January 2017 Secondary Edition Leander ISD

QUEST Quotes Check Out QUEST Parents FAQ on the web at http://goo.gl/bc5vq7

Contents Page

• QUEST Reflections 1, 9 • Growth Mindset 1-2 • Students Setting Goals 2, 6 • Middle School News 2-6 • 6th grade news 2, 3-4 • 7th grade news 2, 4-5, 9 • 8th grade news 1-2, 5-6 • Why in-depth study? 6 • High School News 7-9 • Kudos 10 • Parent Corner 10 • Developing Self-Esteem 10 • QUEST Surveys 10

QUEST-G/T as defined by QUEST students. An end-goal for all LISD students is for them to become self-directed, resilient, and perseverant life-long learners. To that end, QUEST students participate in a variety of learning experiences to help build self-awareness and growth mindsets - to set goals, to put forth effort, to realize dreams and to believe in their capacity to grow. (Below are comments from middle school students sharing what QUEST means to them.)

QUEST means… “…learning in different ways and how to balance work and other activities.” Natalie, HMS 7th

“…I’ve been in QUEST seven years, and I still think it’s a very complex class that helps me use my mind to do something great.” Ashley, HMS 7th “…I can express my passions and ‘personal art’. Everyone has a talent and a passion for that talent. QUEST helps me learn about mine and others’ talents.” Anjana, FPMS 6th “…a place to express ideas through projects that help with enrichment for the mind. It broadens my knowledge to consider alternatives.” Darby, HMS 7th “…you can grow your mind to take on challenges.” Reagan, FPMS 6th

“…helping me in and outside of class with learning and using different strategies to accomplish my goals.” Bridgette, HMS 8th “…to challenge myself to do better on my tests, homework, classwork, etc.” Avinash, FPMS 6th

“…actually thinking things through.” Turyaga, HMS 7th “…each year I can learn something new and how to work with others.” Malavika, FPMS 6th “…helping me learn …making sure I am on track and organized.” Alexis, HMS 7th “…giving complex answers, how to solve problems while not taking the easy way out or being expedient.” Ben, FPMS 6th “…a place to be myself, to come up with my own ideas.” Ryan, HMS 7th “…working together, trying new things and going out of your comfort zone.” Haley, HMS 7th “…learning to be myself and do what I’m good at and try to do the best I can.” Mohammed, FPMS 6th “…helping me think of how I can make a difference in the world.” Abigayle, HMS 7th “…teaching me about leadership and responsibility.” Julian, FPMS 6th “…letting me think the way I think.” James, HMS 7th

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QUEST-G/T students build a community of learners. “QUEST is a class where you collaborate and improve along with your peers.” Alora, HMS 7th

“QUEST means working with others to achieve a goal.” Thomas, HMS 8th Gifted students need to know themselves, to affirm and respect who they are, to have people with whom they connect, to develop social awareness of the world and to know how they can help others. QUEST-G/T activities are purposely designed to enable students to build connections with each other, to refine their interpersonal skills and to learn how to successfully work in teams to solve problems. (In below photo, QUEST FPMS 8th graders work on team-building skills.)

Thoughts to Ponder “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” Einstein “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C. S. Lewis “Discovery consists of seeing what everybody else has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.” Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

QUEST-G/T middle school news QUEST-G/T students prepare for college and career. A major goal of the QUEST-G/T program is to provide the academic, personal and cognitive skills necessary for future success, no matter what pathway they choose. Key cognitive skills include problem-solving abilities, transferring of learned skills to new situations, questioning strategies and effective communication. Key academic skills include self-motivation, self-reflection, high level of commitment and responsibility, student ownership of learning, and organization of time and resources. Other key skills include the ability to self-assess and to work successfully with peers to solve problems. This issue highlights how QUEST students apply their critical and creative thinking skills to research and produce evidence of learning through authentic products and presentations.

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QUEST-G/T middle school students build growth mindsets. “QUEST is a place to explore, pursue and nurture my talents.” Marlie, HMS 6th “QUEST expands my mind to not be fixed but think with a more open mind.” Ben, HMS 8th “It lets me open my mind to challenges that I thought I couldn’t complete and overcome.” Ashley, HMS 8th Middle school QUEST students discuss key life skills needed for success – critical and creative thinking, perseverance, effort, goal-setting, collaboration and self-awareness of their gifts, talents, skills and goals. (In photos, CRMS QUEST 6th graders discuss relevance of creative thinking tools in solving problems, and RBMS QUEST students brainstorm key elements of being a successful student.)

