Open House Eigth Grade - Incoming Gifted - Desert Vista High School

DESERT VISTAGIFTED PROGRAMAmie Hickel and Mark KulikGifted Student Counselors

How Did You Get Here?♦ Students are identified as Gifted by scoringin the 97 th percentile on a standardized test.♦ Most here took the TUHSD HonorsPlacement Test.♦ Others may have previous tests or will testGifted after starting high school (PSAT,etc.)

Haven’t Taken Honors Test?♦ Final chance is Sat, Jan. 26, 2013♦ McClintock High School♦ Call 480-839-4222 to register

Desert Vista OpenEnrollment?*2013-14 forms become availableJanuary 1, 2013 on our districtwebsite.*Complete form by February 1.*Turn in complete DV registrationpacket to DV by February 1, or atfeeder school registration.*District Office will notify familiesby February 15 .

The “Whole Person” ApproachAcademicsClassRankGPAClubs&SportsLeadershipCo & ExtraCurricularActivitiesTest ScoresAcademicChallenge &RigorCommunityServiceOtherActivitiesHonors&Awards

Counseling ServicesCounselingCoursesCollegeScholarshipsPersonal/SocialFreshmanSophomoreJuniorSeniorRegistrationPersonal/SocialRegistrationPersonal/SocialCollege/CareerRegistrationPersonal/SocialScholarshipsCollegeCollege andScholarship AppsPersonal/Social

Gifted Student Services♦ Specialized Counseling Services– 2 counselors– 250 to 1 ratio vs. 500 to 1♦ Focus on College Readiness– Test preparation– College visits– Scholarship opportunities

Gifted Services Continued♦ The Gifted Counselors work with students duringscheduled meetings, as well as during unscheduled,informal meetings. They also regularly share informationwith students and families through written and electronicmeans. Counselors are available for meetings,consultations, and telephone conversations with students,parents, teachers and administrators as needs and interestsarise.♦ Gifted students have unique academic, social, andemotional needs, and benefit from specialists with trainingand experience with their respective groups of students(teachers, counselors, administrators etc.).

Continued♦ Counselors and Teachersare trained to identify andmeet the unique needs ofgifted students. DV giftedcounselors work on aproactive basis to helpstudents deal with somecommon issues:♦ Perfectionism♦ Anxiety♦ Underachievement♦ organizational/timemanagement concerns.♦ In addition, a giftedprogram can providedirection for students andparents seekingopportunities andresources outside theschool day and year.♦ Internships♦ Clubs and Extra-curricular♦ Whole Campus/StudentApproach

Desert Vista Course Offerings♦ 19 Advanced Placement (AP) Courses♦ 65 Honors and/or Dual Enrollment Courses♦ There are no classes offered exclusively for gifted students. DesertVista offers many Dual Enrollment, Advanced Placement, and Honorslevel courses. If gifted classes were offered, only a limited number ofsections could be scheduled.

Hard-To-Find Courses DV Offers♦ Honors Calculus 3/Differential Equations♦ Honors Linear Algebra♦ Honors Advanced Biotechnology 3-4♦ Honors Physics 3-4♦ Organic Chemistry♦ Honors Spanish 9-10♦ Fine Arts Academy♦ Mechanical Engineering♦ Computer Programming – AP and 5-6 level

Class Rank/Grades♦ GPA is unweighted but class rank isweighted.♦ Rank order is:– 1. Honors core classes (Hrs Eng, math, etc.)– 2. core classes (regular Eng, math, etc.)– 3. Honors non-core (adv. music, Speech, etc.)– 4. non-core regular (reg. music, P.E, etc.)

Class Rank Change Reminder♦ Beginning Fall 2010, all classes taken inmiddle school receive credit but do NOTearn rank points.

Desert Vista Accomplishments♦ 21 Ntl Merit Scholarship Semifinalists♦ Over 100 college visits at Desert Vista thisyear.♦ Classes of 2010-12 admitted to 265, 236,250 different national and internationalschools, colleges and universities,respectively.♦ The Class of 2012 was offered over $19.6million in scholarships.

Additional Accomplishments♦ Largest number of public school students inMaricopa County admitted to the U of AHonors College♦ 118 graduates currently in ASU’s BarrettHonors College♦ US News and World Report nationallyranked high school

The “Whole Person” ApproachAcademicsClassRankGPAClubs&SportsLeadershipCo & ExtraCurricularActivitiesTest ScoresAcademicChallenge &RigorCommunityServiceOtherActivitiesHonors&Awards

♦ Want a head start as to what our currentstudents and parents see?♦ “Like” us on facebook♦ www.facebook.com/dvcounseling