Aurora Public Schools

2015-2016 Aurora Quest K-8 Application Process

“A Magnet School for Gifted and High Potential Students”

Aurora Quest K-8 is a magnet school in the Aurora Public School District. The staff of Aurora Quest K-8 is charged with the mission of meeting the needs of Gifted and High Potential Learners through a rigorous and advanced academic curriculum which provides authentic learning experiences and advanced opportunities for students of similar abilities.

PLEASE READ THOROUGHLY, AS THE APPLICATION PROCESS HAS CHANGED.

Who should apply?

Students who have been identified as Gifted or High Potential Learners. In-district studentsmusthave gone through the AGATE identification process and been identified as gifted or high potentialby December 19, 2014, in order to apply.

Parents of APS students interested in applying to Quest must notify their school’s AGATE Leader by November 7, 2014, so that the AGATE identification process (the testing and identification) can be completed before applications are due.
Parents of APS students attending non-traditional schools such as charter or private schools, students being home schooled, or out-of-district students will need to attend the parent information night to learn more about testing requirements (see below for dates and times).

Application Process Timeline:

September 30, 2014– Applications for 2015-16 school year are available online at or in the office of Aurora Quest.

October 7, 2014 Tuesday, 6:00 p.m. – Parent Information Meeting at Aurora Quest K-8 OR

October 16, 2014 Thursday, 6:00 p.m. - at ESC 4 1085 Peoria Street.

November 7, 2014, Friday – Deadline for parents to notify the AGATE Leader at their child’s school that they intend to apply to Quest. Please make sure you give the school the Teacher and Additional Teacher Recommendations, and the AGATE Teacher Leader Form.

January 9, 2015,Friday– Completed K-8 applications are due to Aurora Quest K-8, by 3:00 p.m. Late applications will not be accepted.

January 24, 2015, Saturday, *by appointment– Testing for students applying for grades 1st-8th who have not taken the Cognitive Abilities Test. Parents will be contacted to schedule appointments for testing and screening.

January 24 and January 31, 2015, Saturday, *by appointment– Kindergarten testing and screening. It is important that students are available on both days. Parents will be contacted to schedule appointments for testing and screening.

Week of March 23, 2015 – Notification (accepted, wait-listed, or declined) letters sent to parents. Notification dates subject to change pending budget allocations.

April-May, 2015– Registration for 2015-16 school year.

Application Deadlines must be met. Late applications will not be accepted.

Application Information: PLEASE READ

NO LATE APPLICATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED.
Parents must turn in their part of the application (Application for Admission page and the Parent Inventory Form) to Quest. DO NOT give to current school or classroom teacher to deliver to Quest. Turn your part in directly to Quest by January 9, 2015 even if you haven’t received notification of your child’s identification status.
Parents must give their child’s current teacher both the Teacher and Additional Teacher recommendation forms and the AGATE Teacher Leader form.
Aurora Quest staff members will check applications for completeness and indicate application was received by deadline.
Please note: State of Colorado and Aurora Public Schools policy state that kindergarten students MUST be five years old by October 1st of the academic year for which s/he is applying. First grade students must be six years old by October 1st to be admitted to first grade. Students must apply for the grade of which they are age appropriate, unless they have qualified for Early Access.
FYI: Kindergarten is a full-day program.
A self-addressed stamped envelope must be included with each application for status notification.

Testing Information:

Once applications have been received those students needing additional testing will be notified. Out-of-district students are charged a $100 testing fee.

Who decides which students are admitted?

A committee of school and district professional educators are given the responsibility of gathering and analyzing applications and selecting students for admission. An established procedure is followed and each completed application is reviewed.

What criteria are used to qualify students?

The following data is used to determine eligibility for admission:

Recommendations from parents and teachers
Cognitive ability or testing information (i.e., CogAT, NNAT, DAS, WISC, WPPSI, etc…)
Report card
State assessments
Performance-based measures
Other

All in-district students who meet the criteria will be given first consideration to attend Quest. Out-of-district students will be considered for admission to Quest if space is available.