QUEST-G/T students evaluate and set goals. “In QUEST I get to share my ideas and get feedback from peers to make them possible.” Marissa, HMS 8th

“QUEST helps me improve skills and find new ways to achieve.” Madeleine, HMS 8th “QUEST helps me manage my time and goals.” Connor, HMS 7th

An important part of each QUEST-G/T unit of study is peer, self and teacher assessments, following the QUEST rubric and criteria, set by students and teachers together. From these assessments, students set goals for improvement. RBMS 6th and 7th graders shared their thoughts about the value of self-reflection.

“It allows us to think back on what we did and prepare for what we are doing next.” “It’s important to self-reflect during the assignment so you can continue to improve.

RBMS QUEST teacher, Ms. Westfall explains the evaluation process. “6th graders are looking at their task commitment and learning process before we enter into product creation and presentation, so that they can use those evaluations to be successful. 7th graders just completed their children’s books and are self-reflecting about task commitment, process and product. Then, after we visit the elementary schools, they’ll reflect on their presentations.”

(In below photos, WMS QUEST 7th graders work together to set expectations for their group discussions about the Hero’s Journey; CRMS 6th graders debrief their Plus/Delta evaluations from their Non-profit presentations; and CRMS 8th graders check their rubrics while they work on their WIC/UN Museum Trunks.)

QUEST-G/T sixth grade news QUEST-G/T students explore perspective, balance and viewpoint. During sixth grade QUEST, students analyze, experience, read about, discuss and write about different perspectives and points of view. They participate in a variety of project-based and literary units. For example, after reading dystopian novels, students research society elements, problems and utopias. They, then create their own societies or community nonprofit organizations. CRMS QUEST teacher, Seema George, explains, “Students created community clouds depicting their vision for their community in ten years and listened to guest speakers sharing about their involvement in community outreach through nonprofits and volunteerism. Students also read about real change makers who at young ages made a difference in their communities with their passions. Finally, the students selected their social cause or issue to work on and created their team nonprofit organizations.” (Photos show some of the non-profit organizations they created, including the anti-bullying website, the “Friendship Project” and the “Homeless Services” model. Also, shown are team presentations and discussions about “Animal Conservation” and “African Conflicts”.)

HMS QUEST-G/T sixth graders participate in Socratic Seminars. “QUEST builds our confidence when speaking and voicing our opinions.” Ellee

One of the best ways to increase rigor in students’ thinking is to engage them in purposeful student discourse. To this end, QUEST students participate in Socratic Seminars, through which they have authentic discussions, practicing effective habits of explaining their ideas and supporting them with evidence. Through listening to the thoughts, ideas, and questions of each other, students build meaningful and lasting learning in a community of learners where they feel safe and comfortable as risk-takers. (Below are HMS 6th graders participating in their Socratic Seminars.)

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Ready, write, action! HMS QUEST students created 3-minute news broadcasts, newspapers or websites that fairly and objectively presented both sides of a school-related issue, such as dress code. QUEST teacher, Serena Slocum explained, “We spent a great deal of time discussing bias in informational writing or speaking and how to avoid it. Then, the students created their own unbiased news reports.” (Photos show HMS students filming their newscasts, creating commercials, writing blogs and collaborating.)

QUEST-G/T seventh grade news QUEST-G/T students create children’s books to share.

“I loved making a book and reading it to a younger student.” Lillith, HMS 7th QUEST 7th graders discuss and analyze short story literary elements and then apply their learning to create children’s books, complete with illustrations and lessons, connected to the Hero’s Journey, the 10 Ethical Principles or other morals. (In photos CRMS 7th graders share their books with Bush Elementary students.)      

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QUEST-G/T eighth grade news 8th grade QUEST-G/T students examine conflict, challenge and choice. Through their Power of One and United Nations/World In Conflict (WIC) studies, 8th grade QUEST students address world problems. Students conduct individual and group research – both for preparation and just-in-time problem solving. They learn to work together to solve problems – true 21st century skills that colleges and businesses require. QUEST students work through their United Nations and World in Conflict studies to analyze the history of important world conflicts and their effects on present day. Students build trunks of artifacts to describe and define the conflicts. They create “Mock UN meetings” and bring the UN proposals to assist the conflict in their regions. (In below photos, QUEST HMS 8th graders are researching their UN country and taking notes during a UN presentation; and CRMS QUEST students are working on artifacts for their museum trunk.)

