Advanced Academic/GT Application Process

Cockeysville Middle School strives to provide an education for our students that is rigorous and challenging at a level that is appropriate for each child.
Advanced Academics/GT education serves students who, when compared to others of their age, experience, or environment demonstrate high levels of potential or performance. Such students require learning experiences that differ qualitatively from the standard curriculum.
 
Applications to move to an Advanced Academic class can be made by a parent or teacher anytime during the school year. If you are interested in submitting a request for a change in placement, please submit an email to the committee chairperson (Maureen Trentzsch [email protected]) Applications are not taken during the summer.


BCPS Guidelines for Advanced Academics Language Arts

Advanced Academics Language Arts is designed to provide inquisitive and communicative students a learning experience which integrates challenging subject matter and dynamic instruction. Participation in Advanced Academics Language Arts consistently requires students to demonstrate:

* Enthusiasm for reading and writing

* Interest in exploring topics beyond age level

* The ability to interpret text beyond grade-level expectations and make unique connections

* The ability to read with careful judgment

* The ability to use reasoning in speaking and/or writing to come up with ideas and present arguments in order to convince others of opinions

* The ability to see issues in literature from multiple points of view and analyze character motivation


BCPS Guidelines for Advanced Academics Social Studies

Advanced Academics Social Studies is designed to provide inquisitive and communicative students a learning experience which integrates challenging subject matter and dynamic instruction. Participation in Advanced Academics Social Studies consistently requires students to demonstrate:


* Interest in studying history, geography, economics, sociology, and politics.
* The ability to read complex texts independently.
* The ability to communicate complex information verbally and in writing.
* Creativity and perseverance with challenging tasks.
* Interest in collaborating with peers.


BCPS Guidelines for Advanced Academics Math

Advanced Academics Math is designed to provide inquisitive and communicative students a learning experience which integrates challenging subject matter and dynamic instruction. Participation in Gifted and Talented Math consistently requires students to demonstrate exceptional abilities in the following areas:

* Persistence: shows enthusiasm about mathematical challenges; continues working until a solution is determined

* Inquisitive: asks a variety of questions about mathematical concepts as they relate to the real world

* Communicative/Expressive (verbally or nonverbally): able to clearly explain or demonstrate their mathematical thinking to others

* Insightful/ Creative: discovers unique methods for solving mathematical problems

* Resourceful: considers available mathematical tools and decides which tool will be most useful in solving a problem

* Problem Solving: Fluent with math computations; applies ideas from one mathematical problem to another; develops multiple strategies to solve mathematical problems

* Consistently able to learn mathematics concepts taught without the need for additional support and completes homework independently.


For students interested in Advanced Academics Mathematics, please see the pathways for mathematics through high school.


BCPS Guidelines for Advanced Academics Science 6

Advanced Academics Science is designed to provide inquisitive and communicative students a learning experience which integrates challenging subject matter and dynamic instruction. Participation in Gifted and Talented Science 6 consistently requires students to demonstrate exceptional abilities in the following areas:

* Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying, and Dividing Decimals 
* Multiplying and Dividing Fractions

These mathematical skills will be taught and applied:

* Use proportional reasoning and ratio concepts to solve problems

* Describe, represent, and interpret data including central tendency and variability

* Algebraic reasoning: mathematical expressions and variables to represent and solve problems, relationships between independent and dependent variables, etc.


There are three possible outcomes to the committee's review of the application.

1. A student is placed in an Advanced Academic / GT section for the class applied for.

2. A student is given a Diagnostic Placement for the class applied for. This means the student will be placed in an Advanced Academic / GT class temporarily. After several weeks in the class, the committee will gather input from the teacher to determine if the student should remain in the class. At that time, the student would either be permanently scheduled into the Advanced Academic / GT section or return to their Standard class.
3. A student will be given a designation of Monitor Progress. This means the student will remain in the Standard class. The student can submit another application to the committee at a future date. The teacher will continue to monitor the student's progress and will contact the committee to submit an application themselves if they see that the student's work merits such an application.


APPLICATION PROCESS STEPS

Please proceed in the order as listed below.

Step 1. Parent - Teacher conference required with the content teacher(s) of the class(es) applied for. Contact may be made through email, phone, or in person.

Step 2. Parent or Teacher may submit an email to Mrs. Trentzsch [email protected] with the name of the student and the class(es) you are applying for. 

Step 3. The Advanced Academics Review and Referral Team will meet to review the student's portfolio.

Step 4. Parents will be notified of the committee's decision as soon as possible.
     

Traits, Aptitudes, and Behaviors

Sample Range of Characteristics


Appeals related to middle school or high school recommendations must be received in the Office of Advanced Academics no later than May 15 to be processed for August placement.

Request for Appeal Form
Visit the BCPS Office of Advanced Academics web page.


Exiting an Advanced Academic / GT course. If you feel your child is not placed appropriately, please contact their teacher to discuss placement. The Review and Referral Team will discuss whether an exit is necessary.

Request to Exit Form