Transportation:

Limited transportation is available for Aurora Public Schools’ students who attend Quest pending budget allocations. Bus stops and schedules are available in the office. Out of district students must have their own transportation.

AURORA QUEST K-8

17315 E. 2nd Avenue

Aurora, CO 80011

Application for Admission to Grades 1 & 2

Date of Application: Have applied to Quest before: Yes No

Applicant’s Full Name:

Current Grade: Date of Birth: Age:

Address:

City: Zip Code:Telephone:

Gender: Female Male 

CurrentSchool: Classroom Teacher:

CurrentSchool Phone Number:

Is applicant an AuroraPublic Schools’ resident?Yes No 

If not, which District?

With whom does the applicant live? ______Relationship: ______

Is English the primary language spoken in the home:  Yes  No

If no, which language(s) is spoken? ______

Mother’s/Guardian’s Name:

Home Phone ( )______Cell ( )______Work Phone ( )______

Address (if different from above)

Email Address:

______

Father’s/Guardian’s Name:

Home Phone ( ) Cell ( )______Work Phone ( ) ______

Address (if different from above)

Email Address:

Sibling(s) Attending Quest:______

Aurora Quest K-8 is a school of choice. In order to maintain continuous enrollment, I hereby agree that I understand Aurora Quest K-8’s expectations and will meet and support the following stated expectations.

Expectations of Students:

Remain at least on grade level in reading, writing and math
Receive proficient or advanced scores on state assessments
Demonstrate motivation to learn
Complete homework as required
Respect and obey the rules and behavior expectations of the school

Expectations of Parents:

Fulfill the 20-hour yearly service requirement
Ensure student(s) arrive promptly each morning and attend school regularly.School hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

(9:30-2:30 on Wednesdays)

I hereby give permission to Aurora Public Schools to assess my child.

Student Signature: Date:

Parent Signature: Date:

1-2 Admission Packet Page 1 of 9

Parent Inventory Form – Grades 1 & 2

(Adapted with permission from the Kingore Observation Inventory, Kingore, B. 2001)

Parents have unique opportunities to see their children at play, at work, and in family settings.

Please share your observations of your child with us.

Directions: Please read the statements listed below.For each statement, rate your child as follows: 0 = Never, 1 = Seldom, 2 = To Some Extent, 3 = To Great Extent. Providing examples of how your child has demonstrated these qualities helps us make decisions about your child’s abilities and needs.

My child uses advanced language. This is demonstrated through:

(How my child uses language)

_____ using words that other children his/her age do not use. They seem to be more like words older children and adults use.
_____ using simpler words when he/she talks to young children. S/he can word a sentence in a different way to help other

children understand something.

_____ being able to tell how two things that are different are also the same in some ways.
_____ using sentences that compare things to other things so that people will understand his/her meaning, such as “A

______is really like _____because ______.”

_____ asking questions about words s/he sees or hears.

Examples from above of things my child has said: ______

My child is an analytical thinker. Analytical thinking is demonstrated through:

(How my child uses math and logic)

_____ understanding things that are very complicated, have many parts and/or are things one understands in their mind but cannot see.
_____ being able to take a household job and break it into meaningful parts for it to be understood and completed.
_____ when looking around his/her world, you are surprised at the details your child notices.
_____ finding it very easy to take things apart and put them back together.
_____ comparing things that have happened in the past to things that have happened recently.

Examples of analytical thinking my child said or did: ______

My child is highly motivated to understand and organize information. Motivation is demonstrated through:

(How my child makes sense of the world)

_____really enjoying talking about why the world is the way it is and why people do what they do.
_____ asking surprisingly smart questions.
_____ being very curious and doing experiments.
_____ having an unusual amount of knowledge about specific topics that interest him/her.
_____ beinginterested in something, and working hard on it without stopping.
_____ remembering things easily.
_____ organizing things in new and unusual ways. S/he enjoys planning and arranging things.

