IRWIN
ACADEMIC
CENTER
WELCOME
IRWIN ACADEMIC CENTER
OPEN HOUSE AGENDA
• Welcome
• General Information
• Building Tour
• Program Details
•Q & A
Vision...
to become a model of
excellence
in the education
of gifted
and talented students.
MISSION...
to foster high academic achievement and the growth of
creative & critical thinkers,
lifelong learners,
involved citizens,
and
21st century problem solvers
by providing a nurturing, challenging,
and innovative program
that engages gifted and talented students,
their families, and the community.
School Improvement Goals...
1. Increase number of students
who show positive growth
2. Create Professional Learning
Communities
3. Increase the number of
community partnerships
Our Home: Irwin Avenue
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Historic building &beautiful campus
Uptown Charlotte means minutes from
museums, Discovery Place, ImaginOn,
Children’s Theater, and more
Connected to Ray’s Splash Planet
We’re growing!
General School Information
• Academic Program
– Full Magnet
– Learning Immersion
– Talent Development
• Student Enrollment:
– 485 in 2011-12
• Student School Hours
– 9:15 - 4:15
• Before &After School Care
 7:00-8:45 a.m.
 4:15-6:00 p.m.
Demographic Profile
Year
10-11
African
American
White
Asian
Hispanic
MultiRacial*
Totals
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
195
60%
58
18%
43
13%
5
2%
20
7%
322
100%
Transportation:
• Gray & Violet
Zones (northern
half of county)
• South West
Academic Zone
• Your location and
home school is
a small factor in
the lottery
Let’s Check
out the
building
Please join us for a tour &
meet our student ambassadors!
General Information
• K-5 students receive a full day of rigorous, academically
challenging, research-based instruction which provides
opportunities for students to achieve their fullest potential.
• K-2 LI program does not guarantee studentsadmittance into
TD BUTprovides a strong foundation
• Classroom teachers have gifted certification or are in the
process of being certified. One third has National Board
certification.
• Full time Talent Development Lead Teacher supports teachers
during planning & instruction.
• Lottery entrance only –
- there is no entrance test to be admitted
- essential that LI/TD expectations are clear
Irwin’s Magnet Themes
K-2
Learning
Immersion
All K-2
students
begin
on this
accelerated
path
*All 2nd
graders are
screened for
TD
3-5
Talent
Development
TD certified
students
receive
differentiated
educational
services for
their unique
needs
3-5
Learning
Immersion
or
Students
participate in
an
accelerated
enrichment
instructional
program
*Only K-2
non-certified
Irwin
students
Characteristics of a K-2
Learning Immersion Child:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Has a large vocabulary
Shows strong memory and quick recall
Carries out complex instructions with ease
Is curious, asks provocative questions
Offers unique answers
Accepts and carries out
responsibilities
• Works well independently
* See handout for a questionnaire
GIFTEDNESS:
Federal Definition
Students, children, or youth who give
evidence of high achievement capability in
areas such as
intellectual, creative, artistic,
or leadership capacity,
or in specific academic fields, and
who need services and activities
not ordinarily provided
by the school in order to fully develop those
capabilities.
GIFTEDNESS:
TD Certification Process:
* ALL CMS second graders are assessed.
GATEWAY 1
CoGAT = 96% or >
CoGAT + ITBS =
GATEWAY 2
GATEWAY 3
93% or > avg percentile
Gifted Rating Scales
AND
CoGAT& ITBS =
87 - 92% avg percentile
GRS & CoGAT @ 92% or >
OR
GATEWAY 4
TD Work Sample Portfolio
*all Irwin 2nd graders complete
Portfolio
Samples:
* Algebraic
Thinking
What Makes A Good Leader
by Jerome
A good leader must be intelligent kind
and listen to other people. I think I am a
good leader. I get a lot of hundreds on
my work and I am responsible. Jason,
Sherril and other kids in my class say I’m
smart. Friday is kickball day. They pick
me for captain because I pick girls and
boys for my team. I’m fair. Sometimes
they argue and grumble about the kick. I
stop the argument by telling them lets
vote. My class picked me for student
council. I had to write a speech and
make signs. I organized some of my
friends to help me. I like going to student
council. Its like being in congress. We tell
are ideas and vote for the one we want.
