Mercer Island elementary gifted program readied
A team of administrators, led by newly hired Superintendent Cyndy Simms, is recommending an "academically gifted" program that would serve third-, fourth- and possibly fifth-graders in the district. The self-contained program would include one class at each grade level and cost about $17,000 in teacher training and classroom materials, Simms said.
Simms has made it clear she believes academically gifted children deserve the same kinds of educational challenges and support as any other group of learners. Students with academic talents have special needs, she said, just as students with learning disabilities do.
"It is our responsibility as educators to meet the needs of all children," Simms said.
In preparation for a possible 2004-05 launch, the board is planning question-and-answer sessions at each elementary school in January and February.
The public will have a chance to review and question the revised proposal in one-on-one conversations with board members in March. The final proposal is scheduled to go before the board for an April 8 vote.
"This issue can be controversial," Simms said. "We really want people to understand the research and the proposal and ask all the questions and provide as much input as possible to the shape of what the final product will look like."
A task force of parents, teachers and administrators studied the issue of gifted education a few years ago, but the plan that emerged ran into significant opposition. Some parents argued that the district was already too focused on high-achieving students. Other parents said they had moved to Mercer Island because of its high-quality schools and their children were not being challenged.
The School Board split on the plan, which recommended a fifth-grade program for "highly capable" students. Members decided to shelve the issue until a new superintendent was hired and elections changed the dynamic on the School Board.
After dissension, plan revisited
A few months after the board hired Simms last spring, members asked her to revisit the plan as one of her main priorities. Other priorities include building the leadership team; strengthening ties among the community, teachers and administrators; creating a challenging and coordinated math curriculum for the district; and continuing implementation of a strategic plan.
Working with district administrators and the elementary-school principals, Simms arrived at a plan for "academically gifted" children that is based largely on the earlier plan. The new plan makes a few notable changes, beginning with a name change, from a "highly capable" to an "academically gifted" program.
Mercer Island has many students who are highly intelligent and hard-working, said Patti Weber, director of curriculum and staff development.
But this program would serve a population within that group: students who score in the 98th or 99th percentile on the Cognitive Abilities Test and score at the 90th percentile or above in math and reading on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills.
"We also have tremendously gifted students athletically, artistically, but this program is specifically designed for a student who needs an academic program," Weber said. "Research says that the best way of meeting the needs of those students is in a self-contained program with a teacher who's been trained."
Secondary schools affected
Islander Middle School and Mercer Island High School already offer courses that fit the needs of academically gifted students, from accelerated courses to Advanced Placement courses. But the introduction of an academically gifted program at the elementary level could necessitate change in the secondary schools, Simms said.
As part of the new plan, Simms is recommending that an ad hoc committee develop recommendations for possible changes at Islander Middle School, at a cost of about $2,500. At Mercer Island High School, where 13 Advanced Placement courses have been added in recent years, Simms has suggested one addition: a yearlong Advanced Placement English 12 course, which would cost about $7,000 in materials and $1,100 in training.
The previous advisory group suggested using the first year of the program as a pilot year. But Simms has rejected that idea, saying the program should officially launch in the fall. A pilot program would indicate the idea was up for debate, Simms said, and she thinks the need is too strong to debate any longer.
Cara Solomon: 206-464-2024 or csolomon@seattletimes.com