Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) offers a continuum of advanced academic services for all students in grades K-8.  Learning experiences are designed to develop higher-level thinking through enrichment, acceleration, and extensions of the Program of Studies (POS).  Teachers, administrators, and advanced academic resource teachers (AARTs) work together to provide the following levels of school-based services in each elementary school:

• Critical and Creative Thinking Lessons, Grades K-6 (Level I)

All students in kindergarten through grade six receive Level I services which consist of model lessons that are designed to teach critical and creative thinking skills.  The lessons are modeled in all classrooms by the AART and classroom teachers.  The thinking strategies are then used throughout the year by classroom teachers and other teachers who work with students. Student responses to these model lessons are used as part of the identification process for AAP services.  Parents may also practice the thinking strategies during family conversations and activities.  A description of the nine critical and creative thinking strategies can be found at https://www.fcps.edu/academics/elementary-school-academics-k-6/advanced-academics/critical-and-creative-thinking. 

• Differentiated Lessons in Areas of Academic Strength, Grades K-6 (Level II)

The AART collaborates with classroom teachers to provide additional challenges through lessons and resources that extend and enrich the POS.  Level II services are part of a talent development pool.  Students at Pine Spring are rescreened annually to make decisions about the needs for this level of service.

• Part-Time Advanced Academic Programs, Grades 3-6 (Level III)

Students identified by a local school screening committee for part-time advanced academic services are challenged through models and strategies designed to extend and enrich the POS in the four core subject areas.  Students receive direct instruction from the AART and classroom teacher at Pine Spring using curriculum from the AAP Curriculum and Resources to support the differentiated framework.  Students identified for Level III services maintain that identification through 6^th grade.

Screening for school-based services can happen at any time during the school year but is done schoolwide in spring to determine services for the next school year.  Parents or guardians may initiate the screening for school-based level III services by submitting the AAP School-Based Services (Level III) Referral Form to Tracy Haynes by 4:00 PM Friday, April 23, 2021.   Multiple criteria are used to screen students for all levels of AAP services.  Pine Spring ES will notify parents or guardians who submit a referral of their student's eligibility status by Friday, June 4, 2021. 

If a parent or guardian wishes to appeal an ineligible decision, they may submit an appeal with new data for consideration by the local school screening committee. This new information should be submitted to Tracy Haynes (Advanced Academic Resource Teacher).

If you have any questions, please contact Tracy Haynes at @email.