Some day I want to be a congress man. I
would be fair and make good laws. The
End.
* Advanced Language
* Analytical Thinking
PARENT expectations
Read & reinforce concepts with
your student every day!
Get Involved!
- Volunteer a minimum of 10 hours per year
- Join the PTA, the School Leadership Team,
Tutor, Be a Room Parent or a Reading Buddy!
Encourage your child to make the most
out of the rigorous course work while
enjoying other aspects of school &
learning.
What Does
Instruction Look
Like At Irwin
Innovative Strategies
Use of …
• Experiential Learning
• Differentiation: Curriculum
Compacting, contracts,
small groups, pre-tests
• Problem & Project
Based Learning
• Critical & Creative Thinking
• Interdisciplinary,
accelerated, challenging
units of study
Innovative Strategies
Use of …
• Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
• Bloom’s Taxonomy
• Seminars
• Collaborative groups
• Technology
• Hands-on learning
• Junior Great Books
• William and Mary Curriculum
• Rubrics
• Integrated Special Areas
• Guest speakers
• Current events
?
different
How are we
How are we different?
Instruction
CMS
Irwin
Academic Center
Learning Letters in
Kindergarten
Learn one letter per
week
Learn one letter
per day- the sound and
how to write it
Imagine It!
Reading Series
Complete one story
per week
Complete one story in
two-three days
Science
&Social Studies
Focus on reading and
math
Integrated and
focused on multiple
days/wk
Innovative Strategies
Randomly used
Consistently
implemented
How are we different?
CMS
Irwin
Academic Center
Initial Sound
Letter Naming
Phoneme Segmentation
Nonsense Word
CMS Goals
Average benchmarks
Irwin Goals
Advanced benchmarks
5, 27, 15, 13 on the four
fluency measures
40, 50, 30, 40 on the
four fluency measures
Report Cards
K-2 Report Card
Standards-Based
Report Card
Varies
Very active and involved
parents which provide
services and more than
$75,000 in curriculum
support and
professional
development
Instruction
Kindergarten DIBELS
Test
PTA
Curriculum Support
Tuition
Funded
Opportunities
Enrichment
Activities
Before
School
Clubs
Extracurricular
Opportunities
Service
In School
Clubs
Opportunities
Schoolwide
events
Samples of Extracurricular
Opportunities
• Enrichment Activities
–
–
–
–
–
Weekly Spanish for K-5!
Math Super Stars
Geography Bee
Accelerated Reader
Character Education
• Before School
– Chess Club
– Odyssey of the Mind
• Tuition Funded
– Mad Science
– Play Spanish
• Service Opportunities
– National Honor Society
– Student Council
• School Wide Events
– Musicals
– United Nations
• In School Clubs
– All students participate
based on interest
Ex.
Math & Science
Olympiad, Robotics,
Cooking
School Achievements:
• Magnet Schools of America
“School of Distinction”
2009 & 2010
“School of EXCELLENCE” 2011
• Honor School of Excellence under the state’s
ABC goals for more than a decade.
• North Carolina Honor School of Excellence –
High Achievement and High Growth.
• Fourteen Years Meeting
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP Growth)
Student Recognitions
•
Nine State Math Fair Champions
•
Three State Science Fair Champions
•
Two State Chess Championships
•
National State Chess Champion
(First Grader)
•
Two Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Winners and
two Art Winners
•
One Young Author & Illustrator First Place
Winner
•
Two Odyssey of the Mind Teams (advanced to
world competition)
•
National Geography Bee participation in the
state competition
•
2nd Place in Fire and Life Safety Bowl
•
5th Place winner at the 2011 US Kids Golf
Foundation World Championship (Fourth Grader)
2010 Test Data
• 97%
EOG Reading
• 100%
EOG Math
• 96%
EOG Fifth
Grade Science
Thank you for visiting!
Learn More…
http://schools.cms.k12.nc.us/irwinacademiccenterES
/Pages/Default.aspx
Our school website
http://www.irwinpta.org/
PTA website
david.Legrand@cms.k12.nc.us
Principal
susan.Ricke@cms.k12.nc.us
Literacy Facilitator
Emily.kendig@cms.k12.nc.us
TD Coordinator