Magnolia Independent School District offers a continuum of advanced academics services for students K-12 that builds upon students’ individual strengths and skills and maximizes academic potential for all learners.
Magnolia ISD Advanced Academics Programs offers several types of challenging learning experiences to meet the needs of a broad range of advanced learners. Advanced Academics services are implemented using a school-based model in the following ways
All students engage in classrooms with comprehensive, structured, sequenced, and appropriately challenging content.
Students who require differentiated extension lessons in areas of academic strength are served through advanced level stations or small group work.
In grades 3 through 5 students who are identified for GT services are provided the opportunity to work together in a group setting for up to two hours per week.
Alana Wood
Director of Advanced Academics
awood@magnoliaisd.org
A student may be referred for the gifted and talented program at any time by teachers, school counselors, parents, or other interested persons. A link to the Gifted/Talented Student Referral Form will be shared by the campuses in January. One can also contact the school counselor and request the link. This form must be completed and submitted. The screening/assessment process is offered once per school year (in January) and consists of these steps:
Referral/Screening*
Data Collection including: Cognitive Abilities Testing in non-verbal, verbal, and quantitative areas; Achievement data from local assessments and platforms, Teacher and parent inventories
Campus Selection Committee Review
Parent Notification
*All Kindergartners and 2nd graders are screened in January. Specific requirements must be met by these students prior to moving on to the Data Collection Step.
Parent Awareness Sessions provide Magnolia ISD parents an opportunity to gain an understanding of the district's Advanced Academics and Gifted and Talented Programs. Additionally, the G/T Parent Awareness Sessions provide an overview of giftedness and the district's G/T Assessment and Identification Timeline for the current school year. In order to connect with more parents, campuses will share this information in person, virtually, and/or post it on their websites.
Each Fall we hold a district wide GT/Advanced Academics EXPO showcasing projects from grades 3-8 and programs offered at both high schools. During the spring, these showcases are held at the campus level.
Advanced Academics services are implemented in elementary schools using a school-based model. As gifted and talented students are identified through the district identification process in elementary, they are invited to participate in a G/T group with a highly qualified instructor to meet their needs in addition to classroom instruction. If these students are in grades 3-4, they will have the opportunity to participate in the dynamic, responsive, and inclusive REACH Program.
The REACH Program is defined by the following:
Students will explore topics such as:
Engineering
Digital Citizenship
U.S. Legal System
Financial Literacy
Coding
Philanthropy
These students will be served according to the following:
Up to a maximum of two hours per week
This time spent in Gt will be on a rotating schedule so as not to miss consistent time or major assessments from one core content area
Groups will consist of no more than 20 students at a time
Given that students will only be missing daily assignments from time to time, they are not required to make up that work, though they are responsible for learning the content.
A student would only be placed on probation from the REACH Program if their content grade drops below a 75 average for the 9-week period. Probationary period would then begin the following 9-weeks. Probationary students would be evaluated for re-entry into the REACH program at progress report periods.
Identified G/T students are also served by highly trained classroom teachers so that they may receive instruction and support in extension and advanced activities within the regular curriculum.
Advanced Academics services are implemented in Intermediate schools using a school-based model through our program called LAUNCH at the 5th grade and the beginning of advanced coursework at the 6th grade. Eligibility for LAUNCH is established through the G/T Screening Process. The LAUNCH Program for 5th graders is defined by the following:
Students will explore topics such as:
Fine Arts
Music
Research
Maker Spaces
Coding
Digital Technology
21st Century Problem Solving
Magnolia ISD Advanced courses begin in Grade 6 and identified G/T students along with students with advanced performance are encouraged to enroll in these courses. These courses are open enrollment and are based on extensions of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Students may select one or more advanced courses in areas that match their academic interests or strengths. Extensions in the classroom add depth and complexity to student learning experiences. Students in advanced courses frequently use abstract, critical thinking approaches through inquiry-based projects to extend and deepen their understanding of the content. Advanced courses prepare students for future success in the next step of their academic journey. Advanced classes in Intermediate, junior high, and high school are open to all students who seek academic rigor.
Advanced Academics services are implemented in Intermediate schools using a school-based model through advanced coursework. Advanced classes are open enrollment, and identified G/T students and students with advanced performance are encouraged to enroll in these courses. The intent of these courses is to prepare students for advanced coursework in Advanced Placement courses and International Baccalaureate® courses in high school.
Magnolia ISD Advanced courses begin in grade 6 and are based on extensions of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Students may select one or more advanced courses in areas that match their academic interests or strengths. Extensions in the classroom add depth and complexity to student learning experiences. Students in advanced courses frequently use abstract, critical thinking approaches through inquiry-based projects to extend and deepen understanding of the content. Advanced courses prepare students for future success in the next step of their academic journey. Advanced classes in Intermediate, junior high, and high school are open to all students who seek academic rigor.