Examples from above of things my child said or did: ______

______

My child has perspective on the world. Perspective is demonstrated through:

(How my child sees the world)

_____ being able to explain another person’s point of view.
_____ showing dimension, angle or perspective in art, math solutions or problem solving.
_____ creating unusual and difficult shapes, patterns or pictures.
_____ creating something, adding interesting details to make the product better or more appealing.

Examples from above of perspective my child said or did:

______

My child has a keen sense of humor. Sense of humor is demonstrated through:

(How my child can create and understand funny ideas)

_____ doing or saying something that is unexpectedly funny. His/her humor comes at a time when most people would not see the humor in the situation.
_____ making jokes and comments that other children don’t understand; jokes that would usually make adults laugh.
_____ understanding puns and riddles; creating her/his own.
_____ “playing” with language: trying to use different words and phrases, creating rhymes and funny stories.
_____ using humorous words and ideas beyond his/her age.

Examples from above of things my child said or did: ______

______

My child is sensitive. Sensitivity is demonstrated through:

(How my child understands the feelings of others)

_____ caring deeply; being concerned about human problems in the world.
_____ taking action to help someone in need, even someone s/he might not know very well.
_____ expressing feelings through words and art.
_____ being able to explain another person’s feelings.
_____ showing a strong sense of fairness.
_____ talking about having high expectations or big goals for him/herself and others.
_____ seeming to overreact to situations that do not upset other children.

Examples from above of things my child said or did:______

My child is an accelerated learner. Accelerated learning is demonstrated through:

(How quickly my child learns)

_____ learning new things quickly with little practice.
_____ being able to talk about things and talks about an item’s many different qualities.
_____ being able to tell the meaning of what s/he has read or has been read to her/him.
_____ understanding math and science at a level that is way above what is expected at his/her age.
_____ creating products which seem advanced for him/her.

Examples from above of things my child said or did: ______

______

Other information I would like you to know about my child:

______

Please list any interests or hobbies your child has (i.e. collections, favorite books, extracurricular activities, etc.).

** Also include a copy of your child’s best work or an accomplishment of which he/she is proud. Copy will not be returned.

______

1-2 Admission Packet Page 1 of 10

AURORA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

AURORA QUEST K-8

17315 East 2nd Avenue

Aurora, CO 80011

GRADES 1-2 CLASSROOM TEACHER RECOMMENDATION FORM

Student’s Name:

Date of Birth: Age: Current Grade:

Teacher’s Name: Date:

School: School Phone Number:

The above named student has applied for admission to Aurora Quest K-8. Quest is a magnet school designed for academically gifted or high potential students in grades K-8 who need educational services that differ from those provided at other elementary or middle schools. Students who would best match the mission and beliefs of Aurora Quest K-8 would be those who:

· perform at least on grade level in reading, writing and math and demonstrate advanced

achievement in at least one of these areas

· are strongly motivated to learn in or out of school

· have significantly different learning needs

Please complete this form to the best of your knowledge. Any additional comments or information you feel would be helpful in evaluating this student is greatly appreciated. All information on this form will be confidential.

Please return this form directly to Aurora Quest by January 9, 2015. DO NOT offer to return the completed Aurora Quest Parent Questionnaire and Application form to Quest. Please encourage parents to return their part directly to Quest by the deadline.Thank you.

 Student’s Test Scores (Please report scores of all tests given in percentiles)

1-2 Admission Packet Page 1 of 10

CogAT Date given:

Verbal:%ile

Quantitative:%ile

Non-verbal:%ile

Naglieri:%ile

Date given:

Other (test name):

(score) %ile Date given:

1-2 Admission Packet Page 1 of 10

Additional Assessment Information

 DRA2 Level Date Given:

 Mondo Benchmark  Mondo Level Date given

(Please include a copy of the Mondo running record)

 Kathy Richardson Assessments Passed: Date(s) Given: ______

#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9

 Place Value Continuum Level (if given) ______Investigation Assessments______

Rational Number Interview______

 CELA Score (if applicable): B EI I P AP

 Please include the most recent report card

 Please include copies of the ALP; Traits, Attributes and Behavior form; the Nomination form and the Student Inventory form from the AGATE identification process.

