to make mistakes!
MIDDLE SCHOOL
MATH TEAMS
Encourage your student to participate in Math Club or
Math Team at their school.
Most teams participate in district, state and national
competitions that help solidify problem-solving skills,
team work and thinking fast on one’s feet.
• Math Olympiad
• Math is Cool
• AMC 8
• Math Counts
• Check out the UW Monthly Math Hour starting early
next year.
LANGUAGE ARTS
• Common Core State Standards are met through use of:
– Complex texts (non-fiction and fiction)
• Novels are selected to meet the advanced reading levels of the Quest
student.
– 7th grade: Nothing But The Truth, NightJohn,The Fifth of March
– 8th grade: The Lord of the Flies, Of Beetles and Angels
– Literary analysis
– Writing
• Narrative (NaNoWriMo)
• Expository (Project Writing)
• Argumentative (Research-based)
SOCIAL STUDIES
• Common Core State Standards are met through use of:
– Complex texts
– Grade Level curriculum texts and scope and sequence
– Primary Source Readings: (Examples)
– 7th grade: Hobbes & Locke – philosophy of the Constitution
– 8th grade: Census Analysis, famous speeches and their impact
– In-Depth projects that focus on research, presentation, and
collaboration.
• 7th grade: Project Citizen
• 8th grade: National History Day
WHY QUEST AT MIDDLE SCHOOL?
“Once a musician has enough ability to get into a top music school,
the thing that distinguishes one performer from another is how
hard he or she works. That's it. And what's more, the people at the
very top don't work just harder or even much harder than
everyone else. They work much, much harder.”
― Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers:The Story of Success
We want our students to find school engaging, to be challenged in
their thinking and to reach new heights. We want them to be
engaged citizens in our schools and in our community.
Heather Sanchez/Diane Durant
•
Parents, staff or community members may nominate a
student for Quest Highly Capable programs. Parents of
nominated students must complete an online application.
Please contact the Accelerated Programs Office if a paper
application or a translated application is needed.
•
Students must reside in LWSD boundaries to apply for and
participate in Quest programs.
•
Students must go through the district's highly capable
assessment process for selection. Private testing results
are not accepted.
•
Complete the Online Application between October 1
and 4:00 PM on October 28
•
Complete the Application Supplement and return all
with supplemental documentation by 4:00 PM on
October 28 if your child
•
•
•
attends private school
is home-schooled
did not attend a LWSD school in 2015-2016
Students are screened using end-of-year report card grades from the
previous year and Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) results from the
previous year.
For students in grades 5 and 6, the typical report card range to qualify
for further assessment is between a 3.5 and a 4.0 mean in all strands of
language arts and math.
For students in grade 7, the typical report card range to qualify for
further assessment is B+ or higher in language arts and math.
All students are expected to score at Level 4 in SBA ELA and in SBA
Math. Private school students and students who did not attend LWSD
schools in the 2015-16 school year are expected to demonstrate
equivalent results on state or standardized tests.
•
Don’t wait until the last minute – we do not take late applications!
•
If your child is currently enrolled in a private school or is home
schooled or did not attend a LWSD school last year, you must submit
the Application Supplement along with the supplemental
documentation by October 28. We will not process your application if it
is not complete!
•
If you have trouble with online application or need an application in
another language, please contact the Accelerated Programs Office. We
will help you!
•
Check your child’s birthdate and your email addresses before you submit
the application.
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Please enter only one email address per parent.
•
For students currently in grade 6 or 7, enter your child’s homeroom
teacher or language arts teacher for Current School teacher.
•
If your child has a 504 or IEP on file with the district, check the appropriate
box on the application form. If you have started a 504 or IEP for your child,
enter that information in the Comments section.
•
If your child has severe health issues, note this in the Comments section.
We need to know!
After you select Submit Your Application,
•
you will see a message on your screen stating Your application
has been submitted to LWSD successfully.
•
An email confirmation will be sent to the email address you
entered as the Primary Email.
•
Save your email confirmation for your records! This email
contains your 5 digit application ID which is your confirmation
that your application is complete.
Please do not fill out multiple applications!
If you need to make a change to your application, email [email protected].
Important Dates
Application process during 2016-17 for services in 2017-18
All dates are subject to change. Date is in 2016 unless otherwise noted.
Online Applications Open
October 1
Online Applications Close
(Late applications are not accepted)
4:00 pm on October 28
Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)
December 3
Iowa Assessments
December 10
Notification of Placement
Spring 2017
Services Begin
Fall 2017
The District uses multiple objective criteria to identify students who are among the
most highly capable. Highly capable students perform or show potential for
performing at significantly advanced academic levels when compared with others of
their age, experiences, or environments. Outstanding abilities are seen in students’
general intellectual aptitudes, specific academic abilities, and/or creative
productivities within a specific domain.
Applicants who meet screening criteria will be assessed using multiple objective
criteria. Criteria include the CogAT, Iowa Assessments, state assessments, districtlevel achievement measures and observation assessment scales.
Evidence of need for highly capable services is determined by a Multidisciplinary
Selection Committee. Members of the committee include a school psychologist, a
teacher and the Director of Accelerated Programs. All decisions are based on the
body of evidence to provide a clear picture of each student’s ability and to
determine whether the data indicate a need for services beyond the scope of the
general education classroom. No weights are assigned to data points. Private
testing results are not accepted.
Highly Capable Services Selection Process
for Current 5th - 7th grade students
http://www.lwsd.org/Parents/AcceleratedPrograms/MS-HCP/Pages/Middle-School-StudentSelection.aspx
Carol Lewis and Jaya Ramesh
Gifted Education Advisory Council (GEAC)
GEAC is a parent-led committee that supports the gifted education program
in Lake Washington School District. The council often supports the district’s
Quest teachers by providing grants to supplement gifted education needs.
GEAC Meetings
Open meetings first Wednesday of most months, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Location: Resource Center, Redmond Town Center
GEAC Contact Information
General Questions: [email protected]
GEAC Co-Presidents: Carol Lewis and Jaya Ramesh
Website: http://lwsdgeac.org/
Mailing Address:
GEAC @ LWSD Accelerated Programs Office
P.O. Box 97039
Redmond, WA 98073-9739
Thank you, community!
 Local Educational Programs &
Operations levy funding adds to the
general fund
 Capital levy technology funding for
computers, software, copiers, network,
projectors and more
 Building improvement funding to repair
major systems like roofs or HVAC,
install energy efficient systems, safety
improvements, update fields/gyms
 Modernization of and additional school
buildings since 1998 include Audubon
El., Franklin El., Juanita El., Lakeview El.,
Mann El., Rose Hill El., Twain El.,
Kirkland MS, Redmond MS, Redmond
High, Carson El., Rosa Parks El., Frost
El., Lake Washington HS, Finn Hill MS,
Muir El., Keller El, Sandburg El., Tesla
STEM, Rose Hill Middle, Rush El., Bell
El., ICS, Community