High School Advanced Academics Programs
The program at the secondary level begins a transformation to Advanced, AP, DC, and IB High School Credit courses. Students may be identified as needing advanced services in one or all core subjects depending on their strengths. Advanced and AP classes with fast-paced, differentiated, accelerated instruction are provided in the four content areas, as well as several elective areas. In addition, Dual Credit courses are available in several core areas. Students who take these courses must be enrolled at Lone Star College. Students may receive high school and college credit for these courses. Advanced Placement courses are college-level courses that provide a rigorous course of study for gifted learners. Students work with college-level material and are expected to take an AP test through the College Board. If students achieve a grade of "3" or better on these exams, they may be awarded college credit for their performance. International Baccalaureate courses are also college-level courses that are assessed through classroom Internal Assessments and External Assessments as well as exams in May. These assessments each provide a certain percentage to the total component score for each course, and students may be awarded college credit with a component score of “4” or higher.
The Advanced Placement® (AP) Program provides academic college preparatory coursework in the major subject fields. AP classes emulate introductory college courses, preparing students for selective universities and colleges.
The AP program is a challenging academic program designed to provide motivated high school students with college-level academic courses. The AP program is a cooperative educational endeavor between secondary schools and colleges and universities and is considered a standard for academic excellence in the U.S. AP provides a challenging educational program that prepares students for selective universities and colleges. AP is a rigorous program dedicated to educational excellence with a long-standing history in the United States.
Mission
The College Board’s mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. The AP program supports the principle that each individual school must develop its’ own curriculum based on a set of expectations that colleges and secondary school faculty nationwide have established for college-level courses.” “For over 100 years, the College Board has partnered with leading educators, schools, and colleges to create innovative programs that help students, families, and educators to evaluate each student's academic strengths; challenge students to explore their interests and reach their potential; inspire students to do their best work, and pursue educational opportunities beyond high school.”
Courses
Individual teachers develop their own curriculum based on established course requirements and AP standards that must be approved by the College Board as part of the AP Course Audit process. University professors review the course syllabi for rigor and content to match college standards. All AP courses are for one-year. Magnolia ISD offers 28 AP courses!
Recognition
Students may enroll in as many individual AP courses as they wish based on academic strengths and interests. The College Board recognizes students with exceptional performance in the Advanced Placement program as follows:
AP Scholar - 3 or higher on 3 exams
AP Scholar with Honor – Average 3.25 with a 3 on at least 4 exams
AP Scholar with Distinction – Average 3.5 with a 3 on at least 5 exams
National AP Scholar – Average of 4 on all exams with a 4 on at least 8
Community service is a requirement of AP Government
Examinations
It is a Magnolia ISD expectation students sit for an examination at the end of the AP course. The district AP tests are scored on a scale of 1-5. All examinations are graded by a group of AP readers and scores are reported in July.
International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Program (DP)
The International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Program (DP) provides comprehensive rigorous education with an international perspective for 11th and 12th graders. The programs emphasizing analytical thinking, reading and writing skills with an international perspective. Students may choose to pursue the IB diploma or take individual certificates in IB courses
The Mission of the International Baccalaureate Program
The International Baccalaureate® aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment.
These programs encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
The aim of the IB programs are to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. IB learners strive to be:
Inquirers
Knowledgeable
Thinkers
Communicators
Principled
Open-minded
Caring
Risk takers
Balanced
Reflective
For more information, including a video produced by the International Baccalaureate Organization, visit http://www.ibo.org/en/programmes/ .
The IB Diploma Program
The IB Diploma program is designed as an academically challenging and balanced program with final assessments that prepare students for success in college and life beyond. The diploma program is a two-year program for juniors and seniors. College credit may also be earned depending on the subject results and the individual university acceptance policies. The IB Diploma Program:
Balances subject breadth and depth and considers the nature of knowledge across disciplines through the unique theory of knowledge course,
Encourages international-mindedness starting with a foundation in the students’ own language and culture,
Develops a positive attitude to learning that prepares students for university education,
Requires rigorous external assessments with global standards, and
Emphasizes the development of the whole student – physically, emotionally, intellectually, and ethically.
IB in Magnolia ISD
Magnolia ISD high schools are both authorized IB schools. They offer a variety of two level of courses Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL). Students are welcomed to enroll in the IB diploma or enroll in an IB class. For more information please contact the IB Coordinators at either High School.
Magnolia High School IB Coordinator: Matthew Finley; mfinley@magnoliaisd.org
Magnolia West High School IB Coordinator: Courtney Vaccaro; cvaccaro@magnoliaisd.org
