Advanced Placement Center
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Advanced Placement Center (APC) is a fulltime, self contained program for academically talented students in grades 6, 7, and 8. This system-wide program accepts qualified students directly from the Elementary Laboratory Center (ELC) program, or at any other time during the middle school years. The APC provides maximum opportunities for emerging adolescents of exceptional ability to interact with other intellectually gifted students within a supportive environment. It is this special association which forms the most vital element of the program and which fosters a positive atmosphere for intellectual, emotional and psychological growth.
In creating the APC, the Quincy Public Schools recognized that academically talented children have special needs, that they can achieve high and further reaching goals, and that they require a learning environment that not only challenges their abilities but also includes peer reinforcement to validate their learning styles. The curriculum is fastpaced, and continuously challenges students to work at an advanced level.
The curriculum design strives to provide challenges suitable to the special needs and abilities of its exceptional learners. Content is often used as a catalyst to develop high level thinking skills. Issues and themes unite disciplines. The curriculum constantly provides opportunities for its scholars to see connections across the content areas. Projects, field trips, speakers, and a variety of special programs/opportunities enable students to explore, and develop a topic or new, idea as far as their interest and ability allows.
The academic disciplines are: Language Arts, Literary; Genres (grades 7 and 8), Mathematics, Reading (grade 6), Science, Social. Studies and World Languages (grades 69).
Student activities, are an integral component of the: instructional program. The Science Fair, Camp Wing (a weeklong camping experience involving environmental learning), Amnesty International, VAMP (velocity, acceleration, momentum project is a multidimensional mathematics/physics experience) Knowledge Bowl, Galileo Seminar; Continental Math League, Global Lab, musical and dramatic performances, opportunities to contribute to The Mind's Eye (a nationally recognized literary magazine) are but a few of the many enrichment activities available to students.
At the completion of grade 8, the students may attend one of the city's two high schools where a full program of honor and advanced placement classes are offered.
For further information, contact Dr. Sylvia Pattavina; the Liaison for Gifted/Academically Talented Education at 617-9848737.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Selection criteria include the following:
- Standardized Test scores:
- CSI or IQ score of 120 or higher, and a total battery achievement score of 95% or higher on the California Achievement Test must be referred for consideration.
- Combined CSI and California Achievement Test score of 215 may be referred by the classroom teacher if he/she feels that they are excellent candidates and, if they meet the other criteria.
- Assessment of the student's task commitment and motivation rated on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest.
- Teacher's and/or principal's comments in support of a student's eligibility.
- Daily classroom achievement as determined by report card grades and other significant test scores.
- Teacher's recommendation; strongly recommend, recommend, recommend with reservation, do not recommend.
- An assessment on the "Scale for Rating the Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students" adapted from a rating scale by Dr. Joseph Renzulli.
Special consideration:
From time to time principals, teachers, and parents may feel that students who do not meet the test score or other criteria are nevertheless academically talented. These students may be retested (if there is a marked discrepancy between their achievement test and their CSI scores) or examples of highlevel projects or classroom work may be submitted. as supportive evidence. For further information, contact Dr. Sylvia Pattavina; the Liaison for Gifted/Academically Talented Education at 617-9848737.