I recommend this student:

[ ] with great enthusiasm (4) [ ] with good confidence (3) [ ]with some confidence (2) [ ] with reservation (1)

[ ] I DO NOT recommend this student (0)

1-2 Admission Packet Page 1 of 10

Student’s Name

Grades 1 & 2 Classroom Teacher Recommendation Form(cont.)

Directions: Please read the statements listed below.For each statement, rate student as follows: 0 = Never, 1 = Seldom, 2 = To Some Extent, 3 = To Great Extent.

Verbal abilities:

___ Has an expanded vocabulary.
___ Asks unusual questions to find out more information
___ Expresses ideas well
___ Elaborates on questions for information

Learning Characteristics:

___ Exhibits quick mastery of skills
___ Has long term recall of information
___ Has interest on how things work
___ Has the ability to see relationships and make connections
___ Is able to retain more information with less repetition
___ Has a lot of information about one topic
___ Has a questioning attitude
___ Signals perfectionist tendencies
___ Likes to solve puzzles or trick questions
___ Has a wide range of interests
___ Performs well mathematically

Motivational Characteristics:

___ Sets high expectations for self
___ Is inquisitive
___ Has a tendency to lose awareness of time/intense concentration
___ Becomes easily impatient with drill and routine procedures
___ Is persistent
___ Has keen powers of observation
___ Requires little direction

Social Abilities:

___ Tends to dominate peers or situation
___ Has unusual, often highly developed sense of humor for his age
___ Is independent
___ Often finds and corrects own and other mistakes
___ Is often overly sensitive

Leadership:

___ Adapts readily to new situations
___ Is well liked by classmates and demonstrates leadership
___ Carries responsibility well
___ Is self-confident in own age group
___ Is cooperative with teacher and classmates

Creativity:

___ Makes up games and activities displaying imagination
___ Expresses original ideas in other ways
___ Demonstrates ability to express feelings and emotions
___ Is articulate in role playing and storytelling
___ Displays a richness in imagery and informal language
___ Demonstrates ability in fine or practical arts

Is there anything else you want to tell us about your students? ______

______

Student shows academic precocity (advancement) in (check all that apply):

___ Math ___ Science ___Reading ___Writing ___Social Studies ___ Language Acquisition

Teacher signature ______

1-2 Admission Packet Page 1 of 10

Student’s Name

Grades 1 & 2 Additional Teacher Recommendation Form

Directions: Please read the statements listed below.For each statement, rate student as follows: 0 = Never, 1 = Seldom, 2 = To Some Extent, 3 = To Great Extent.

Verbal abilities:

___ Has an expanded vocabulary.
___ Asks unusual questions to find out more information
___ Expresses ideas well
___ Elaborates on questions for information

Learning Characteristics:

___ Exhibits quick mastery of skills
___ Has long term recall of information
___ Has interest on how things work
___ Has the ability to see relationships and make connections
___ Is able to retain more information with less repetition
___ Has a lot of information about one topic
___ Has a questioning attitude
___ Signals perfectionist tendencies
___ Likes to solve puzzles or trick questions
___ Has a wide range of interests
___ Performs well mathematically

Motivational Characteristics:

___ Sets high expectations for self
___ Is inquisitive
___ Has a tendency to lose awareness of time/intense concentration
___ Becomes easily impatient with drill and routine procedures
___ Is persistent
___ Has keen powers of observation
___ Requires little direction

Social Abilities:

___ Tends to dominate peers or situation
___ Has unusual, often highly developed sense of humor for his age
___ Is independent
___ Often finds and corrects own and other mistakes
___ Is often overly sensitive

Leadership:

___ Adapts readily to new situations
___ Is well liked by classmates and demonstrates leadership
___ Carries responsibility well
___ Is self-confident in own age group
___ Is cooperative with teacher and classmates

Creativity: