Welcome
to
 Gifted Services

Suzanne Evans
Resource Teacher for the Gifted

Phone Number:  (703) 228-5427
Email:sevans@arlington.k12.va.us


Site Directory

In-School Services

County and State Programs

     PRIME
    Fine Arts Apprentice Program
    Governor's School

Summer Opportunities
    
 

Arlington Public Schools recognize that certain learners within the school population have unique abilities, interests, needs, and potential for accomplishment.  A variety of opportunities are available to gifted students through programs here at Yorktown and at the county and state level. For information regarding Gifted Services in Arlington Public Schools, please visit the APS Gifted Services  web page located on the Arlington Public School web site.

Students have the opportunity to participate in intensified and Advanced Placement classes to extend their learning beyond the basic curriculum at the high school level.  In addition, students may design their own courses through independent study, summer internships, apprentice workshops, and dual enrollment with local universities.  A variety of summer experiences are also available to advanced high school students.  Some of these opportunities are only available to students who have been identified for gifted services; however, most are open to all students in the system who wish to pursue further challenge.

Parents, teachers, other school staff, and community members can refer students to be evaluated for gifted services.  Identification committees meet each spring to review students referred for services.  More information on the identification process can be found on the APS Gifted Services web page.
 
 

In-School Services

Advanced Coursework

Each department in the school offers enriched coursework at every grade level.  Please review the Program of Study for detailed descriptions of these courses.  In some instances, prerequisites are suggested to help students understand the level of rigor expected in these courses.  A student does not need to be identified for gifted services to take any course offered at Yorktown High School.

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are offered for students who wish to take college level coursework during high school.  Students are expected to do college level work within the class and will take the national Advanced Placement examination at the end of the course.  The scores from these exams are sent to colleges and students may be able to skip freshman level courses when they enter college based on their scores (contact individual colleges and universities for the scores they accept for credit). All fees for these examinations will be paid by Arlington Public Schools.

Gifted students and their parents are encouraged to discuss the appropriate selection of courses with their counselor and/or the Resource Teacher for the Gifted.
 

Resource Teacher for the Gifted

Every high school in Arlington County has a Resource Teacher for the Gifted.  This person is responsible for:

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County and State Programs

PRIME Program

PRIME is an internship/mentorship program for gifted juniors and seniors.  Internships can be done during the school year or summer.  PRIME is designed to provide students with an opportunity to be placed as interns in professional organizations that relate to their field of interest.  The school-year program offers a non-paying internship in which students must complete 150 hours for a full credit or 75 hours for half credit.  Students can receive an application throughout the school year from Ms. Evans.

The PRIME Summer Program provides internships during the month of July for a limited number of Arlington Public School students.  Students must be sixteen years of age and provide their own transportation to and from the business and the Arlington Career Center.  Students must be available the entire month of July to participate in the program.  For more information on either the school year or summer program, see the PRIME web page or contact Nancy Opsut , PRIME Program Coordinator, through email or call her at (703) 228-5730.   An informational meeting for students and parents will be held on Tuesday, January 8th, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. at the Arlington Career Center, 816 S. Walter Reed Drive.  

Parent Meeting                 January 8th, 2008

Application Forms Due     January 25th, 2008

  Interview Process             February 4th - 13th, 2008

Placements Made by        June 13th, 2008

Internship Begins              June 30th, 2008

Internship Ends                 July 25th, 2008



Fine Arts Apprentice Program

The Fine Arts Apprentice Program provides students who have demonstrated achievement in and commitment to the Fine Arts (drama, instrumental and vocal music, dance, and visual arts) with enrichment opportunities throughout the school year.  All Arlington Public Schools students who will be in grades 10, 11, or 12 next September are welcome to apply.

Applications and auditions are held during the spring for the following school year.  Students receive half a credit for their participation and completion of the requirements in the program.  For more information, please visit the Fine Arts Apprentice Program web page.  If you have any questions prior to the meeting, please contact Sandra Phaup, the Fine Arts for the Gifted Coordinator, via email or call her at (703) 228-6168.  

2008-2009 Fine Arts Apprentice Program Application


Dates to Note:


Thursday, April 10, 2008:  Information meeting about the Apprentice Program for 2008-2009 applicants and parents from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Syphax Academic Center, 1439 N. Quincy Street.

Monday, April 28, 2008:  Applications and supporting materials due to the Fine Arts for the Gifted Office at the Syphax Academic Center, 1439 N. Quincy Street, Room 210, Arlington, VA 22207 by 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008:  Visual Arts Applicants' studio event at 4:00 p.m. is required of all visual arts applicants, Room 121 A and B, Syphax Academic Center, 1439 N. Quincy Street.


Dates for Art, Dance, Theater and Music Apprentice call-backs will be announced on the February application.




Virginia's Governor's School Program

The Commonwealth of Virginia has summer residential programs for identified gifted students in the humanities, foreign language, visual and performing arts, agriculture, math, science, and technology, and life science and medicine.  Acceptance to these programs is based on a competitive application process, auditions and interviews (auditions and interviews are held only for the Visual and Performing Arts program).  The academic and visual and performing arts programs last four weeks.  Students must be able to commit to stay for the entire duration of the program.  The programs are held on various university campuses throughout the Commonwealth.  Mentorships are available in engineering through NASA.  The mentorship programs are five weeks long.  General information about the summer residential program is available on the Governor's School website.  Students may apply during their sophomore and junior years and may only attend one program during their high school career.

The competitive application process for these programs begins in the fall at the school and county level and students whose applications are sent on to the state level must be able to make a commitment to wait until mid-April to find out if they have been accepted before making any other plans for the summer.  Applications and detailed information about each program can be found on-line through the websites listed below or will be distributed by the Resource Teacher for the Gifted in the school on the following schedule:  

Visual and Performing Arts                   mid-September
 Humanities                                             October
 Math, Science and Technology           October   (website currently unavailable)
 Agriculture                                              October
 Medicine and Life Sciences                October
 Foreign Language Academy               mid-October through Foreign Language Teachers

The mentorships are applied for through the academic application.  For more information, go to the following websites:
                 Engineering (limited information due to security issues - see application for details)

                  Marine Science

Applications for 2008 Governor's School Programs (for reference) - application process for 2008 program has been completed.
 

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Summer Opportunities

Enrichment opportunities abound for high school students in all interest areas. The Gifted Services Office of Arlington Public School sends out a listing of some of these programs in late December but parents and students are invited to contact the Resource Teacher for the Gifted for additional ideas.  Most programs do require tuition but many offer financial aid. Below you will find a brief listing of a variety of popular programs appropriate for gifted students.  Further opportunities for gifted students may be found through the listing of the National Association of Gifted Students.  An extensive list of summer opportunities for students can also be found at the Peterson's Website.

Many colleges and universities have summer programs in which students can enroll in courses and receive college credit.  These programs can be located through the schools' web sites.  The programs are too numerous to be listed here; however, certain programs specifically designated for gifted and highly able students are included below.

This listing does not carry or imply APS Gifted Services Office's endorsement of these programs.  It is provided for informational purposes only.  If you have comments about the programs listed or know of other programs that may be of interest to students and parents, please email Suzanne Evans at sevans@arlington.k12.va.us.
 

Programs for Gifted Students

Arts

Humanities

Math, Science and Technology

Service Learning Opportunities



  

Perception movies from Superintendent's Seminar 2006



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