Will Hughes have a GT center in the fall? I've heard that there will be no more GT team. Is this true?

Just wondering where you heard that rumor. Unless FCPS is eliminating all middle school GT centers, Hughes will continue to have a center.

I heard it from 2 other moms. So yes, it is just a rumor. Can anyone with official knowledge and certainty either confirm or deny this rumor?

There has been talk of eliminating GT centers now that all middle schools have the Honors program but I am fairly certain that nothing official has happened. Of course that doesn't mean they won't do it over the summer.

Why don't you email your school board member and ask? Or call Carol Horn, the GT program director, and ask her. Let us know what you learn from her.

I'll call Carol Horn tomorrow. Perhaps someone from her office would be able to give me information. I'll keep y'all "posted." Too bad some insider hasn't been able to provide info thru this forum. I was hoping to keep my inquiries anonymous. Oh, well.

I think FCPS is revamping the GT services at the middle school level.

I've been looking at the "2006-2011 Local Plan for the Education of the Gifted" on the FCPS website (http://www.fcps.edu/DIS/gt/localplan/part2.htm). I think they're implementing something called "Parallel Curriculum" in lieu of a GT teams. Fascinating reading.

My official inquiry has gone unanswered. I suspect parents of rising 7th graders will be in for a big surprise come fall.

WantToKnow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think FCPS is revamping the GT services at the
> middle school level.
>
> I've been looking at the "2006-2011 Local Plan for
> the Education of the Gifted" on the FCPS website
> (http://www.fcps.edu/DIS/gt/localplan/part2.htm).
> I think they're implementing something called
> "Parallel Curriculum" in lieu of a GT teams.
> Fascinating reading.
>
> My official inquiry has gone unanswered. I
> suspect parents of rising 7th graders will be in
> for a big surprise come fall.

Hmm. I seem to be missing something in the link you provided. I don't see anything about eliminating GT teams. I know Luther Jackson just hired an additional team of GT teachers, in order to expand their GT center program to two grades (started last year). Perhaps some date in the future they will just have "honors" classes, but this coming school year 2008-2009 GT centers will still exist at the MS level.

You're right, there's no mention of eliminating GT teams. But there's no mention of them AT ALL. It's very confusing to me. But having carefully read the FAQ section of the previously mentioned web site (sorry folks, I'm too lo-tek to figger out how to include a link in this here spot), I think you're right. It states that rising 7th grade GT students may attend the assigned GT center. They also automatically qualify for honors english, ss, and science.

So FCPS has indeed made a distinction between GT Center and Honors classes. At least, that's how I read it.

I re-read and re-read the "Local Plan for the Education of the Gifted," and have come to the conclusion that FCPS will be phasing out Middle School GT Centers and will be emphasizing, instead, Honors courses. Read it for yourselves, and draw your own conclusions.

We shall soon be seeing PowerPoint presentations extolling the glories and wonders of the Parallel Curriculum Model. The literature on this is out there for easy googling. Better to find out for yourselves than wait for the FCPS propaganda machine to work it's magic.

LHMS will have a GT Center in the fall, per official info.

NowYouKnow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> LHMS will have a GT Center in the fall, per
> official info.

A GT center is different than a GT team in middle school. Will all the GT center students be on the same team of teachers? Or will the GT center students be spread over all the teams ? Will the GT center classes be all GT center students with base school students assigned to those classes in areas of strength or will a teacher be differentiating for all?

What the fuck is a GT center?

taxpayer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>> A GT center is different than a GT team in middle
> school. Will all the GT center students be on the
> same team of teachers? Or will the GT center
> students be spread over all the teams ? Will the
> GT center classes be all GT center students with
> base school students assigned to those classes in
> areas of strength or will a teacher be
> differentiating for all?

The team and center will be one and the same. The honors courses and GT center courses are different curriculums. The GT center for 3-8th grade will continue to exist despite offering honors courses. The GT Center students will be part of a team, and will therefore have the same teachers. Nothing is changing, and the document clearly shows that there are GT centers in the middle schools and that that will continue. The changes that might occur are occuring at level 2 and level 3, not center level of 4...