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QUEST-G/T students study the Hero’s Journey. QUEST 7th graders discussed, analyzed and applied the stages of the Hero’s Journey, tracing the stages in literature and movies, as well as in real-life heroes’ journeys. The stages include the call, threshold, challenge, abyss, transformation, revelation, atonement and return. HMS QUEST teacher, Ms. Torres, explained, “Some students made 3-D models, others 2-D art pieces and one student wrote a mathematical equation. (See above photo.) He explained that he related each symbol to a stage in the journey – using mathematical terms and symbols and that it is not a math problem to solve.” Shown in the above photo is his product and his conclusion, “It seems impossible, but if you set the variables right, you will get answers. The challenge is to find the correct variables.” He reflected, “Making the math product allowed me to express the Hero’s Journey in a technical way and helped me move out of my comfort zone.”) (Below photos show HMS QUEST 7th graders creating their representations of the stages in the Hero’s Journey.)

QUEST-G/T students explore, research, create and present. Opportunities are provided for students to pursue areas of interest through guided and independent research. Texas State GT Plan Gifted students need opportunities each year to conduct independent study in areas of their interest.” Joyce Juntune, Ph.D., Texas A & M, Institute for the Gifted Sometimes the question is asked, “Why do QUEST students do in-depth studies each year? The quotes above provide the rationale in part. However, the most important reasons for in-depth studies are the invaluable learning opportunities, the experiences of joy in learning, and the self-confidence obtained by students being the directors of their studies. Through QUEST in-depth studies, students learn the research process as they apply their critical thinking to gather information about a topic, formulate complex questions to drive their studies, organize their information into products that reflect their learning and create presentations to communicate the key points that address their complex questions. Each year’s experience in QUEST builds upon the next. Elementary students in grades kindergarten through 3rd grade experience and are guided through the in-depth study process, learning how to choose a topic of interest, how to become an expert in the issue they’re studying through complex questions and how to present their key points to an audience. 4th and 5th grade QUEST students become increasingly more independent owners of their in-depth studies, researching areas of personal interest as well as learning to work in entrepreneurial research teams to address various real-life problems, including community action. 6th grade QUEST students have open choice in their in-depth studies, choosing to study a variety of personal interests. 7th grade QUEST students do objective research on two-sided issues – in teams or individually. 8th grade QUEST students apply their experience and understanding of the research process as they conduct the “Trial of Planet Earth.” They divide into judges, defense and prosecution teams, comprised of witnesses and lawyers. All three groups do extensive research in judicial areas, historical and societal issues. (Photos show LMS judges as they teach courtroom vocabulary and procedures, including motions and objections, as well as they preside over the trials.)

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(In below photos, CPMS QUEST students break down the rubric criteria to help set goals for their Independent Studies.)

QUEST/GT high school news • High school QUEST students may participate in a variety of opportunities. Ninth and tenth grade QUEST students are automatically placed in their respective 9th and 10th Pre-AP English QUEST classes. Pre-AP English QUEST follows the Pre-AP English curriculum, with focus on critical and creative thinking skills, oral and written communication skills, and literary analysis skills. (In photos, VHS QUEST Pre-AP English students listen to a dramatic reading of “Letter to a Young Refugee” as a review, before discussing its literary elements.) Pre-AP English QUEST provides a culture, similar to elementary and middle school QUEST, designed to meet the learning and social emotional needs of QUEST-G/T students. ***Please note that this is a Pre-AP English curriculum and is NOT project-based like middle school or elementary QUEST and does NOT include the QUEST-G/T independent study. (In photos VHS and VRHS 9th and 10th grade QUEST analyze, revise and edit their writing through individual efforts and collaboration.) / • Students may elect to enroll in the QUEST-G/T Independent Study Mentorship Class. Enrolled students complete a year-long, in-depth research independent study evaluated by a panel of educators and experts in the chosen field. • Students and parents may use the QUEST-G/T Lab as a support system and resource. Students may participate in projects (both personal and for other classes), discussion groups, independent study, time management/study skill groups, etc. (On page 8 are reflections from RHS QUEST Lab students.) If you have questions about QUEST-G/T high school opportunities, please contact Kathy.Wood@leanderisd.org or Sarah.Hyde@leanderisd.org. • International Baccalaureate Senior Diploma Program (IB) Students may choose to participate in the IB program, a comprehensive two-year advanced academic studies program beginning the junior year of high school. The program covers curriculum in all core areas and electives. Courses are equivalent to college courses, and students may receive advanced standing and/or college credit for their work. Texas universities and colleges provide 24 hours of college credit or placement to students with the IB Diploma. Students are encouraged to start the IB program as freshman, taking Pre-AP and other advanced courses. The IB DIP program has been at LHS for several years, and Vandegrift HS current freshman may participate in the IB program beginning this school year. For more information, please email the LHS IB and VHS IB Coordinators, Katie Hauenstein and Debbie Quick. (In photos are scenes from the 2016 LHS IB Graduates’ Celebration.)

