,,,,,Sunset Middle School
,, Advanced Class Criteria for Placement
We offer higher level, accelerated classes in all four core areas. The teacher will provide opportunities for students to develop in-depth understanding in their core content area along with the following expectations:
- Develop an awareness of student’s own learning and thinking processes
- Include student’s interests and passions
- Provide choices for the learner around outcome products
- Involve students in setting goals for their learning and assessing their progress toward those goals
- Stretch the student’s level of knowledge and understanding; they must be willing to go past their “comfort zone”
- Weave several district and state standards through engaging instruction that demands higher-level thinking
Students will be expected to:
- Be self-motivated learners, take on the task and figure out the “why”, “how” & “what” – become solution oriented
- Actively engage in positive classroom participation
- Embark on all challenges with a “can do” attitude, (stretch yourself)
- Display character qualities of integrity, humbleness and openness
- Always be prepared for class everyday, through home extensions, outside assignments, reading, etc.
- Be responsible for their learning, advocate for their needs
- Keep their performance grade at a minimum of a high “B”
If a student is not meeting the expectations of the advanced class, a meeting will take place first with the student and if needed student and parent. It the student’s grade is not to the advanced expectation by the end of the quarter we will move the student into a traditional placement.
If a class is not meeting your expectations, you are asked to schedule a conference with the teacher to discuss your concerns. Only if a solution can not be worked out between teacher/student/parent would an administrator become involved.
Advanced Core Classes
Sunset continues to offer higher level, advanced classes in all four core areas: Science, Math, Language Arts, and Social Studies. These classes will embrace curriculum and instruction that:
- Provide opportunities for students to develop in-depth understanding
- Develop an awareness of student’s own learning and thinking processes
- Include student’s interests and passions
- Encourages and teaches student to be self advocates for their learning
- Provide choices for the learner around outcome products
- Involve students in setting goals for their learning and assessing their progress toward those goals
- Stretch the student’s level of knowledge and understanding; they must be willing to go past their “comfort zone”
- Weave several district and state standards through engaging instruction that demands higher-level thinking
We will use a variety of data sources to place students into advanced classes. First, we will only take those students who sign up for the classes and who are willing to push themselves to succeed in the advanced classes. We will use the following data sources to determine placement:
- CSAP scores in the high proficient to advanced range
- Teacher recommendations in terms of grade equivalent performance, the expectation is a strong “B” or “B+”
- End of the year assessments in the core areas of interest, created by teachers that align with CSAP and rigor of advanced class, students are expected to achieve at least a B+ on the assessment
- Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) scores which range in the 1000+ lexile
- Gifted and Talented identification will be used to determine placement in 6th grade Advanced Classes
After the data is gathered students need to meet 3 or the first four bullets above of the data criteria. If a student is Gifted and Talented and they wish to take an advanced class in their area of identification they are put in that class as an incoming 6th grade student.
Each student will be asked to sign a contract at the beginning of the year acknowledging that they understand the expectations of the accelerated classes. This contract will include expectations around learning behaviors, academic performance, work ethic and personal responsibilities. It should be known that students who are not performing at or above a proficient level will be moved out of accelerated classes and will be placed in a less challenging class.
