Welcome Kindergarten
and First Grade Learning
Immersion Families!
Kelly Kollar
TD Catalyst Teacher, Magnet Coordinator
980-343-6055
K- 2
Learning
Immersion
Students
TD certified students
continue on in the
Talent Development
classes.
Students are taught
at an accelerated
pace using Multiple
Intelligence Theory
Students who did not
certify continue on in
the Learning Immersion
classes.
3-5 TD
3-5 LI
Tuckaseegee Magnet Program
Learning
Immersion
K-2
Multiage
classes
Neighborhood
What About Multi-Age?
The federal government defines "gifted and
talented" students, children, or youth as those
...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 or activities not
ordinarily provided by the school in
order to fully develop those
capabilities.
No Child Left Behind Act, P.L. 107-110 (Title IX, Part A,
Definitions (22) (2002); 20 U.S.C. Sec. 7802 (22) (2004))
What is Giftedness?

The goal of the Talent Development and
Advanced Studies Program in the
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is to
provide rigorous curriculum and academic
opportunities so each student may reach
a classroom performance level consistent
with his/her intellectual ability.
Gifted in CMS
Bright Learners
Gifted Learners
Knows the answers
Is interested
Is attentive
Asks the questions
Is highly curious
Is mentally and physically
involved
Has wild, silly ideas
Plays around, yet tests well
Beyond the group
Already knows
1-2 repetitions for mastery
Prefers adults
Draws inferences
Is intense
Enjoys learning
Manipulates information
Good guesser
Has good ideas
Works hard
Top group
Learns with ease
6-8 repetitions
Enjoys peers
Grasps the meaning
Is receptive
Enjoys school
Absorbs information
Good memorizer
Enjoys straightforward,
sequential presentation
Thrives on complexity
Gateway 1
Gateway 2
Gateway 3
Gateway 4
• 96% or > on CogAT
• 93% or > on CogAT + ITBS
• 87%-92% on Cogat + ITBS
• 65 or > on three areas of GRS
• CMS Portfolio score of 12 or more with 3
points from Advanced Language or
Analytical Thinking
The Certification Process
CogAT- Cognitive
Abilities Test





CogATcondensedstuden
tbooklet.pdf
Verbal- picture
analogies, classification
Non-Verbal- spatial
awareness
Quantitative-number
analogies, equations
Predicts how well a
student is likely to
perform in school.
Gateway 1
How to Prepare
Analogies
 Classify- make rules
and justify reasoning
 Equations (= does
not mean “the
answer is”)
 Building Thinking
Skills
 Active Questioning

ITBS


Measures scholastic
achievement
What the student
already knows
Gateway 2
How to Prepare


Summer workreading and math
practice
If you don’t use it,
you lose it!
Gifted Rating Scale- GRS
 Given in first grade- Teacher checklist
 Measures Intellectual Ability, Academic
Ability, Creativity, Artistic Talent,
Leadership and Motivation
 Based on the age of the child, not the
grade

Gateway 3
Portfolio






All Learning Immersion
students in the second
grade will receive a
portfolio
Advanced Language
Analytical Thinking
Motivation/Leadership/
Perseverance
Perspective/Sensitivity/
Sense of Humor
Creativity/Artistic Talent
Gateway 4
How to Prepare
Encourage your child
to take their time and
do their best, not
looking for “fast
finishers”
 At home entry

Evidence






Vocabulary beyond age-level 
peers

Figurative language
Stories with problem and
solution
Interesting approaches to

problems
Perspective
Artistic talent, drawing,
poetry, painting, song writing,
etc.
Practice
READ, READ, READ
Write stories,
poetry, letters,
math problems,
anything!
Create inventions,
drawings, paintings,
etc. Be creative!
Portfolio Preparation
Any Questions?