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High school QUEST-G/T students reflect about the QUEST-G/T Lab. (Below are some comments from RHS QUEST-G/T students about why they take the QUEST-G/T Lab (QL) and how they use it.) • “QL has been a great opportunity and provider of extra time, something I really need with my very busy schedule!” • “My goal is to keep up with more advanced classes, and getting help from others who have shared my experiences.” • “So far I have absolutely loved QL. It gives me the much-needed time to work and study.” • “I have a nasty habit of procrastinating when left to my own devices. Not only does QL give me a space to work on my classwork (with 5 AP classes, there's a lot of it), but the structure of this class holds me accountable for that work and will help me stay on track.” • “I wanted to do QL because I know how helpful it was for me last year. My goal is to have better time management and make my senior year run as smoothly as possible.” • “I have a lot more homework now that I've switched from ACC to AP, so I'm using my time efficiently in QL.” • “I thought the transition to second semester QL went pretty well. I talked to some new students to welcome them, then got to work to keep up my grades.” • “I signed up for QL this year because I’m getting another job so with that, school, cross country and volunteering with Special Olympics, I really wanted a place to balance all this. And I know how much it helped me last year.” • “It's helpful having my classmates in QL because I can ask them questions about my other classes.” • “My transition to QL this semester was very relieving. I am super excited to have extra time to get stuff done.” • “I want to use this class as a tool for helping me manage my assignments. My ultimate goal is to be prepared for college.” • “I am taking QL because I am taking 3 Pre-AP/AP classes and balancing ROTC involvement.” • “Taking QL has been very rewarding as far as helping my time management skills and work ethic, and I'm really glad that I decided to sign up for it this semester. I will definitely take it again next year!” • “I have regained touch with my lost inner child.” • “I decided to take QL because I knew I could definitely use a head start on homework from so many AP classes. Also, I needed designated time to work on college applications. I hope to be productive throughout the year. My goal is to survive senior year.” • “I'm taking QL because it is a great opportunity to get work done and study for my classes during this very rigorous junior year. I use this class to help meet my academic goals and better myself as a student.” • “It's very helpful for me, especially with musical and all-state choir coming up. I love it!” • “In my QL class I have gotten better at doing my work, and now I can ask more people if I need help on something.” • “I really enjoy being in an environment where everyone is creative and puts in effort. I think being able to flex my creative muscle is a big bonus.” • “The transition from last semester to this semester in QL is honestly a blessing. I feel more productive.” • “I came in already knowing QL protocol because I used to watch the QL students in my Pre-AP QUEST English classes my freshman and sophomore years. This class is just what I needed.” •“The environment of a QUEST classroom is good for me and helps me learn. My goal is to get things done in a more time-appropriate manner.”

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Kudos to… …The almost 1000 LISD 7th graders eligible to participate in the 2016 Duke 7th grade Talent Identification Program (TIP). Participants across the nation who scored 95% on standardized achievement, ability or state tests were eligible to take college entrance exams, either the SAT or ACT. …the 24 students named as Semifinalists in the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program based on their outstanding performances on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). National Merit Semifinalists, who represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, include the highest scoring entrants in each state. These academically gifted high-school seniors will compete for scholarships worth about $33 million this spring. Congratulations to the LISD National Merit Semifinalists Chung-Wing Ko, Bradley Krakar, Kent Hansen, Aurora Kessler, Tanner Shaw, Abbie Flynn, Viennie Lee, Reid Li, Mae Wiesmer, Tiffani Burnett, Daniel Myers, Ashley Chase, Nicholas Cummings, Bethany Dollar, Spoorthi Kampalli, Ethan McCosky, Nidhi Pandya, Yilong Peng, Dillon Piegat, Riya Saxena, Spencer Sharp, Robert Smoot, Joshua Stelling, and Jonathan Walker …the 31 students recognized by the 2016 National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) based on their outstanding scores on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Congratulations to the National Achievement Semifinalists: Brandon Castillo, Amanda Montanez Alvara, Allen Campoy, Victor Carrillo, Shelby Kawejsza, Cynthia Nguyen, Angela Permenter, Stephan Zaparolli, Adam Eckert, Marisa Macias, Dylan Rowling, Joshua Sanders, Alexander Borges, Liliane Cowley, Jordan Daniels, Hannah Davidson, Sophia Froenlich, Natiel Gomez, Morgan Nanez, Erica Munoz, Sophia Povedano, Jesse Riedel, Rachel Williams, Calvin Asay, Alexis Barron, Israel Blevins, Lauren Eichner, Maya Gonzales, Daniel Lee, Josilyn Ochoa, Lily Samuels and Jarod Tolbert.

Top right photos show VHS students as they discuss the effectiveness of leads in expository writing. In photos at right, CRMS 7th graders prepare for Independent Study through a Socratic Seminar about two-sided issues.

QUEST-G/T students learn through academic discourse. Student discourse, that is, students talking about topics in an academic environment, is a critical learning tool that engages students to make connections, to collaborate and to think about their thinking (metacognition).

QUEST Quotes is published by Leander ISD. It is designed to keep parents, staff, community members and students informed of events within the program as well as issues in gifted education. Superintendent:

Dan Troxell, Ph.D. Director/Editor: Kathy Wood, M.Ed. Board of Trustees: Trish Bode, Don Hisle, Aaron Johnson, Grace Barber Jordan, M.Ed. Jim MacKay, Will Streit, Pamela Waggoner

We’re on the Web! See us at:

http://www.leanderisd.org Parents/Students,

Gifted/QUEST And check out the

QUEST Parents FAQ at http://goo.gl/k46zRF

Parent corner Dos and Don’ts for Developing Self-esteem in Gifted Children, by Lisa Van Gemert, M.Ed.T., the Gifted Guru DO •teach kids to serve •help kids recognize their accomplishments and contributions •find the light at the end of the tunnel •assist kids in finding friends •encourage kids to take care of pets Don’t •praise inappropriately •let kids believe that everything is easy •overshadow their intuition •throw away success symbols (even if it’s made from recyclables) •dismiss the value of a message (e.g. lunchbox notes, mirror sticky notes) For more information, please visit Lisa Van Gemert’s website, shown below. https://expertbeacon.com/experts/lisa-van-gemert

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2015-16 QUEST Survey Results Parents responded “frequently or to a great extent” about their child’s experiences in QUEST 95% Creative Thinking valued 96% Values other’s thinking 87% Organizes time 92% Sets higher standards 97% Enjoys playing with ideas 95% Supports ideas with research 93% Produces a higher quality of work 97% Has a safe place to be self 95% More confident in presenting ideas 93% Motivated to persevere 96% Feels thinking is valued 96% Clearly communicates ideas

Kudos • Congratulations to all our LISD DI teams for their hard work, and good luck at the Regional DI Tournament on February 18 in Georgetown! • Thanks to all who have volunteered to help with our DI teams. If you would like to volunteer, please contact sarah.hyde@leanderisd.org

2015-16 QUEST Survey Results Parents responded “frequently or to a great extent” about their child’s experiences in QUEST 93% Design plans to solve problems 98% Comfortable with gifts and talents 97% Enjoys learning 93% Challenged to extend thinking 95% Explores topics of interest 96% Uses research skills to deepen understanding

QUEST-G/T K-12 Improvement Goals for 2016-17 •Remind students, parents and staff about QUEST-G/T Lab opportunities (See below photos of CRMS students taking advantage of QUEST-G/T Lab.) •Improve consistency of communication of Middle School QUEST Rubrics to parents •Continue to help QUEST students develop growth mindsets •Continue to build connections to, collaboration with and support of grade level teachers

2015-16 QUEST Survey Results Parents responded “rarely or never” about their child’s experience in QUEST 89% Feels limited in what can learn 81% Has less input into what learns See QUEST Parent Survey Results at

http://goo.gl/k46zRF